Chapter 8: The Person Standing Closest to Me
The words echoed through the parking garage.
*The person responsible is standing right here.*
For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Everyone looked at everyone else.
That was the terrifying part.
Because Victor Hale hadn't pointed at anyone.
He hadn't accused Thomas.
He hadn't accused my mother.
He hadn't accused himself.
He had simply dropped the truth into the middle of the room and waited for us to destroy each other.
And judging by the silence...
It was working.
My eyes moved between the three people who knew my father's secrets.
Thomas.
My mother.
Victor.
One of them had killed my father.
One of them had lied to me for years.
One of them had just walked into my life claiming to know the truth.
And I had no idea which one was worse.
"Explain," I said.
My voice surprised me.
It wasn't shaking.
Not anymore.
I was tired of fear.
Tired of confusion.
Tired of people acting like they had the right to decide what I could handle.
Victor smiled slightly.
"Your father would be proud.""
I immediately hated him for saying that.
"Don't use my father to manipulate me.""
The smile disappeared.
Good.
Because I wasn't interested in playing his game.
Victor looked at Thomas.
"She has your father's attitude.""
Thomas didn't answer.
"Tell me who killed him.""
Victor looked back at me.
"You're asking the wrong question.""
I almost laughed.
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
"Because everyone is trying to protect you from the real answer.""
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"Everyone is trying to protect themselves.""
The words landed harder than I expected.
Because nobody argued.
Victor looked impressed.
"You're smarter than Daniel expected.""
"Daniel?""
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're saying Daniel Walker expected me?""
"Of course.""
"Why?""
Victor looked around the garage.
"Because your father wasn't the only person who left something behind.""
My heart tightened.
"What does that mean?""
He reached into his coat.
Thomas immediately moved forward.
"Don't.""
Victor stopped.
"Still protecting her?""
Thomas's expression hardened.
"You're not taking anything from her.""
Victor smiled.
"Interesting.""
He looked at me.
"Thomas Reed has always been very good at appearing like the hero.""
The accusation hung in the air.
I turned toward Thomas.
And I hated that a small part of me believed him.
Because every person in this story had secrets.
Every person had a reason.
Every person had lied.
Victor continued.
"Five years ago, your father discovered that Daniel Walker was not the only person controlling Walker Holdings.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"Daniel was the face.""
"The face?""
"The man people blamed.""
Victor stepped closer.
"But every empire has people behind the throne.""
Thomas interrupted.
"Don't listen to him.""
Victor looked at him.
"Why?""
A cold smile appeared.
"Because she might start asking questions about you.""
The tension between them was immediate.
They knew each other.
Not casually.
Not professionally.
They knew each other like enemies who had spent years fighting.
"Who are you?"" I asked Victor.
His expression became serious.
"My name is Victor Hale.""
"I know your name.""
"Then you know I was once the chief financial investigator for Walker Holdings.""
I looked at Thomas.
He nodded slowly.
"Before your father.""
I looked back at Victor.
"You worked with my father.""
"Yes.""
"And Daniel.""
"Yes.""
The honesty surprised me.
"You admit that?""
"Because denying it would be pointless.""
Victor looked at the ground.
"Everyone in that company worked with Daniel.""
"Then why are you here?""
He looked at me.
"Because your father was close to finding out the truth.""
"What truth?""
"The reason Daniel Walker was untouchable.""
Nobody spoke.
Victor continued.
"People always assume powerful men survive because they have money.""
He shook his head.
"Money is easy to replace.""
"Then what protects them?""
"Information.""
The same word again.
The same pattern.
Secrets.
Control.
Fear.
"My father found information.""
"Yes.""
"What kind?""
Victor looked at my mother.
Her face changed.
Like she knew what was coming.
"What is it?""
Victor answered quietly.
"Your father discovered that the company wasn't just hiding crimes.""
He paused.
"They were creating them.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"Explain.""
"Walker Holdings controlled companies that competed against them.""
"That doesn't make sense.""
"It does when you understand their method.""
Victor looked at Thomas.
"Destroy the competition.""
Then my mother.
"Control the survivors.""
Then me.
"And eliminate anyone who finds proof.""
My stomach turned.
"You are saying my father was killed because he found evidence.""
Victor nodded.
"Yes.""
"By Daniel?""
Victor didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Thomas.
And that silence told me everything.
"Thomas?""
Thomas closed his eyes.
"Emma...""
"Answer me.""
He looked at me.
"I don't know.""
I stared.
"You don't know?""
"I know Daniel wanted him gone.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Thomas looked broken.
"I wasn't there.""
"Then where were you?""
Silence.
Five years of silence.
And finally...
Thomas answered.
"With your mother.""
I felt like the ground disappeared.
My mother looked away.
"Emma...""
"No.""
I stepped back.
"No.""
Thomas looked desperate.
"Listen to me.""
"You were with my mother the night my father died?""
"Yes.""
"And nobody thought I deserved to know?""
My mother whispered:
"It wasn't what you think.""
I looked at her.
"Then tell me what it was.""
She couldn't.
That hurt more than any answer.
Victor watched quietly.
Almost like he expected this.
"Your father knew.""
I turned toward him.
"What?""
"He knew Thomas was with your mother.""
My chest tightened.
"How?""
"Because your father arranged it.""
Nobody moved.
"What?""
Victor continued.
"Your father knew your mother had information about Daniel.""
My mother looked down.
"He asked Thomas to protect me.""
The words came out softly.
I stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel wanted me dead.""
That changed everything.
"My father was protecting you?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
I looked at Thomas.
"And you?""
Thomas swallowed.
"I was trying to get your mother out safely.""
The anger inside me shifted.
Not disappeared.
Shifted.
Because the story I thought I knew was breaking apart.
Again.
Victor stepped forward.
"Your father trusted the wrong people for one reason.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because he believed everyone had a conscience.""
Victor's voice became colder.
"He was wrong.""
The garage lights flickered.
Everyone looked up.
A strange sound came from outside.
A car engine.
Victor immediately changed.
"Someone else is here.""
Thomas moved toward the exit.
"We need to leave.""
"Who?"" I asked.
But nobody answered.
Because everyone already knew.
Daniel.
Or someone working for him.
Victor looked at me.
"Come with me.""
Thomas immediately said:
"No.""
My head turned.
Victor smiled.
"See?""
He pointed at Thomas.
"That's exactly what I mean.""
"Don't do this," Thomas said.
"Do what?""
"Use her fear.""
Victor looked at me.
"Emma, ask yourself one question.""
I hated that everyone kept doing this.
Making me question everything.
"What?""
"Why did Daniel Walker personally call you?""
I didn't answer.
"Why did he warn you about Thomas?""
Still no answer.
"Why would a man who supposedly wants evidence destroyed tell you the person who gave it to you is dangerous?""
I looked at him.
"Because he could be lying.""
"Yes.""
Victor nodded.
"He could.""
Then he looked at Thomas.
"But so could he.""
The truth was unbearable.
Because Victor was right.
Everyone could be lying.
A loud noise came from the stairwell.
Footsteps.
Multiple people.
Thomas grabbed my arm.
"We have to move.""
This time, I didn't argue.
We ran.
The garage erupted with movement.
Doors opening.
People shouting.
The three people who knew the truth about my father were suddenly running together.
Even though none of us trusted each other.
We reached a second exit.
Thomas opened the door.
A man stepped through.
Security.
Daniel's people.
Thomas pushed me back.
"Go.""
I froze.
"What about you?""
"Go!""
But I didn't move.
Because something had changed.
I wasn't running away anymore.
I was watching.
And what I saw next changed everything.
The security officer raised his weapon.
Not at me.
At Victor.
Victor looked almost amused.
"Still protecting Daniel?""
The man hesitated.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Thomas noticed.
"Who sent you?""
The officer didn't answer.
Then Victor said something quietly.
Something that made the man lower his weapon.
"Daniel doesn't know what I found.""
The officer froze.
Victor smiled.
"Does he?""
Nobody moved.
The security officer looked terrified.
Not of us.
Of someone else.
A phone rang.
The officer answered.
Then immediately turned pale.
He looked at Victor.
Then at Thomas.
Then at me.
"What did he say?"" Thomas asked.
The man lowered the phone.
"You're all supposed to leave.""
I frowned.
"What?""
The man looked at me.
"Daniel said...""
He swallowed.
"He said Emma Carter gets to know the truth.""
My heart stopped.
"Why?""
The officer looked confused.
"Because he said he's done hiding.""
Everyone became silent.
Then the officer continued.
"He wants to meet you.""
Thomas immediately shook his head.
"No.""
Victor looked thoughtful.
My mother looked terrified.
And I...
I felt something I hadn't felt in years.
Control.
Because for the first time, Daniel Walker wasn't hunting me.
He was asking to see me.
Which meant he needed something.
I looked at the three people around me.
The people who had lied.
The people who had protected me.
The people who might have destroyed my family.
Then I looked toward the exit.
"Where?""
Thomas stared at me.
"Emma, no.""
I didn't look away.
"Where does he want to meet?""
The security officer answered.
"Tomorrow night.""
"Where?""
The man hesitated.
Then:
"The place where your father died.""
The words hit me.
The place I had avoided for five years.
The place where my entire life changed.
The highway.
The accident site.
The place where my father disappeared.
I took a slow breath.
Then I nodded.
"Fine.""
My mother grabbed my hand.
"No.""
I looked at her.
"I'm tired of running.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Emma.""
I squeezed her hand gently.
"I spent five years wondering why he left me.""
I looked at Thomas.
"Five years wondering who betrayed him.""
Then I looked toward the darkness outside.
"Tomorrow, I find out.""
Victor watched me carefully.
"You understand what you're doing?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
But the truth was...
I didn't.
Not completely.
Because deep down, I knew one thing.
Daniel Walker wasn't calling me there to confess.
He wasn't calling me there to apologize.
He was calling me there because he had one final card to play.
And whatever happened at that place...
May you like
Would decide whether my father's story ended with justice.
Or whether the people who destroyed him finally won.
