Chapter 8: The Betrayal Before Vanessa
I couldn't breathe.
I stared at the photograph.
My mother.
Robert Carter.
Standing together.
Smiling.
Like they belonged together.
Like they had a secret.
Claire slowly took the photograph from my hand.
"Michael...""
I shook my head.
"No.""
My voice barely came out.
"No, that can't be.""
My mother left when I was young.
That was the story I had always been told.
She couldn't handle the pressure.
She wanted a different life.
My father never spoke badly about her.
Not once.
Even when I asked why she abandoned us.
He always said:
"Your mother made choices she couldn't undo.""
But this?
This was something else.
I opened the next document.
A report.
A private investigation.
The date was fifteen years earlier.
The same year my father almost died in a car accident.
My eyes moved across the page.
*Subject: Robert Carter and Elizabeth Bennett relationship history.*
I felt sick.
"My mother knew him.""
Claire nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"How?""
She looked through the papers.
"Your mother worked with Robert before she met your father.""
I stared at her.
"Worked with him?""
Claire hesitated.
"Your mother helped build the early foundation of your father's company.""
I felt confused.
"My father always said she left because she wanted nothing to do with business.""
Claire looked at me.
"That wasn't the full story.""
I kept reading.
The documents revealed something I never expected.
Before my father became successful, he and Robert were partners.
Friends.
Brothers, almost.
They built their first company together.
Then something happened.
A disagreement.
A betrayal.
Robert left.
My father continued alone.
And years later, Robert created his own empire.
But he never forgot.
He believed my father had stolen what belonged to him.
"He blamed your father," Claire explained.
"For what?""
She looked at the papers.
"For choosing your mother.""
The room went silent.
I felt like I was reading someone else's life.
Not mine.
Not my family's.
"My mother knew?""
Claire nodded.
"She discovered Robert was manipulating company records.""
I looked up.
"She tried to stop him.""
"Yes.""
"And the accident?""
Claire's expression changed.
"We believe it wasn't an accident.""
My heart dropped.
"You mean...""
She nodded.
"Someone tried to kill your father.""
I closed my eyes.
All those years.
All those questions.
My father never told me.
Why?
Because he was protecting me.
Again.
A noise came from downstairs.
We both froze.
Someone was inside the house.
Claire immediately reached for her phone.
"Stay here.""
"No.""
I stood.
"I'm done hiding.""
We moved quietly down the hallway.
A shadow crossed the living room.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Michael.""
I stopped.
Vanessa stepped into view.
I stared at her.
"What are you doing here?""
She looked at the folder in my hand.
"I followed you.""
"Why?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Because I found something.""
I didn't move.
"About what?""
She reached into her purse.
And pulled out a flash drive.
"My father didn't tell me everything.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That surprises you?""
She accepted the anger.
"I found this in his office.""
She handed it to me.
"What is it?""
Her voice shook.
"Proof.""
"Proof of what?""
She looked at the red folder.
"Proof that my father wasn't just trying to steal your money.""
She swallowed.
"He was trying to destroy Arthur Bennett completely.""
I stared at the flash drive.
"Why help me?""
She looked down.
"Because I finally understand what I did.""
A tear fell.
"I spent years trying to become someone my father would be proud of.""
She looked at me.
"And I became exactly like him.""
I wanted to stay angry.
I wanted to hate her.
But seeing her broken didn't erase what happened.
I took the flash drive.
"Did you know about the fake signature?""
She closed her eyes.
"No.""
"Did you know my father would be arrested?""
"No.""
"Did you know he would be humiliated?""
Her voice cracked.
"No.""
I looked away.
At least she had enough shame to admit it.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message from Claire.
She had stepped outside to make a call.
*Michael, don't open that flash drive.*
I frowned.
Another message appeared.
*It's a trap.*
My blood went cold.
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked confused.
"What?""
I held up my phone.
Then Claire ran back inside.
"Michael!""
She stopped when she saw the flash drive in my hand.
Her face turned pale.
"Where did you get that?""
"Vanessa brought it.""
Claire looked at Vanessa.
Then whispered:
"That's impossible.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
Claire pointed at the flash drive.
"Because that drive was recovered from Robert Carter's office.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
Claire continued.
"Three hours ago.""
The room went silent.
I stared at Vanessa.
"Then where did you get it?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Claire stepped closer.
"Michael...""
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Someone wanted you to think Vanessa brought this to you.""
I looked at the flash drive.
And realized something terrifying.
May you like
The trap wasn't around my father anymore.
It was around me.
