My Wife Took A Phone Call During Dinner And Forgot I Speak Spanish
Chapter 11
The next weeks were chaos.
Michael was charged with kidnapping, fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.
Meridian collapsed.
The hidden accounts were frozen.
Victims came forward.
Investigators uncovered years of criminal activity.
Daniel became the legal controller of the family trust.
He could have taken everything.
Instead, he used the money to compensate victims.
He also established a fund for families affected by Meridian.
But his marriage was still uncertain.
Sophia moved into the guest room.
Daniel slept alone.
They cared for Isabella together.
But things had changed.
One evening, Isabella asked:
“Are you and Mom getting divorced?”
Daniel looked at Sophia.
Sophia looked down.
“We don’t know yet,” Daniel said.
Isabella nodded.
“Can I still have both of you?”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“Always.”
The child hugged both of them.
Later, Daniel sat with Sophia.
“I need to know everything.”
“I’ll tell you.”
“No more protecting me.”
“No.”
“No more deciding what I can handle.”
“No.”
She opened a folder.
“This is the last secret.”
Inside were photographs.
Letters.
Medical records.
And one document.
Sophia had not married Daniel for the trust.
The document proved it.
She had been engaged to someone else before meeting him.
But she broke the engagement because she discovered the man’s connection to Meridian.
Then she met Daniel.
She fell in love.
She chose him.
The marriage was real.
Even if the secret wasn’t.
Daniel closed the folder.
“I believe you.”
Sophia started crying.
“But that doesn’t fix everything.”
“I know.”
“I lost six years with my daughter.”
Sophia nodded.
“I know.”
“I can’t get them back.”
“No.”
“But maybe I can stop losing more.”
She looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel took her hand.
“I don’t know if I can forget.”
“I don’t ask you to.”
“But I don’t want to live angry.”
Sophia cried harder.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
The words had never felt so heavy.
Then Isabella appeared in the doorway.
“Can I come in?”
Daniel smiled.
“Of course.”
She climbed onto the couch.
“Can we watch a movie?”
Sophia laughed.
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
Daniel looked at them.
Then nodded.
“Okay.”
They watched a movie together.
For a little while, things felt normal.
But at midnight, Daniel received a message.
Unknown sender.
Your father didn’t leave you the truth.
He left you the final piece.
Attached was a photograph.
It showed Daniel’s father standing beside a woman Daniel didn’t recognize.
On the back:
THE WOMAN WHO STARTED MERIDIAN.
Daniel’s heart stopped.
He looked at Sophia.
“We’re not done.”
Sophia sighed.
“I know.”
