She Thought She Was Saving a Homeless Old Man — Then She Discovered Why He Had Chosen Her
CHAPTER 6
Daniel began appearing everywhere.
At the hospital.
At company meetings.
Near Emily’s apartment.
He never threatened her.
He never touched her.
He simply watched.
That frightened her more.
One evening, Emily returned home and found an envelope beneath her door.
Inside was a photograph.
Her mother.
Standing outside Reed Meridian.
On the back:
Ask Daniel what happened that night.
Emily confronted him the next morning.
“You’ve been following me.”
Daniel didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone else is following you.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
He looked exhausted.
“I expect you to survive long enough to find out.”
Emily held up the photograph.
“What happened the night my mother died?”
Daniel stared at it.
“I was nineteen.”
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
Emily’s heart stopped.
“What?”
“I saw your mother that night.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because my father ordered everyone to keep quiet.”
“Why?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Because your mother came to him with evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Your mother was terrified.”
“What did she say?”
“She told my father, ‘If anything happens to me, Emily must never become part of your world.’”
Emily felt tears burning her eyes.
“Why?”
Daniel looked away.
“Because she knew what this family could become.”
Emily suddenly understood something.
Her mother hadn’t simply been afraid of a company.
She had been afraid of the people inside it.
“Daniel…”
He looked back.
“Did you know where I was all these years?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell Arthur?”
“I did.”
Emily froze.
“What?”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“My father found you once.”
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
Emily stared.
“He came to your neighborhood.”
“Why didn’t he meet me?”
“Because someone followed him.”
“Who?”
Daniel’s answer came slowly.
“Victor Hale.”
Arthur’s oldest adviser.
The man everyone trusted.
The man who had been beside Arthur for decades.
Emily suddenly remembered Arthur’s words.
Your mother knew who was responsible.
Maybe she had known all along.
