Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
I read Richard’s message three times.
*You were never the target.*
My first instinct was anger.
My second was fear.
But the third emotion was something far more dangerous.
Curiosity.
Because deep down, I knew Richard was telling the truth about one thing.
This had started before me.
Before the helicopter.
Before our marriage.
Before the baby.
Before I ever placed my trust in him.
My father was the beginning of this story.
And somehow, I had spent years living inside a chapter I didn’t even know existed.
“Claire.””
Daniel’s voice pulled me back.
I looked up.
He was staring at my phone.
“Don’t respond.””
I locked the screen.
“Why?””
“Because Richard wants a reaction.””
I looked at him.
“He always does.””
Daniel nodded.
“He needs to know what you know.””
I looked toward the hospital door.
“He already suspects.””
“Yes.””
“Then why send that message?””
Daniel was quiet.
Because we both knew the answer.
Richard wasn’t just communicating.
He was testing me.
Trying to see whether I would reveal my hand.
I had spent my entire life negotiating with people who wanted something from me.
Investors.
Competitors.
Executives.
But Richard was different.
He wasn’t trying to beat me in a boardroom.
He was trying to understand my emotions.
My weaknesses.
My fears.
He thought he knew me.
That was his mistake.
“Daniel.””
He looked at me.
“I need to know everything.””
He hesitated.
“Claire…”
“No.””
My voice was calm.
But firm.
“No more protecting me. No more deciding what I can handle.””
I touched my stomach.
“My child almost died today.””
Daniel looked away.
“And I almost died with my secrets still buried.””
That hit him.
Because he knew I was right.
He slowly nodded.
“Okay.””
He opened the folder again.
“There’s something I never told you.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Another thing?””
“Yes.””
“Why am I not surprised?””
Daniel accepted the anger.
He deserved some of it.
“After your father died, I was hired by the board to help stabilize the company.””
“I know.””
“But there was a problem.””
“What problem?””
“The company wasn’t losing money.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Everyone expected chaos after your father’s death. They expected the company to collapse without him.””
“But it didn’t.””
“No.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because someone had already prepared for his absence.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Prepared?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Daniel opened another file.
“Your father had created a private emergency structure. A backup system.””
I looked at the papers.
“He knew something could happen.””
“Yes.””
My throat tightened.
“My father knew he was in danger?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
I looked at the documents.
“Why didn’t I know about this?””
“Because he didn’t trust anyone with the full picture.””
“Not even me?””
Daniel looked sad.
“He was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone kept using those words.
Protect.
Protect.
Protect.
But protection built on lies could feel exactly like betrayal.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time from the same unknown number.
*You need to see what your father hid beneath the old headquarters.*
I showed Daniel.
He frowned.
“Old headquarters?””
I nodded.
“The original Hayes Technologies building.””
The one my father started in.
Before the skyscraper.
Before the billions.
Before the world knew our name.
“Why would someone send you there?””
“I don’t know.””
Daniel looked concerned.
“Because it’s a trap?””
“Maybe.””
“Then don’t go.””
I looked at him.
“What if it isn’t?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Because he knew.
We couldn’t ignore it.
Not anymore.
My father had spent years building something.
Then he spent his final days hiding something.
And now people were willing to kill me over it.
A nurse entered the room again.
This time, Daniel immediately looked suspicious.
“Where’s the doctor?””
The nurse stopped.
“I was asked to check on the patient.””
“By who?””
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“Who asked you?””
The woman looked uncomfortable.
“Her husband.””
My stomach turned.
Richard.
Again.
He was trying to monitor me.
Control the information.
Control the story.
I looked at the nurse.
“What exactly did he ask?””
She looked between us.
“He wanted to know if you had recovered your memory.””
Silence.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“He asked that?””
The nurse nodded.
“He said you might be confused after the accident.””
Accident.
That word again.
I looked at the woman.
“Did he tell you what happened?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why did you believe him?””
The nurse looked down.
“I didn’t.””
That surprised me.
“What?””
She closed the door.
Then lowered her voice.
“Ms. Hayes, I’ve worked here for twelve years.””
She looked nervous.
“Your husband has been asking staff questions since you arrived.””
“What kind of questions?””
“Who visited you.””
My heart sank.
“What else?””
“Whether you remembered the helicopter.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Why are you telling us this?””
The nurse looked at me.
“Because I saw something.””
“What?””
“When your husband came in earlier…”
She swallowed.
“He wasn’t acting like someone who almost lost his wife.””
The room went quiet.
“He was acting like someone checking whether his problem was still alive.””
The nurse left before we could ask anything else.
I sat there silently.
Because those words confirmed what I already knew.
Richard wasn’t grieving.
He was calculating.
An hour later, Daniel arranged transportation.
We couldn’t leave through the main entrance.
Too many people were watching.
Too many unknowns.
The hospital had become another cage.
As we moved through the underground parking area, I felt something strange.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
A sense of returning power.
For the first time since the helicopter, I wasn’t reacting.
I was moving.
The old Hayes Technologies building was forty minutes away.
The place where my father started everything.
The place where the biggest secrets of my family had apparently been buried.
During the drive, Daniel remained quiet.
Finally, I asked:
“What happened to Rebecca?””
He kept his eyes on the road.
“I don’t know.””
“But you know something.””
He sighed.
“I know she disappeared after your father confronted her.””
“And everyone believed she died?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Car accident.””
I looked out the window.
“Convenient.””
Daniel didn’t disagree.
“What did my father find?””
Daniel gripped the steering wheel.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
He glanced at me.
“I know pieces.””
“Tell me.””
He was silent.
Then finally said:
“Your father discovered Rebecca wasn’t stealing money.””
I frowned.
“Then what was she stealing?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Information.””
The answer chilled me.
“What information?””
“About your family.””
The car became silent.
I looked at him.
“My family?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Because Rebecca believed Hayes Technologies was never supposed to belong to your father.””
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
“Who is it?””
He didn’t answer.
The phone continued ringing.
Then he finally picked up.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice came through the speaker.
Daniel’s face turned pale.
“Where did you get this number?””
A pause.
Then he whispered:
“No.””
I leaned closer.
“Daniel?””
He looked at me.
The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.
He ended the call.
“Who was it?””
He didn’t answer.
“Daniel.””
His voice came out barely above a whisper.
“It was Rebecca.””
My blood went cold.
“Impossible.””
“I know.””
“Then how?””
He looked ahead.
And slowly said:
“She told me to stop looking for the truth.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
Daniel’s hands tightened on the wheel.
“Because she said if I found what was beneath the old headquarters…”
He swallowed.
“…I would discover why your father chose you over everyone else.””
The car kept moving toward the old building.
Toward the place where my father’s secrets waited.
But as we turned onto the road leading there, I saw something that made my heart stop.
A black SUV was already parked outside.
Someone was waiting.
And standing beside the entrance was a woman I had only seen in old photographs.
A woman who was supposed to have died ten years ago.
May you like
Rebecca Vale looked directly at me.
And smiled.
