Chapter 9 — The Truth Charles Harrison Buried
Chapter 9 — The Truth Charles Harrison Buried
The hidden passage felt colder than before.
Emily stood between Vanessa and Michael, listening to Charles Harrison’s voice echo through the old mansion.
“Come out before you discover something you cannot undo.”
The words sounded less like a warning.
They sounded like a threat.
Emily looked at Michael.
“You knew this could happen.”
Michael didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
“And you still brought me here?”
Michael lowered his eyes.
“I brought you here because Daniel wanted you to find the truth.”
Emily’s expression hardened.
“Then why are you afraid of me finding it?”
Michael stayed silent.
That silence told her everything.
Everyone around her had been protecting a secret.
But nobody had been protecting her from the truth.
They had been protecting themselves.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Emily, you need to understand something.”
Emily looked at her.
“I’m listening.”
Vanessa took a deep breath.
“The Harrison family has spent decades fighting over power.”
She glanced around the hidden passage.
“Your grandfather built an empire. But when he died, everyone wanted control.”
Michael nodded.
“Daniel was the only person who didn’t care about control.”
“He wanted to expose them,” Vanessa continued.
Emily looked at the old documents on the walls.
“Expose who?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she said:
“Your grandfather’s closest advisors.”
Emily frowned.
“My grandfather’s advisors?”
Michael answered.
“People who controlled the company after his death.”
Emily looked confused.
“But you said someone forged the will.”
Michael nodded.
“Yes.”
“And they are still controlling the company?”
“Yes.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Before Michael could answer, a loud noise came from behind them.
The hidden passage door began to close.
Someone had activated the mechanism.
Vanessa rushed forward.
“Move!”
The three of them ran as the heavy wooden door slowly closed.
Emily grabbed the edge just before it shut.
For a moment, she struggled.
Then another hand grabbed hers.
Michael.
Together, they pulled it open.
But when they stepped back into the mansion hallway, someone was already waiting.
Charles Harrison.
He stood beneath the old chandelier.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
“Emily.”
She stared at him.
“Were you going to tell me?”
Charles looked at the letter in her hand.
“No.”
The honesty shocked her.
“No?”
Charles slowly walked closer.
“Because I knew exactly what would happen if you learned the truth.”
Emily’s voice became cold.
“You mean if I learned I was the rightful heir?”
Charles didn’t respond.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
The word hurt more than she expected.
“You knew who I was the entire time.”
Charles looked away.
“I knew Daniel had a daughter.”
“But you never looked for me.”
His silence answered.
Emily felt anger replacing the pain.
“Why?”
Charles looked at her.
“Because Daniel asked me not to.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps using my father’s name.”
She held up the letter.
“But he wrote this for me.”
She stepped closer.
“He trusted me with the truth.”
Charles looked at the letter.
“You don’t understand what that truth means.”
“Then explain.”
Charles remained quiet.
Vanessa spoke.
“Tell her.”
Charles looked at her sharply.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“After everything you did?”
Emily looked between them.
“What did he do?”
Nobody answered.
Then Michael finally spoke.
“Charles removed Daniel’s name from the company records.”
Emily looked at Charles.
“You erased your own brother?”
Charles’s face tightened.
“I protected this family.”
“No.”
Emily shook her head.
“You protected yourself.”
Charles looked angry for the first time.
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
“Then tell me.”
Charles stared at her.
“Your father was not just investigating the company.”
Emily waited.
“He discovered someone inside Harrison Enterprises was stealing millions.”
The room went silent.
Emily looked surprised.
“Who?”
Charles looked toward Michael.
Then Vanessa.
Then back to Emily.
“The person who was stealing money…”
He paused.
“Was Daniel himself.”
Emily froze.
“No.”
Michael immediately stepped forward.
“That’s a lie.”
Charles looked at him.
“Is it?”
Emily’s face changed.
Her father.
The man she had spent her life believing was honest.
Was Charles saying Daniel was a criminal?
Charles continued.
“Daniel found financial records proving someone was moving money through hidden accounts.”
Emily shook her head.
“And you’re saying he did it?”
Charles nodded.
“He became desperate. He tried to hide what he had done.”
Michael looked furious.
“You know that’s not true.”
Charles turned toward him.
“You were there.”
Emily looked at Michael.
“What does he mean?”
Michael’s face became serious.
“I was there the night Daniel disappeared.”
Emily’s heart raced.
“What happened?”
Michael looked at Charles.
Then at Vanessa.
Finally, he looked at Emily.
“Your father didn’t run away.”
A pause.
“He was taken.”
Emily felt a chill.
“By who?”
Michael opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, the mansion windows suddenly shattered.
Everyone dropped down.
A loud crash filled the hallway.
When the noise stopped, Emily looked up.
On the floor was a small envelope.
No one had thrown it.
It had been placed there.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Emily picked it up.
Three words were written:
“Ask your mother.”
Emily froze.
Her mother.
Claire Carter.
But Claire was gone.
Dead.
Unless…
The impossible thought entered her mind.
What if her mother’s story was also a lie?
Emily looked at Vanessa.
“Where is my mother?”
Vanessa’s face turned pale.
Michael looked away.
And Charles whispered:
May you like
“She isn’t where you think she is.”
To be continued…
