CHAPTER 4 — The Family Secret
That evening, Daniel drove straight to his parents' mansion.
Melissa followed behind him, still shaken by everything she had learned.
His father, Richard Carter, sat in the study like a king on a throne.
His mother, Victoria, didn't even look surprised.
"So," Victoria said coldly, "the girl found you."
Daniel's blood ran cold.
"You knew?"
Richard poured himself a drink.
"Of course we knew."
"That woman was going to ruin your life."
Daniel slammed his fist on the desk.
"She was carrying my child!"
Victoria stood slowly.
"No. She was carrying a problem."
Melissa gasped.
Daniel stared at his mother as if seeing her for the first time.
Richard tossed an old file onto the desk.
Inside were documents, checks, private investigator reports...
And one photograph of Emily leaving town, pregnant and crying.
"We gave her money," Richard said. "She chose to leave."
But Daniel noticed something hidden between the papers.
A hospital record.
Ava had been born with a serious heart condition.
Emily had begged the Carters for help.
They ignored her.
Then Daniel found the final document.
A legal agreement signed with Emily's forged signature.
It stated she would never contact Daniel again.
Daniel whispered, "You forged this."
Victoria's face hardened.
"We saved you."
"No," Daniel said, tears filling his eyes. "You buried my daughter alive."
At that exact moment, Daniel's phone rang.
It was Melissa.
Her voice was shaking.
"Daniel... come back to the hospital now."
"Your parents' lawyer is here."
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"And he's trying to take Ava away."
To be continued...
