Daniel’s Price
Chapter 09 - Daniel’s Price
Daniel confronted Helena in Arthur’s old study.
She sat behind the desk, wearing white now instead of gold, as if purity could be chosen like a dress.
“You used my access code,” he said.
Helena continued signing papers. “Codes are copied every day.”
“You put the money in my account.”
“I protected you.”
“You built a prison around me.”
At last, she looked up.
“Everything you have exists because I made sure Ethan was not standing in front of you.”
Daniel felt the room tilt. “What does that mean?”
Helena rose and closed the study doors.
She told him that Arthur planned to remove her from the board. Ethan had encouraged him. If Arthur succeeded, Daniel would receive nothing except a small trust. Helena claimed she had only intended to frighten Ethan into leaving the country.
“The crash was not supposed to happen,” she said. “Men like Victor solve problems badly when they are afraid.”
Daniel stared at her.
It was not a full confession, but it was enough.
“Did you kill Father?”
Helena’s face remained still.
“Your father was dying long before I helped him stop suffering.”
Daniel stepped backward as if struck.
Helena moved toward him. “Do not pretend innocence. You signed the transfer. You signed the trust dissolution. You enjoyed the house, the cars, the name.”
“I was grieving.”
“You were useful.”
Daniel left before she could see him cry.
Outside, he called Ethan.
They met beneath the old railway bridge where they had hidden as children after running away from a boarding-school driver. Daniel gave Ethan a recording of the conversation, but Helena had avoided direct language. Prosecutors could interpret it; her lawyers could explain it away.
Ethan listened twice.
“It is not enough to convict her,” Daniel said.
“No.”
“It is enough to destroy me.”
Ethan put the phone away. “Then we do not release it yet.”
Daniel stared at him. “After everything I signed, you still want to protect me?”
“I want the truth. Not another sacrifice.”
May you like
For the first time since Ethan’s return, Daniel embraced his brother.
Neither of them noticed the camera lens watching from a parked car.
