Chapter 5 - The Husband's Unexpected Arrival
Nobody moved.
Daniel stood with the knife in his hand.
The guards were frozen.
Sofia was between Elena and the stairs.
Victoria watched with an expression that was almost peaceful.
As if everything had finally gone according to plan.
Elena stared at her husband.
She couldn't understand what she was seeing.
The man who had once held her hand while she cried over morning sickness.
The man who had kissed her stomach every night.
The man who had whispered that he couldn't wait to meet their daughter.
Now stood holding a knife.
“Daniel…”
He didn't answer.
“Please.”
His jaw tightened.
“This was never supposed to happen this way.”
“What wasn't?”
“You weren't supposed to know.”
“Know what?”
He looked at Victoria.
She whispered:
“Daniel.”
He ignored her.
“The trust.”
“The inheritance.”
“The child.”
He looked at Elena.
“All of it.”
Elena's tears fell.
“You planned this.”
Daniel's voice became cold.
“From the beginning.”
She felt as though the floor had disappeared again.
“You married me for the trust.”
He didn't deny it.
Victoria stepped closer.
“The family needed a solution.”
“A solution?”
Elena laughed through tears.
“I was your solution?”
“You were the problem.”
That sentence broke something inside her.
Sofia moved toward Daniel.
“You're going to prison.”
Daniel raised the knife.
“Stay back.”
The guards began moving.
Then headlights appeared below.
Several vehicles entered the driveway.
Police.
A black SUV.
And another vehicle.
Daniel turned.
A man stepped out.
Gray-haired.
Calm.
Holding a tablet.
Daniel's expression changed instantly.
“Arthur.”
Victoria whispered:
“No.”
Arthur Sterling walked toward the terrace.
He held up the tablet.
“The recording has already been uploaded.”
Daniel froze.
“To where?”
“Multiple locations.”
“Police.”
“Federal investigators.”
“Your company's board.”
“And several news organizations.”
Victoria's face drained of color.
Arthur continued:
“Your little plan is over.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You've been recording us?”
“No.”
He pointed to the camera.
“Someone else was.”
Sofia.
The maid.
Mrs. Walsh.
The security system.
Too many witnesses.
Daniel's control was collapsing.
Arthur turned toward Elena.
“Are you hurt?”
“I don't know.”
“Then we're going to the hospital.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“You're not taking her.”
Arthur looked at him.
“You don't get to decide that anymore.”
The guards moved.
Daniel looked at the knife.
Then at Elena.
His expression changed.
For a moment, he seemed almost human.
He lowered the weapon.
Then dropped it.
It struck the stone floor.
The sound echoed across the terrace.
Police rushed forward.
They arrested him.
Victoria was taken moments later.
Elena collapsed into Sofia's arms.
The only thing she could think about was her baby.
“My daughter.”
Sofia held her.
“She'll be okay.”
Elena looked at the sky.
For the first time, she allowed herself to believe it.
But there was still one question.
Why?
Why had Daniel and Victoria believed killing the unborn child would solve everything?
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The answer would come at the hospital.
And it would reveal a family secret older than Elena's marriage.
