His fingers traced the leather spines of old books and ledgers. He found a hidden compartment behind a panel and pulled out a thick, dusty ledger.
“What’s this?” he whispered, flipping through the pages.
Each entry detailed large sums of money, transactions that didn’t add up. Daniel’s blood ran cold. “She’s been embezzling family funds.”
He heard a soft thud and turned to see Lila at the door, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear.
“Lila, what’s wrong?” Daniel asked, rushing to her side.
Lila collapsed into his arms, her voice barely audible. “She threatened me. She said she’d fire me if I told anyone.”
Daniel’s anger flared. “I won’t let her hurt you. I promise.”
He helped Lila to a chair and turned back to the ledger. The evidence was damning. He knew he had to act quickly.
Just as he was about to call for help, he heard a sharp click. The gardener, a man he had never trusted, stood in the doorway, a syringe in his hand.
“What are you doing here?” Daniel demanded.
Before he could react, the gardener lunged forward, injecting Maya with a sedative. She cried out, her eyes widening in alarm, and then she slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Daniel’s world went black as the gardener turned to him, a sinister smile on his face. “Evelyn’s plan is unfolding, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”
When Daniel Confronts Evelyn with the Ledger
Daniel’s hands shook as he held the ledger, its pages filled with damning entries. He walked into the living room, where Evelyn sat, her expression as cold as ever.
“Mother, what is this?” he demanded, throwing the ledger on the table.
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed. “What is what, Daniel?”
“This ledger. Showing all the funds you’ve been embezzling from the family.”
Evelyn’s face remained stoic. “You’re naive, Daniel. You always have been.”
“What do you mean?”
“The money I’ve been taking isn’t just for me. It’s for someone else.”
“Who?” Daniel asked, his voice tight.
Evelyn leaned forward, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “Your wife’s father. The man you thought was dead.”
Daniel’s heart skipped a beat. “What are you talking about?”
“He’s been funding my schemes. And he’s coming back tonight.”
Daniel’s mind raced. “Why? What does he want?”
“He wants what’s rightfully his. The entire family fortune. And he won’t stop until he gets it. That includes your child.”
Daniel’s blood ran cold. “My child?”
Evelyn smirked. “Yes, Daniel. Your child is the heir. And if the baby is born, all your father’s wealth will go to it. But if the baby doesn’t come tonight… well, then, the fortune remains in dispute.”
Daniel’s eyes widened in horror. “You can’t be serious.”
Evelyn stood up, her eyes cold and calculating. “I am. And you better decide whose side you’re on.”
As Night Falls
The sky darkened, and a chill wind whispered through the trees. Daniel’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he heard a car pull up outside. His heart pounded in his chest.
“Maya, are you okay?” he called out, rushing to her side.
Maya, who had been lying on the couch, suddenly clutched her stomach. “Daniel, the baby… it’s coming.”
His eyes widened. “Oh, God, Maya, we need to get you to the hospital.”
Just then, the doorbell rang. Daniel hesitated, his instincts telling him something was wrong. “Stay here,” he told Maya, leaving her to answer the door.
He opened the door to find the gardener, a man he had always trusted, standing there with a syringe in his hand. “What is this?” Daniel demanded.
The gardener’s eyes were filled with fear. “Evelyn sent me. She said to sedate Maya to stop the birth.”
Daniel’s anger surged. “You’re working with her? Against my family?”
The gardener nodded, his voice trembling. “She threatened to ruin me if I didn’t help.”
Daniel’s mind raced. “Where is she?”
“She’s waiting for your father. They both want to make sure the baby doesn’t come tonight.”
Daniel’s heart sank. “I have to protect Maya and the baby.” He turned to run back inside, but the gardener lunged forward, trying to stop him.
“No, you can’t—”
Daniel pushed him aside, racing back to Maya’s side. “Maya, we have to get out of here. Now.”
