Daniel shrugged.
Margaret immediately looked at Emily.
"You."
Emily remained silent.
Margaret stood.
"I knew it."
Daniel became angry.
"Mom, enough."
"You lied to me."
"I never told you she did anything."
"You don't understand."
"No, you don't understand."
Margaret pointed at Emily.
"She is hiding something."
Emily finally spoke.
"Yes."
The room became silent.
Daniel looked at her.
"What?"
Emily took a breath.
"There are things about my family I haven't told you."
Margaret crossed her arms.
"Finally."
Daniel stared at Emily.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wanted you to know me first."
"What does that mean?"
Emily couldn't answer.
Not yet.
Before she could explain, a black luxury sedan stopped outside the house.
Margaret looked through the window.
Another vehicle followed.
Then another.
Daniel frowned.
"Who are those people?"
Emily's heart began pounding.
She recognized the cars.
Her family had found her.
And they weren't supposed to.
The first driver stepped out.
Then a second.
A man in a dark suit walked toward the house.
Margaret watched through the curtains.
"Emily?"
Emily closed her eyes.
The man knocked.
Three times.
Daniel opened the door.
The man bowed slightly.
"Miss Carter."
Daniel froze.
Margaret froze.
Emily stood behind them.
The man continued.
"Your father has been trying to reach you."
Silence.
Daniel turned slowly.
"Miss Carter?"
Emily swallowed.
"Daniel..."
He stared at her.
"Who are you?"
Before she could answer, another vehicle arrived.
This one was longer.
Darker.
More expensive.
The rear door opened.
An older man stepped out.
He wore a perfectly tailored suit.
He didn't look around.
He simply walked toward the house.
Every person outside seemed to straighten when he approached.
Emily knew him.
Her father.
Richard Carter.
The man who owned half the businesses in Bellwood.
The man whose name appeared on buildings across the city.
And the man Emily had spent months trying to escape.
He looked at his daughter.
"Enough hiding."
Emily's face tightened.
"I wasn't hiding."
Richard smiled.
"Then why are you dressed like someone who has nothing?"
Emily didn't answer.
Daniel looked between them.
His voice was barely audible.
"Your family owns Carter Holdings?"
Emily nodded.
Daniel stepped backward.
Margaret's face had gone completely white.
Richard looked at her.
"Mrs. Miller."
She couldn't speak.
Emily finally said:
"I wanted to know whether Daniel loved me without knowing my family's name."
Richard looked at Daniel.
"And now?"
Emily looked at him.
"I know."
But she didn't know what Daniel was thinking.
And that frightened her more than anything.
Daniel walked away from the house.
He didn't run.
He didn't shout.
He simply walked.
Emily followed.
"Daniel."
He kept walking.
"Please."
He stopped.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally he turned.
"How long?"
Emily lowered her eyes.
"Since before we met."
"So everything was fake?"
"No."
"Your apartment?"
"Real."
"Your bookstore job?"
"Real."
"The warehouse?"
"Real."
"Your money?"
"Real."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"That's not an answer."
Emily looked at him.
"I wanted you to love me before you knew about my family."
"You could have told me."
"I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"That you'd change."
Daniel stared at her.
"I didn't change."
"I know."
"Then why didn't you trust me?"
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I've watched people change."
She told him about her childhood.
About men who suddenly became polite when they discovered her father's name.
About classmates who invited her to parties after learning who she was.
About people who pretended to love her because they wanted access to her family.
Daniel listened.
"I don't know what to say," he admitted.
"You don't have to say anything."
He sat on a bench.
Emily sat beside him.
After a long silence, he asked:
"Did you ever love me?"
Emily looked at him.
"From the beginning."
He nodded.
"That's the problem."
"What?"
"I believe you."
She started crying.
Daniel reached for her hand.
Then stopped.
"I need time."
Emily nodded.
"I understand."
Meanwhile, Margaret was still standing inside the house.
Richard Carter had entered.
He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't threaten her.
He simply said:
"My daughter never intended to humiliate you."
Margaret looked ashamed.
"I didn't know."
"Exactly."
Richard looked toward the window.
"You judged her because you believed she had less than you."
Margaret lowered her head.
"I thought she was using my son."
"She was testing him."
"Why?"
"Because she was tired of being loved for her family's wealth."
Margaret remained silent.
Then she whispered:
"I treated her badly."
Richard nodded.