Chapter 18 - His Father's Letter
Daniel sat alone to read the letter.
His father had written it when Lily was a baby.
Daniel,
Don't let them teach you the same mistake I taught myself.
Lily's trust was never meant to make her rich.
It was meant to make her difficult to control.
Choose Lily over the company every time.
The company can be rebuilt.
A child's trust cannot.
Dad.
Daniel read the final line three times.
Then he laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
The trust had a safeguard.
His father had anticipated greed better than Daniel had.
The drive in the metal case contained Kyle's complete archive.
Messages.
Payments.
Audio.
Plans.
The fire arrangement.
The fake sale.
The staged custody evidence.
Everything.
The next morning, prosecutors filed new charges against multiple people.
Thomas agreed to cooperate.
Melissa entered negotiations.
Kyle refused.
Daniel felt no victory.
Only exhaustion.
Months passed.
Lily started therapy.
She returned to school.
Daniel sold the house.
Not because he had to.
Because Lily asked.
"I don't like the backyard."
That was enough.
They moved into a smaller home near Megan.
No pool.
A wide kitchen.
A maple tree.
One evening, Lily found the old pink gift box.
It had been recovered from the patio after the party.
The corner was dented.
"Can I open it now?" she asked.
Daniel sat beside her.
"Yes."
Inside was a silver bracelet with a tiny star.
Lily smiled.
"I like it."
Daniel fastened it around her wrist.
Then she asked, "Did you still want to give it to me that day?"
"More than anything."
She leaned against him.
The doorbell rang.
Megan came in carrying pizza.
"Birthday redo," she announced.
Lily laughed.
No guests.
No cameras.
No decorations except six balloons.
Daniel lit a candle on a grocery-store cake.
Lily closed her eyes.
"What did you wish for?" Megan asked.
Lily smiled.
"Can't tell."
Then Daniel's phone buzzed.
Aaron.
One message.
KYLE WANTS A DEAL. HE SAYS THERE'S ONE PERSON LEFT.
Daniel stared at the screen.
One person left?
He looked at Lily laughing with Megan.
Then he typed back.
WHO?
May you like
The reply came thirty seconds later.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE IT.
