Chapter 4 - The Daughter Who Laughed
Daniel moved Emma to the home of his trusted neighbor, Margaret, while he investigated the threats.
Kayla came with them.
For the first time, she confessed why she had laughed when Vanessa smashed the cake.
“Mom said she'd send me away if I didn't obey her,” Kayla sobbed. “She told me Emma was destroying our family.”
Emma stared at her.
“You laughed because you wanted me to cry?”
Kayla couldn't answer.
Daniel refused to force Emma to forgive her. Kayla would have to earn back her trust.
That afternoon, Kayla revealed another secret.
On the night Claire died, Vanessa had taken her to Daniel's neighborhood. Kayla had waited in the car while Vanessa went inside to confront Claire.
When Vanessa returned, she was crying and carrying a small silver key.
“She told me never to mention it,” Kayla whispered. “She said if I told you, you'd lose everything.”
Daniel remembered finding a similar key in Vanessa's jewelry box.
Before he could ask another question, Vanessa appeared outside Margaret's house with legal papers, demanding Emma's return.
When Margaret refused, Vanessa lunged toward Kayla and raised her hand.
Daniel stepped between them.
“Your threats are over.”
Vanessa stared at him with murderous contempt.
“You still don't understand, Daniel. Claire discovered what your own family was hiding.”
Then she drove away.
Daniel turned toward Kayla.
“What does she mean by my family?”
Kayla whispered the words that changed everything.
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“Your father knew about Andrew.”
What had Daniel's dead father been hiding—and how far back did the conspiracy reach?
