the art of being decived

CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4: The Secret

Vero Reyes Point of View

I can't sleep all night. Mrs. Hartwell's words keep playing in my head. "Things that will change everything."

What does she know? What didn't Daniel tell me?

At six in the morning, I give up trying to sleep. I make coffee and sit at my kitchen table. The wedding dress hangs on my door, white and pretty. In three days, I'll wear it to marry a man who wants to hurt me.

My phone rings. It's the hospital.

"Miss Reyes? Your father's surgery went very well. He's awake and asking for you."

I feel so happy I start crying. "He's okay?"

"He's going to be fine. The doctor says his heart is strong now."

I ran to the hospital. Papa looks tired but his eyes are bright. When he sees me, he smiles.

"Vero, I feel like a new man."

"Papa." I hug him carefully. "I was so scared."

"I'm not going anywhere. I want to walk you down the aisle on Saturday."

I pull away. "Papa, you just had surgery. You need to rest."

"I'm fine. And I'm not missing my daughter's wedding."

I want to tell him the truth. I want to tell him this wedding is fake. But I can't. Not when he looks so happy.

"Where is Daniel?" Papa asks.

"He's working."

"He loves you very much, Vero."

"How do you know?"

"Yesterday, when you left to get air, he told me something."

"What?"

"He said he was scared he wasn't good enough for you. He said you were too good for him."

I feel confused. Why would Daniel say that?

"He also said something strange," Papa continues.

"What?"

"He said he hoped you could forgive him someday."

"Forgive him for what?"

"I don't know. I asked, but he wouldn't say."

I think about this. Daniel wants to hurt me, but he hopes I'll forgive him? That doesn't make sense.

"Papa, I need to go run an errand. I'll be back later."

"Okay, mija. Be careful."

I kiss his cheek and leave. I have to meet Mrs. Hartwell. I have to know what she knows.

She asked me to meet her at a coffee shop downtown. When I walk in, I see an old woman sitting alone in the corner. She has gray hair and kind eyes.

"Mrs. Hartwell?" I ask.

"Yes, dear. Please sit."

I sit across from her. "How did you get my number?"

"I have my ways. I've been watching Daniel for years. Watching and waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For the right time to tell the truth."

She pulls out an old envelope. "This is a letter from Daniel's mother. She wrote it three days before she died."

My hands shake as I take the envelope. "What does it say?"

"Read it."

I open the envelope carefully. The paper is yellow and old. The writing is shaky, like someone wrote it in a hurry.

"My dearest Eliza," I read out loud. "If something happens to me, please give this to my son when he's old enough to understand. Samuel Reyes is not the man who stole from us. He tried to save us. He found out what Victor was doing and tried to warn us. But we were too scared to listen. Victor Grant is the real thief. He took everything and made it look like Samuel did it. Samuel is a good man. He doesn't deserve what's happening to him. Please help him if you can. Tell Daniel the truth. Tell him his father and I were wrong. We should have trusted Samuel. - Margaret Blackwood"

I stare at the letter. My hands are shaking so hard I can barely hold it.

"Victor Grant?" I whisper.

"Daniel's lawyer. He was supposed to be helping the family, but he was stealing from them instead."

"And my father?"

"Your father found out what Victor was doing. He tried to tell Daniel's parents, but they were too scared to believe him. They thought Samuel was trying to trick them."

"So Papa didn't steal anything?"

"No, dear. Your father tried to save them. But Victor made it look like Samuel was the thief."

I feel sick. "Does Daniel know this?"

"No. And Victor made sure he never would."

"What do you mean?"

Mrs. Hartwell leans forward. "Victor has been Daniel's lawyer for the past ten years. He's been helping Daniel get revenge on your father."

"What?"

"Who do you think gave Daniel the idea to marry you? Who do you think helped him plan everything?"

My heart stops. "Victor."

"Yes. Victor wants to make sure the truth never comes out. If Daniel hurts your father enough, maybe Samuel will just give up and die. Then there will be no one left to tell the truth."

I can't breathe. "I have to tell Daniel."

"Do you think he'll believe you?"

"He has to. This is proof." I hold up the letter.

"Victor has been lying to Daniel for ten years. Why would Daniel believe you over him?"

She's right. Daniel hates my father. He won't listen to me.

"What should I do?" I ask.

"Don't marry him."

"I can't. He paid for my father's surgery. He'll want his money back."

"Then you have to make Daniel see the truth another way."

"How?"

Mrs. Hartwell reaches into her purse and pulls out a small recorder. "Victor doesn't know I'm alive. He thinks I died years ago. But I've been watching him. Listening to him."

"What's on there?"

"Victor talked to his assistant. About Daniel. About you. About your father. About what he's been doing all these years."

She hands me the recorder. "This will prove everything."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I loved that family. I worked for them for twenty years. I watched Daniel grow up. He was a sweet boy before his parents died. He deserves to know the truth."

I put the recorder in my purse. "What if Daniel doesn't believe this either?"

"Then you'll have to decide what's more important. Your father's life or the truth."

I leave the coffee shop feeling more confused than ever. I have proof that my father is innocent. But will Daniel believe it? And what will happen if he does?

I go home and listen to the recording. Victor's voice is clear and cold.

"The girl has no idea what she's walking into," he says. "Daniel thinks he's getting revenge, but he's really just cleaning up my mess."

"What if she finds out the truth?" another voice asks.

"She won't. And even if she does, who's going to believe her? I've been Daniel's lawyer for ten years. He trusts me completely."

"What about the old woman? The housekeeper?"

"What about her? She's been gone for years. Probably dead."

"And Samuel Reyes?"

"He'll be dead soon too. The stress of watching his daughter marry her enemy will kill him."

I turn off the recorder. Victor planned all of this. He's been using Daniel to finish what he started fifteen years ago.

But how do I prove it? How do I make Daniel see that the man he trusts is the real enemy?

My phone rings. It's Daniel.

"Hello," I say.

"How's your father?"

"He's fine. The surgery went well."

"Good. I'll pick you up at noon on Saturday."

"For the wedding?"

"Yes. Don't be late."

"Daniel, I need to ask you something."

"What?"

"Who told you about my father? Who told you he stole from your family?"

Long pause. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious."

"Victor Grant. He was my father's lawyer. He handled everything after my parents died."

"And you trust him?"

"Completely. He's the only family I have left."

My heart sinks. Daniel loves Victor like a father. He'll never believe Victor is the real thief.

"I'll see you Saturday," Daniel says.

"Wait. Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Do you really want to marry me?"

Another long pause. "It doesn't matter what I want. I'm going to marry you."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer you're going to get."

He hangs up. I stare at my phone.

Tomorrow is my wedding day. I'm going to marry a man who's been lied to his whole life. A man who wants to hurt me because of something my father didn't do.

But I have proof. I have the letter and the recording. I just need to find the right time to show him.

I'm putting the recorder in my purse when my phone rings again. This time it's an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Miss Reyes? This is Dr. Martinez from the hospital."

"Is everything okay? Is my father."

"Your father is fine. But we have a problem. Someone called and said they were from your insurance company. They said there was a mistake with the payment for your father's surgery."

"What kind of mistake?"

"They said the payment was canceled. They want us to send your father home tonight."

My blood turns cold. "But he just had surgery yesterday."

"I know. That's why I'm calling you. This doesn't seem right."

"Don't let them take him. Please."

"I won't. But you need to come here now."

I hang up and run to my car. This has to be Victor. He's trying to take Papa away from me.

But why now? What changed?

I drive to the hospital as fast as I can. When I get there, Dr. Martinez is waiting for me.

"Miss Reyes, I'm glad you're here. There are two men here who say they're from your insurance company. But they don't have proper identification."

"Where are they?"

"In the lobby. They're demanding to see your father."

I look through the window. Two big men in suits stand near the front desk. They look mean and dangerous.

"Those aren't insurance people," I say.

"I didn't think so. Should I call security?"

"Yes. And don't let anyone see my father except me."

"Of course."

I watch as security talks to the two men. They look angry, but they leave.

My phone buzzes. A text message from an unknown number.

"Stop digging or your father gets hurt. This is your only warning."

I show the message to Dr. Martinez. "I think my father is in danger."

"From who?"

"I don't know. But I need to keep him safe."

"We can move him to a private room. Somewhere more secure."

"Please."

As they move Papa to a new room, I think about the message. Someone knows I talked to Mrs. Hartwell. Someone knows I have proof.

But who?

Then I remember something. When I left the coffee shop, I saw a black car parked across the street. The same black car that was outside my apartment this morning.

Someone is watching me. Someone who doesn't want the truth to come out.

I think about the letter in my purse. The recording. The proof that could change everything.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to marry Daniel. But tonight, someone wants to hurt my father to keep me quiet.

I have to make a choice. Do I stay quiet and keep Papa safe? Or do I risk everything to tell Daniel the truth?

My phone rings. It's Daniel.

"I heard about the problem at the hospital," he says.

"You heard?"

"I have people watching you, Vero. I want to make sure you're safe."

"Safe from what?"

"From people who don't want us to get married."

I feel confused. "Which people?"

"That's not important. What's important is that you show up tomorrow."

"And if I don't?"

"Then your father won't be safe anywhere."

The line goes dead. I stare at my phone.

Is Daniel trying to protect me? Or is he threatening me?

And why do I suddenly feel like I'm walking into a trap that's much bigger than I thought?