Chapter 10 - THE FIRST SCAPEGOAT
Margaret asked everyone except Daniel, Emily, and the attorney to leave the room.
Vanessa refused at first.
Daniel ordered security to escort her outside.
When the door closed, Margaret sat down.
She looked at the letter in Daniel’s hand.
“Caroline was innocent.”
Emily stopped breathing for a moment.
She had waited years to hear those words.
Daniel stared at his mother.
“You knew?”
Margaret nodded.
“What happened?”
Margaret looked at Emily.
“Your mother discovered that my husband was moving foundation money into one of his failing businesses.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
Emily’s fingers trembled.
Margaret continued.
“Caroline confronted him.”
“He panicked.”
“He created false records that made the withdrawals look like hers.”
Emily whispered.
“And you let him.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel stood.
“You destroyed a woman’s life.”
“I was afraid.”
“You were protecting Dad.”
“I was protecting you.”
Daniel’s voice rose for the first time.
“Stop calling it protection.”
Margaret flinched.
Daniel continued.
“You protected lies.”
“You protected money.”
“You protected the family name.”
“And every time someone weaker was sacrificed, you told yourself it was necessary.”
Margaret began to cry silently.
Emily did not feel satisfaction.
She had imagined this moment since she was seventeen.
She had imagined anger.
Victory.
Vindication.
Instead she felt exhausted.
Margaret looked at her.
“Your mother deserved the truth.”
Emily answered quietly.
“She deserved it while she was alive.”
Margaret lowered her head.
That sentence struck harder than anything else.
Daniel looked at the old records.
Then at the current evidence.
His father had framed Caroline.
Years later, Margaret and Vanessa had tried to frame Caroline’s daughter.
Different decade.
Same mansion.
Same excuse.
Protect the Ashford name.
Daniel walked toward the window.
When he turned back, something in him had settled.
“This ends today.”
Margaret wiped her eyes.
“What are you going to do?”
“Tell the truth.”
“All of it.”
Margaret stared at him.
“If you reveal what your father did, the foundation will be destroyed.”
Daniel shook his head.
May you like
“No.”
“The lie will be destroyed.”
