Chapter 5 - Daniel Evans Had Been Watching Her

Emma stared at the photograph until Luca took the tablet from her hand.

Not forcefully.

Enough to make her look at him.

“Breathe.”

“I am breathing.”

“No.”

She hated when he was observant.

Nathan closed the reader.

“Daniel is not working with Victor.”

Emma looked at him.

“You do not know that.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“Because Daniel sent us the image.”

Silence.

Luca’s gaze sharpened.

“Explain.”

Nathan leaned against the railing.

“After Emma’s death was staged, Daniel went underground separately.”

“You let her believe he was dead,” Luca said.

Nathan did not flinch.

“Yes.”

Emma stepped closer.

“Why?”

“Because Vale’s people were looking for leverage.”

“I was leverage.”

“You were also a target.”

“So you lied.”

“Yes.”

The honesty made it worse.

Emma’s hands tightened.

Three years.

Birthdays without him.

Grief without a body.

A life designed around absence.

Nathan continued.

“Daniel found Victor eight months ago.”

Luca’s voice went cold.

“Found him doing what?”

“Moving money through Vale-linked companies.”

Emma looked at Luca.

Victor had not betrayed him in one dinner.

The betrayal had been growing.

Nathan handed Emma another photograph.

Victor meeting Adrian Vale.

Belini was not there.

Luca was not there.

Only Victor.

And Vale.

“Daniel tracked them,” Nathan said. “He believed Victor was preparing to replace Luca.”

“With Vale’s support,” Emma said.

“Yes.”

Luca looked toward the river.

“That explains the shooters.”

“Partly.”

“Partly?”

Nathan opened another file.

A list of payments.

Several went to Victor.

Several to hired security teams.

One to someone identified only as E.E.

Emma’s stomach tightened.

“E. Evans.”

Nathan nodded.

“Your name was used to authorize payments.”

“I did not authorize anything.”

“We know.”

Luca looked at Nathan.

“Victor framed her?”

“We think Vale did.”

“Why?”

Nathan looked at Emma.

“Because if Emma resurfaced, they wanted her to look compromised.”

Emma understood.

Dead identity.

Payments.

Tracker.

Old file.

They were building a story around her before she knew she was back in the story.

Luca spoke quietly.

“And Belini’s watch?”

“Victor needed someone close to you carrying a receiver.”

“Did she know?”

“We have no evidence she did.”

Emma thought of Belini’s hesitation.

Fear.

Recognition.

Not guilt.

Maybe.

Then Nathan’s phone vibrated.

He checked it.

His expression changed.

“What?”

Emma asked.

No answer.

“What?”

Nathan turned the screen.

A text.

One sentence.

THEY FOUND DANIEL.

Emma’s entire body went cold.

“Where?”

Nathan was already dialing.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

Luca looked at Marco.

“Cars.”

Nathan raised a hand.

“No.”

Luca stared.

Nathan continued.

“If Vale found Daniel, rushing to the last known location may be exactly what they want.”

Emma stepped forward.

“That is my father.”

“And if he is alive, he would tell you not to walk into a trap.”

“You keep telling me what my father would say.”

Nathan looked at her.

“Because I spoke to him yesterday.”

Emma froze.

Yesterday.

Daniel had known she was alive.

Known where she worked?

Known she was near Luca?

Nathan’s face softened slightly.

“He has been watching from a distance.”

Emma’s anger arrived before relief.

“He watched me wait tables?”

“Yes.”

“He watched me live alone?”

“Yes.”

“He watched me think he was dead?”

Nathan said nothing.

That was answer enough.

Emma turned away.

Luca followed her.

Not close.

Just present.

Then Nathan’s phone rang.

He answered.

Listened.

And slowly handed it to Emma.

“Daniel.”

Her hand shook once.

Only once.

She took the phone.

“Dad?”

Silence.

Then a voice she had buried seven years ago said:

“Emma.”

She closed her eyes.

Alive.

Real.

Then he whispered:

“Do not come for me.”

A sound in the background.

A door.

Then Daniel said:

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“Victor knows who you are.”

The line cut.