Chapter 10 - The Secret Charles Hid
Michael stood in the middle of the mansion.
The man who had destroyed my family looked directly at Charles.
"You never told her."
Charles's face changed.
"Don't."
I looked between them.
"Told me what?"
Nobody answered.
"Dad?"
Charles looked away.
And that scared me.
Because my father was the strongest person I knew.
But now...
He looked afraid.
Michael laughed.
"Tell her."
Charles remained silent.
So Michael did.
"Your father destroyed my family."
I froze.
"What?"
Michael continued.
"Twenty years ago, Charles Whitmore made a decision that ruined my father's company."
I looked at Charles.
"Is that true?"
Charles sighed.
"It wasn't that simple."
Michael laughed.
"Of course you would say that."
Charles stepped forward.
"I made mistakes."
The room became silent.
"I made decisions based on the information I had."
Michael shook his head.
"You destroyed people."
Charles looked at me.
"And I have regretted it every day."
I felt confused.
Angry.
Hurt.
Because I had always seen my father as perfect.
But maybe nobody was.
Not even him.
Michael smiled.
"Now you understand."
He looked at me.
"Your perfect family never existed."
I shook my head.
"No."
Michael frowned.
"What?"
"My family isn't perfect."
I held Lily's hand.
"But that doesn't mean you get to destroy it."
For a moment, Michael looked surprised.
Then his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
And his expression changed.
"What happened?"
He listened silently.
Then he looked at Charles.
"It's time."
Charles frowned.
"For what?"
Michael smiled.
"For everyone to learn the truth."
He walked toward the door.
And before leaving, he said:
"Tomorrow, the world will know what the Whitmore family has been hiding."
The door closed.
And for the first time...
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I realized the biggest battle was not against Ryan.
It was against the secrets my family had buried for decades.
