Chapter 14 - The Person Daniel Trusted Most
Susan Park arrived at Peter's office the next morning.
She looked frightened.
Daniel had never seen her like that.
In twelve years, Susan had handled recessions, contract disputes, cash shortages, and the near-collapse of Bennett Development during the pandemic.
She had always been calm.
Now she stood near the conference table twisting the strap of her purse.
"Daniel, what's going on?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Peter motioned toward a chair.
"Susan, we need to ask you about Silver Birch Consulting."
Her face changed.
"What about it?"
Daniel stared at her.
"You know the company?"
Susan swallowed.
"Yes."
"What did they pay you for?"
She looked toward Peter.
"I need an attorney."
Daniel felt as though somebody had struck him.
He looked away.
Peter nodded.
"That's your right. We won't question you further without counsel."
Susan stood.
"Daniel, please."
He turned back.
"Did you know Rebecca?"
"Of course."
"Did you know what she was investigating?"
Susan began crying.
"Not at first."
Daniel's hands tightened.
"At first?"
She looked down.
"I can't talk about this without a lawyer."
Daniel stepped away.
Peter quietly escorted her toward the door.
Three hours later, Susan returned with an attorney.
She had decided to cooperate with investigators after reviewing her position.
Daniel was not present for her formal interview.
But later, under arrangements approved by counsel, he learned what she had disclosed.
Years earlier, Susan's husband had developed a serious gambling problem.
He borrowed money.
Then more money.
Eventually, he owed people who threatened to ruin their family.
Adrian Vale offered a solution.
A consulting payment through Silver Birch.
Eighty-five thousand dollars.
In return, Susan would provide certain business and household information about Daniel.
At first, she told herself it was harmless.
Addresses.
Travel schedules.
Financial summaries.
Then Adrian asked whether Rebecca had access to Daniel's office.
Susan said yes.
He asked whether Rebecca used Daniel's computer.
Sometimes.
Then he asked for copies of files she accessed.
Susan refused.
But she had already given him enough to understand the Bennetts' routines.
And after Rebecca died, Adrian kept pressuring her.
When Marissa entered Daniel's life, Susan recognized her from a photograph she'd once seen in Adrian's office.
She said nothing.
She was ashamed.
Afraid.
And worried that admitting the earlier payment would cost her career and expose her family.
Later, Marissa tried to use her position to obtain more information.
Susan claimed she refused direct assistance with the forged transfers.
But she admitted she'd ignored warning signs and had failed to disclose the conflict.
Daniel listened to the account in Peter's office.
He felt exhausted.
"She knew Marissa was connected to Adrian."
Peter nodded.
"And she never told me."
"That's what she's admitted."
Daniel stared at the wall.
"I trusted her."
"I know."
"She knew Lily."
Peter didn't answer.
Daniel looked toward the window.
"She used to bring Lily birthday presents."
His voice broke.
"And she knew."
Susan's disclosures helped investigators trace how Adrian obtained the financial information used in the scheme.
They also exposed an important distinction.
Susan's misconduct had made the family vulnerable.
But investigators still needed to establish who forged the documents, who directed the attempted transfers, and who was responsible for the actions against Lily.
Susan was not automatically responsible for everything Adrian later did.
Daniel understood that intellectually.
Emotionally, it was harder.
He wanted one explanation.
One villain.
One moment when everything had gone wrong.
Instead, he was learning that his family had been harmed by a chain of decisions.
Greed.
Cowardice.
Deception.
Neglect.
And his own willingness to let someone else handle problems he didn't want to face.
Two weeks later, the court completed an initial review of Lily's immediate living arrangements.
Daniel's home had been inspected and assessed.
He had participated in parenting and family-support services.
The court and child protection authorities reviewed the steps he had taken after learning of the abuse.
Daniel was permitted to care for Lily under conditions designed to maintain her safety.
Rachel remained closely involved.
Naomi continued to support Lily through the school, with appropriate professional boundaries.
Dr. Cole provided therapy.
It wasn't a dramatic victory.
There was no speech.
No applause.
Just a series of careful decisions intended to protect a child.
To Daniel, it meant everything.
On Lily's first evening back in the family home, Daniel stood in the kitchen holding a cardboard box.
Inside were Marissa's remaining belongings.
The emerald-green coat.
A pair of sunglasses.
A perfume bottle.
Several framed photographs.
Lily stood in the doorway.
"Are you throwing those away?"
Daniel turned.
"We're putting them somewhere else."
"Why?"
"Because I don't think you should have to see things that make you afraid."
Lily studied the box.
Then she looked at the kitchen floor.
Daniel followed her gaze.
The tile had been scrubbed.
But he knew exactly where the spaghetti had landed.
He'd replayed the photograph so many times that he could almost see the food lying there.
Lily walked toward the spot.
She crouched.
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
"Sweetheart?"
She touched the tile.
Then looked up.
"Is this where I was?"
Daniel knelt beside her.
"Yes."
Lily stared at the floor.
"I thought I was going to be there forever."
Daniel's eyes filled.
"I'm so sorry."
She looked at him.
"Will you make me kneel again?"
He shook his head.
"Never."
"What if I do something bad?"
"Then we'll talk about what happened. We won't hurt you or humiliate you."
Lily considered that.
Then she stood.
"Can we change the floor?"
Daniel looked at her.
"The floor?"
She nodded.
"I don't like looking at it."
He swallowed.
"Yes, peanut."
A small smile crossed her face.
"Can we make it blue?"
Daniel laughed softly through his tears.
"Blue?"
"Like a bluebird."
He pulled her close.
"Then blue it is."
That evening, Hannah Mercer called.
Owen's independent evaluation had concluded that he no longer required the restrictive placement Westbridge had maintained.
His guardianship matter was moving toward a new order.
Hannah hoped he would soon be able to live with her while receiving appropriate support.
Daniel listened quietly.
"Does he know?"
"Yes."
"How did he react?"
Hannah began crying.
"He asked whether he could have a bedroom with a door that doesn't lock from the outside."
Daniel closed his eyes.
For a long moment, he couldn't speak.
Then he said, "Tell him he deserves that."
Hannah wiped her face.
"I will."
A month later, Daniel received a letter from Susan.
It was three pages long.
She admitted what she'd done.
She described how she'd justified each compromise.
And she asked him to forgive her.
Daniel read the letter twice.
Then placed it in a drawer.
He didn't reply.
Not because he wanted revenge.
But because forgiveness wasn't a debt he owed her.
And he had something more important to do.
That afternoon, he took Lily to choose a new kitchen floor.
She examined dozens of samples.
White.
Gray.
Brown.
Blue.
Then she pointed at a pale blue tile with tiny flecks of silver.
"This one."
Daniel smiled.
"Are you sure?"
Lily nodded.
"It looks like the sky."
He looked at the sample.
Then at his daughter.
"Then we'll get it."
She hesitated.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"Can Coach Naomi come see it?"
"Of course."
Lily smiled.
"And Aunt Rachel?"
"Absolutely."
"And Dr. Cole?"
Daniel laughed.
"We can invite her too."
Lily thought for a moment.
Then said something that nearly broke his heart.
"Maybe if everybody comes, the kitchen won't feel scary anymore."
May you like
Daniel knelt beside her.
"That sounds like a very good idea."
