Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN WHO BETRAYED EVERYONE
For twenty-nine years, Lorraine Daniels had been Bethany's entire world.
She had worked two jobs.
Packed school lunches.
Sat beside hospital beds.
Cheered at graduation.
And now she appeared to be cooperating with the man who had destroyed their family.
Bethany watched the security footage again.
Lorraine handed Vittorio the folder.
Then hugged him.
Not reluctantly.
Not under visible threat.
Willingly.
Bethany felt physically ill.
"Why?"
Dante didn't answer.
They drove to Springfield under the direction of the police investigators who had begun assembling evidence against Vittorio.
Dante insisted that the authorities handle the confrontation.
He had spent enough years watching his family settle problems with violence.
This time, he wanted the truth preserved.
The estate stood behind tall iron gates.
Police approached the property while Dante and Bethany waited in a secured vehicle.
Twenty minutes later, the operation was over.
Vittorio was detained.
Several employees surrendered.
And Lorraine Daniels walked out of the house with her hands raised.
Bethany rushed forward.
"Mom!"
Lorraine stopped.
Her expression collapsed.
"Bethany."
Bethany stared at her.
"Tell me you didn't help him."
Lorraine began crying.
"Sweetheart—"
"Tell me."
Lorraine lowered her head.
"I did."
The words cut deeper than Bethany expected.
"Why?"
Lorraine struggled for breath.
"Because he threatened you."
Bethany shook her head.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Lorraine looked up.
"But it's true."
She explained that Vittorio had discovered Bethany's location several months earlier.
He threatened to expose her identity, target her hospital, and harm Elena if Lorraine refused to cooperate.
The folder contained documents Vittorio demanded.
Lorraine had copied them first and sent the copies to a federal investigator.
"I wasn't helping him escape," she whispered. "I was helping the police prove what he'd done."
Bethany looked toward the officers.
One detective nodded.
"Mrs. Daniels contacted us four months ago. She's been cooperating with the investigation."
Relief and anger collided inside Bethany.
"You could've told me."
Lorraine cried.
"I wanted to."
Bethany stepped closer.
"You should've trusted me."
Lorraine nodded.
"You're right."
For the first time, her mother didn't defend the lie.
She simply accepted the pain she'd caused.
Then a man emerged from the house.
Calvin Reed.
James Carter.
He stopped when he saw Bethany.
His eyes filled with tears.
"Bethany."
She stared at him.
"Are you my father?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
Her throat tightened.
"Then why did you let me call you Calvin?"
James began crying.
"Because I wanted to hear you say my name, even if it wasn't the right one."
Bethany looked away.
He continued.
"I never stopped looking for a way to come home."
She stared at him.
Then whispered, "You should've told me."
"I know."
He reached into his pocket.
An officer stepped closer, but James slowly removed a folded letter.
"I wrote this when you were born."
Bethany took it.
Her name appeared on the front.
TO MY DAUGHTER, SOFIA.
She unfolded the paper.
But before she could read it, James said something unexpected.
"There's one final thing you deserve to know."
Bethany looked up.
He glanced toward Dante.
"Vittorio wasn't trying to keep you hidden because of your mother's affair."
Dante frowned.
"Then why?"
May you like
James swallowed.
"Because Bethany inherited something Vittorio spent his entire life trying to steal."
