‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘It’s about your kidnapping a while back,’ Daniel said after a slight pause. ‘The truth of what happened... it isn’t what you think. I want to explain, but not over the phone. Can we meet?’
‘Let’s meet near your studio. I’ll wait for you in that café on the high street.’
After hanging up, I turned his words over in my mind. Daniel had sounded genuine, not like he was lying. But Ashton’s investigation had already confirmed that Rhys and Frank were behind the kidnapping. Could there really be more to the story? Daniel and Rhys never got along, but they were half-brothers after all. Maybe Daniel knew something I didn’t.
Once I was ready, I had the driver take me to the studio. I knew the area well and headed straight for the café. I spotted Daniel immediately.
He looked haggard, with a bandage on his forehead and a noticeable stubble darkening his jaw. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept properly in days. I barely recognised him.
‘Mirabelle,’ he said, standing up nervously as he saw me.
I gave a curt nod and sat down opposite him, getting straight to the point. ‘You said you had something important to tell me. So, tell me.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he mumbled, avoiding my eyes.
I understood immediately. ‘You lied to me.’
‘No, no, the thing I want to tell you is true,’ he said, shaking his head quickly. ‘It’s something else I’m sorry for.’
His vague words just confused me further. ‘I just want to know the truth about the kidnapping. Get on with it.’
He looked up at me, his expression deeply conflicted. ‘Rhys was involved.’
‘I already know that,’ I said, frowning.
‘No, you don’t understand. Rhys was the mastermind,’ he insisted. ‘After Frank got out of prison, he came to Rhys for money. Rhys refused, but Frank had some kind of hold over him, something he was using to blackmail him. Rhys couldn’t shake him off, so he came up with the idea of targeting you. After all, you’d married Ashton, and you had control of all that money Frank had left behind. Frank agreed. They fabricated that recording together so Rhys would have an excuse to contact you, to get close and gain your trust. That’s how they found out your schedule and managed to kidnap you so easily.’
He took a shaky breath before continuing. ‘They knew they couldn’t go up against Ashton, so the original plan was to take you abroad. Making you call Ashton was just a cruel trick, to give you hope before snatching it away. Rhys said that after such an emotional rollercoaster, the despair would leave you vulnerable. He thought that, combined with your past history together... he was sure he could make you fall for him again. Then he’d get you to make a will, leaving everything to him. After that, you’d just... have a fatal accident.’
I listened quietly. I already knew the Rhys I’d adored in high school—the sporty, cheerful, handsome boy—was long gone. But hearing how far he had truly fallen still left a bitter, complicated ache in my chest.
‘Do you know where Frank is now?’ I asked. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Daniel shook his head. ‘No. But I know where Rhys is.’
When I didn’t press him, Daniel grew agitated. ‘Don’t you want to know where Rhys is?’
‘No,’ I said, shaking my head. I didn’t.
After I was rescued, Ashton’s men had taken Rhys for questioning. As for now, Rhys was either in police custody or still being held by Ashton’s people.
I knew if I asked Ashton, he would tell me. But I didn’t want to ask.
I didn’t want to risk damaging the fragile trust we’d worked so hard to rebuild. He had drawn a clear line with Genevieve for me. I could do the same for him, and sever all ties with Rhys completely.
‘Thank you for telling me,’ I said flatly, and made to stand up and leave.
But as I moved, Daniel spoke again. ‘Mirabelle, I’m sorry.’
It was the second time he’d apologised. Before I could ask what he meant, he sprang up and sprayed something directly into my face.
Everything went black.