Chapter ten.

CHLOE'S POV

"She wasn't supposed to disappear."

My mother's words echoed through the hallway.

For several seconds, I couldn't move.

"What did you just say?"

Mother glanced towards her bedroom, then back at me. Her face had lost its usual composure.

"Chloe, we need to talk."

"Then talk, I'm listening."

She reached for my arm, but I stepped away.

"Not here," she whispered. "Come inside."

I followed her into the bedroom.

Father was standing beside the window, his phone in his hand. His expression darkened when he saw me.

"What is she doing here?"

"She heard us," Mother replied.

Father closed his eyes briefly.

"Of course she did."

I looked between them.

"How long have you both been hiding this?"

"You're asking questions you won't understand," Father said.

"Then help me understand. Who was Isabella Moore? Why was Uncle Samuel at the Ashford Club? And why did someone send me a message saying he came home covered in blood?"

Mother gasped.

Father immediately turned towards her.

"Who told her that?"

I felt my stomach tighten.

"Is it true?"

Nobody answered.

I took a step closer.

"Mother, you said Isabella wasn't supposed to disappear. What does that mean?"

She sat on the edge of the bed, covering her face with both hands.

"Your uncle was supposed to help her."

"Help her with what?"

"She wanted to leave Edward."

I stared at her.

"Why?"

Mother shook her head.

"I don't know everything. I only know that Isabella was frightened. She contacted Samuel because she believed someone was watching her."

Father interrupted.

"That's enough, Eleanor."

"No!" Mother suddenly shouted. "I'm tired of pretending nothing happened!"

I watched her in disbelief.

She had never spoken to Father that way.

Mother looked at me.

"Your uncle promised to help Isabella leave safely. He arranged a meeting at the Ashford Club. Your father was there because Samuel asked him to come."

"And what happened?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Something went wrong."

"What went wrong?"

Father stepped forward.

"Your mother is upset. This conversation is over."

I turned towards him.

"Was Isabella killed?"

His silence was answer enough to frighten me.

---

ELEANOR'S POV

I watched my daughter stare at her father.

Chloe had always been quiet when she was younger. She rarely challenged Richard, even when he was unfair to her.

But the young woman standing before me was different.

She wasn't afraid.

And that frightened me.

"Chloe," I whispered, "please don't involve yourself any further."

She looked at me.

"Why? Because you want to protect me or because you're protecting yourselves?"

I had no answer.

Richard moved towards the door.

"Go to your room, Chloe."

She didn't move.

"Did Uncle Samuel hurt Isabella?"

"Your uncle made mistakes," Richard replied.

"What mistakes?"

He looked away.

I couldn't bear it anymore.

"Richard, tell her!"

He turned sharply.

"Be quiet, Eleanor."

Chloe's eyes moved between us.

Then she asked the question I had dreaded for years.

"Did you help cover up what happened?"

Richard's expression changed.

For a moment, I thought he might finally confess everything.

Instead, he pointed towards the door.

"Leave."

Chloe stared at him for another second before walking out.

The moment the door closed, I began crying.

Richard approached me.

"You shouldn't have said anything."

"She deserves to know."

"Knowing the truth won't bring Isabella back."

I looked at him through my tears.

"And hiding it hasn't brought us peace."

---

CHLOE'S POV

I returned to my bedroom and locked the door.

My hands were shaking.

Mother had confirmed that Isabella wanted to leave Edward. Uncle Samuel had arranged to help her, and Father had attended the meeting.

But what exactly had gone wrong?

I opened my notebook and wrote everything down.

- Isabella wanted to leave Edward.

- Samuel arranged a meeting at the Ashford Club.

- Richard attended.

- Something happened.

- Samuel returned home covered in blood.

I stared at the final point.

Was Isabella dead?

Or had she escaped?

I called Victoria.

She answered after two rings.

"Chloe? Is everything all right?"

"No. I need you to investigate my uncle, Samuel Summers."

There was a pause.

"Why Samuel?"

I explained what I had overheard.

Victoria became silent.

"Chloe, this is serious. Do you have proof?"

"Not yet. But my mother admitted that Samuel arranged to help Isabella disappear."

"Did she say where he took her?"

"No. My father stopped her from speaking."

Victoria sighed.

"I'll investigate Samuel's movements around that period. But I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Don't confront him. If he was involved in Isabella's disappearance, he may be dangerous."

"I understand."

After ending the call, I received a message from Damian.

Are you awake?

I replied immediately.

Yes.

His call came almost instantly.

"Chloe, Ethan received information from the journalist. Are you alone?"

"Yes. Why?"

"There's a development."

I sat up.

"What development?"

"The journalist's source claims Isabella was alive after leaving the Ashford Club."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

"Apparently, someone saw her boarding a vehicle outside the club. The witness claims she was conscious."

"Then where did she go?"

"That's what we're trying to establish."

I pressed my fingers against my forehead.

"Damian, I think my uncle knows."

"Your uncle?"

"Samuel Summers. My mother admitted he arranged the meeting."

Damian went quiet.

"Did your father know?"

"Yes. He was there too."

"Chloe, I need you to listen carefully. Don't approach either of them until we understand what's happening."

"I won't."

"Good. Ethan and I will continue investigating."

I hesitated.

"Damian?"

"Yes?"

"What if my family is responsible for what happened to your father?"

His voice softened.

"Then we'll deal with the truth when we find it. I won't punish you for something you didn't do."

I closed my eyes.

For some reason, those words meant more than I wanted to admit.

---

THE FOLLOWING MORNING

I was preparing to leave when Pearl entered my bedroom without knocking.

"Where are you going?"

I continued fastening my handbag.

"Out."

"With Damian?"

I glanced at her.

"Why are you so interested in my movements?"

She crossed her arms.

"Because you've changed. You barely speak to us anymore, and now you're investigating family secrets."

My fingers paused.

"Who told you that?"

"Nobody. You're not exactly subtle."

I studied her face.

"Pearl, have you ever heard of Isabella Moore?"

Her expression changed for a fraction of a second.

It was brief, but I noticed.

"Who?"

"Isabella Moore. She was Edward Rourke's fiancée."

Pearl shrugged.

"I don't know her."

"Are you sure?"

"Why would I know someone who disappeared years ago?"

I moved closer.

"That's what I'm trying to understand."

She gave me a strange look.

"You're becoming obsessed with the Rourkes."

"And you're becoming very interested in my business."

Her lips tightened.

"Mother says you're destroying this family."

I laughed without humour.

"Mother should be more concerned about the secrets she's keeping."

Pearl stared at me.

"What secrets?"

I smiled.

"Ask her."

I walked past her.

As I reached the doorway, she spoke again.

"Chloe, be careful. Not everyone around Damian is what they appear to be."

I turned.

"Are you speaking from experience?"

She didn't answer.

I left.

---

ROURKE GLOBAL HOLDINGS

Ethan was waiting outside Damian's office when I arrived.

"Good morning, Miss Summers."

"Good morning. Is Damian available?"

"He's expecting you."

I entered the office.

Damian stood beside his desk, studying a photograph.

He turned when I approached.

"Chloe."

"What did you find?"

He handed me the photograph.

It showed Isabella standing beside a black vehicle. The image was old and slightly damaged.

"Where did this come from?"

"The journalist's source. He claims the photograph was taken several hours after Isabella left the Ashford Club."

I examined it carefully.

"Do we know who took it?"

"No. The source refuses to identify himself."

I looked at the vehicle.

"Can you identify the registration number?"

"Ethan's team is working on it."

Damian returned to his desk.

"There's another issue. The journalist received an envelope this morning."

"What was inside?"

"A copy of a letter."

He handed it to me.

The letter appeared to be written by Isabella.

Edward, I never wanted things to end this way. I tried to tell you the truth, but they wouldn't let me. If anything happens to me, please know that I never stopped loving you.

I read it twice.

"Who are they?"

"That's the question."

I looked up.

"Do you think she was being threatened?"

"Possibly."

"Then someone may have forced her to leave."

Damian nodded.

"Or made sure she couldn't return."

I placed the letter down.

"Do you think your father knew?"

"He must have suspected something. He spent weeks searching for her."

His voice became quieter.

"He died believing she was still alive."

I looked at him.

"Damian..."

He shook his head.

"I'm fine."

But he wasn't.

I stepped closer.

"You don't have to pretend with me."

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then his hand gently touched mine.

"Thank you, Chloe."

The moment was interrupted by Ethan knocking.

"Sir, there's someone downstairs asking to see Miss Summers."

I frowned.

"Who?"

Ethan hesitated.

"He says his name is Samuel Summers."

My blood ran cold.

Damian immediately straightened.

"Your uncle?"

I nodded.

"What does he want?"

Ethan looked between us.

"He says he has something important to tell her. And he insists she comes alone."

Damian's expression hardened.

"Absolutely not."

I looked at the office door.

My uncle had finally appeared after years of silence.

Perhaps he had come to explain everything.

Or perhaps he had come to stop me from discovering the truth.

I turned towards Damian.

"I want to hear what he has to say."

"Not alone."

I nodded.

"Then let's go together."

---

LOBBY — ROURKE GLOBAL HOLDINGS

A tall man stood near the reception desk.

His hair was streaked with grey, and his expensive suit suggested he had not been struggling financially.

When he saw me, he took a step forward.

"Chloe."

I stared at him.

"Uncle Samuel."

His eyes moved briefly towards Damian.

"I see you've brought company."

"Damian is my fiancé."

Samuel gave a humourless smile.

"Of course. The Rourke boy."

Damian stepped forward.

"What do you want, Mr. Summers?"

Samuel ignored him.

He looked directly at me.

"I need to speak with you about Isabella Moore."

My heartbeat quickened.

"Then speak."

Samuel glanced around the lobby.

"Not here."

"You're the one who insisted on coming."

His expression grew serious.

"Your father doesn't know I'm here, does he?"

"No."

Samuel exhaled.

"Good. Because if he finds out, he'll come after me."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

He looked towards Damian before returning his gaze to mine.

"Because your father didn't just help Isabella disappear."

My throat tightened.

"What did he do?"

Samuel leaned closer.

"He arranged for her to be taken somewhere else. But the person who gave the final order was someone you would never suspect."

"Who?"

Samuel opened his mouth.

Then his phone rang.

He looked at the screen, and the colour drained from his face.

"Chloe, we have to leave. Now."

Before I could respond, the glass doors behind him opened.

A man in a dark coat entered, looked directly at Samuel, and reached inside his jacket.

Damian immediately pulled me behind him.

"Ethan!" he shouted.

The man turned.

And Samuel whispered the words that changed everything.

"He's the same man who killed Edward Rourke."