All Chapters of The Secrets Unfold : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Daniel pressed aggressively at his gas pedal as he drove. He didn’t like the way he felt, his heart was dense at the thought of Naomi’s and Mark’s behaviour back at the hospital. They were so acquainted with each other that it bothered him immensely.Sighing, he looked down at his phone when it began ringing and slowed down in order to pick it up. It was the mechanic. “Hi Daniel, how are you?”Despite his bad mood, Daniel strived to be polite. “I’m good, how about you? Is everything going well with the cars? And it’s still not possible to get the Mercedes any time soon?”“I ordered the parts for the Mercedes, as for the BMX, Stacy has already collected it.”“That’s good to hear. I’m happy that I now have only one left to deal with. I was just on my way there, is there anything I could get for you to eat or drink? I could pick it up on the way.”“No need for that, I’ve already eaten my lunch and moreover visiting is unnecessary since everything here is okay and under control. Take the

It was a bright and beautiful day for Naomi to get everyone over. But the thought of not seeing Daniel rushes through her mind. This would be a great opportunity for him to get his mind off certain things. She aims to win his case, not him. I'm just getting it done fast for him to get the time to visit his mom. Such a burden.He won’t be here, but the good thing about it, Mark will. Reaching across the bed and over to the nightstand, Naomi grabs the phone, speed dialing her secretary. If nobody else could, then Grace could prepare the best for this day.Grace did hear the phone rings but didn’t want to look because she already knew who it was. She allows it to ring twice, going thrice. Then, she decided, “Hello, I thought today was my day off?”“Yes, it is, don’t tell me you forgot about the party at my house.”“No, I didn’t. I'm quite sure it starts at 12 pm or is it 1 pm.” Grace feels cornered.“12 pm is good for you. Could you prepare some vegetables and desserts for the day?”“Wa

Naomi’s hand trembled slightly as she placed the phone back into her pocket. She didn’t realize how long she stood there until Grace gave her a slight nudge.“Naomi, you okay?”“I don’t know. I just... I feel so useless right now. Daniel’s going through it, and here I am hosting some half-baked party I don’t even care about.”Grace shook her head gently. “You’re not useless. You’ve done more for him than anyone else probably has. But right now, he’s where he needs to be, and so are you. Don’t let guilt mess up the good you’re trying to do.”Naomi sat back down, letting out a long sigh. “I didn’t even want to do this today. But I thought… maybe if I kept busy, I wouldn’t feel so helpless.”Grace pulled a chair beside her. “Then let’s make the best of it. Eat, smile, and breathe. You’re allowed to live too, Naomi.”Before Naomi could respond, the scent of sizzling meat wafted through the air. Mark was by the grill now, apron half-tied and humming a tune like he

Naomi didn’t expect it—the way his voice dipped lower when he spoke to her, or how the air between them thickened every time they made eye contact. There were too many people around, too many reasons not to look too long. But Daniel… he wasn’t playing by the rules today. “Can we talk?” he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. Naomi blinked, heart skipping. “Right now?” He nodded, already moving toward the side path that led to the garden. Without thinking, she followed. The second they turned the corner, the mask he wore outside slipped. “You didn’t call,” she said first, arms crossed. “You had me thinking—” “I know,” he cut in, stepping closer. “I’m sorry. Things got messy with the hospital, my mom… I didn’t know how to talk without breaking down.” Naomi’s jaw clenched, but her eyes softened. “You could’ve still tried.” “I’m trying now,” he said, voice low, intense. “And I didn’t come here for sympathy.” She met his gaze, defiant. “Then why did you come?” Daniel looke

Naomi stared at her phone long after the line went dead. The breeze that once felt warm now clung to her skin like a warning. She blinked, trying to refocus, but the world around her had already started shifting—tilting, cracking at the edges of what she believed was solid ground.Detective Harlan’s words rang in her ears."Someone tampered with the originals."She closed her eyes, gripping the railing beside the back steps. Her breath came shallow, the weight of the moment crashing down like a verdict.“Naomi?”Grace was at her side, eyes narrowing the instant she saw Naomi’s face.“What happened?”Naomi opened her mouth, then shook her head. “Not here. Not now.”Grace nodded, sensing the depth of the moment. “Come on,” she said, guiding her inside and up to Naomi’s study—her private space, where chaos had no permission to intrude.As soon as the door clicked shut, Naomi turned and paced. “The evidence—Daniel’s alibi, his timestamps, security camera pulls—they were tampered with.”Gr