Chapter 13 - The Second Folder

I slowly reached up and removed the dark medical lenses.

My eyes were still fiercely red, the blood vessels prominent, the tissue swollen and damaged. I forced myself to look directly at Daniel, letting him see exactly what his "mistake" looked like.

"Your mother aimed the bottle, Daniel," I said, my voice dropping to a terrifyingly quiet whisper. "You held my arms down so I couldn't escape. Then you lied to the police, you abandoned me in the emergency room, and you tried to extort me into waiving my legal rights while I was blind and terrified in a hospital bed."

I placed the glasses back on the table. "That isn't a mistake, Daniel. That is a coordinated, vicious assault. And actions have consequences."

My mother, who had been standing silently near the door, walked forward. She slid a second, thinner manila folder across the table, stopping it precisely in front of Malcolm Cross.

"We didn't just review the security footage," my mother announced, stepping back and crossing her arms. "As a former federal prosecutor, I have a deep appreciation for forensic accounting. I ordered a full audit of Daniel's corporate emails and financial transactions over the last twelve months."

Daniel froze. The color drained from his face entirely.

"What did you find?" Malcolm asked, looking at his son with sudden, dawning horror.

"We uncovered dozens of encrypted emails between Daniel and Vivian," my mother stated clinically. "Discussing Claire's presumed inheritance. They actively planned to pressure Claire into asking her father to rescue the hotel company immediately after the wedding. It was a premeditated conspiracy to commit financial extortion."

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Vivian let out a strangled gasp, covering her mouth with her hand.

"But that isn't the worst part, Malcolm," my mother continued. "Our investigators found fabricated invoices and dummy accounts. Daniel hasn't just been struggling with hotel logistics. He has been actively diverting millions of dollars of hotel operating funds to cover massive, illegal personal gambling debts overseas."