The Fractured Truth
The sirens faded, leaving only the heavy silence of betrayal in their wake. Becky sat frozen, her mind spinning with Daniel's words.
The child isn't Ben's.
Impossible. It couldn't be true. And yet, the hesitation in Ben's eyes and the weight of Liam's silence told her otherwise.
"Becky," Ben said, his voice hoarse as he stepped toward her. "Don't believe him. He's manipulating you."
She shook her head, her body trembling. "I don't know what to believe anymore."
Her eyes burned as she turned to Liam. "You knew something, didn't you? About the pregnancy, about my father...about all of this. Tell me the truth, Liam. No more secrets."
Liam hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Your father didn't tell me everything, Becky, but I know this, he's been controlling more of your life than you realize. He... arranged certain things, including keeping Ben close to you."
Becky's stomach twisted. "What do you mean, arranged?"
"Ben didn't come back into your life by chance," Liam admitted. "Your father thought it would be best if someone he trusted looked out for you. But Ben didn't know everything either."
She turned to Ben, her voice shaking. "Is that true?"
Ben's jaw tightened. "Yes," he admitted. "I was working with your father at first. But it stopped being about him a long time ago, Becky. I fell in love with you."
Becky flinched as though he'd struck her. "You fell in love with me? While lying to me? While working with my father?"
"I didn't know about Daniel," Ben said, desperation creeping into his voice. "And I had no idea about the pregnancy timeline. I swear, Becky, I thought everything between us was real."
"It was real for me," she whispered, her throat thick with emotion. "But how can I trust that it was real for you?"
The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of Becky's question hanging in the air.
The sound of Liam's phone vibrating cut through the stillness. He glanced at the screen and frowned.
"It's your father," he said.
Becky's lips pressed into a thin line. "I don't want to talk to him."
"You might not have a choice," Liam said grimly. "He says Daniel is coming back, and he's not alone this time."
Fear prickled along Becky's skin. She crossed her arms, forcing her voice to stay steady. "Let him come. I'm not running anymore."
Liam frowned. "Becky"
"No," she interrupted, her voice firm. "I've been running my whole life, letting other people make decisions for me. Not anymore. If Daniel wants to show up, let him. But this time, I'll be the one asking the questions."
Ben stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. "You're putting yourself and the baby at risk. I can't let that happen."
Becky rounded on him, anger flaring. "You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do, Ben. Not after everything you've kept from me."
His expression faltered, and Becky felt a pang of guilt but she pushed it aside.
The minutes dragged by, tension thickening the air. Becky sat on the worn couch, her mind churning with questions. How much of her life had been orchestrated by her father? And what about Ben? Was his love for her real, or was it all part of some grand scheme?
The sharp knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.
Liam motioned for her to stay back as he opened the door, gun in hand.
Daniel strolled in, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. "You're persistent," he said, his gaze landing on Becky. "I'll give you that."
Becky stood, meeting his stare head-on. "You said you'd tell me the truth. So start talking."
Daniel smirked. "Straight to the point. I like that."
Ben stepped in front of Becky, his stance protective. "You don't belong here, Daniel. Leave before this gets worse."
"Worse?" Daniel's smirk widened. "Oh, Ben. It's already worse."
Becky pushed past Ben, her heart pounding. "Enough. If you have something to say, say it."
Daniel's expression softened, a flicker of something remorse? crossing his face. "You deserve to know the truth about your child, Becky. And about your father."
Her hands clenched into fists. "Then tell me."
"Your father's been keeping secrets for years," Daniel said. "And one of those secrets is that Ben might not be the man you think he is."
Becky's breath hitched. "What are you talking about?"
Daniel turned to Ben, his gaze icy. "Should I tell her, or will you?"
Ben's face hardened. "Don't do this, Daniel."
"She deserves to know," Daniel said. He looked back at Becky. "Ben wasn't just working with your father to keep an eye on you. He was working for him to keep tabs on me."
Becky's pulse quickened as she turned to Ben. "Is that true?"
Ben sighed, his shoulders slumping. "It was a long time ago, before I came back into your life. But yes, I agreed to keep an eye on Daniel in exchange for... certain benefits."
Daniel laughed bitterly. "Certain benefits. Is that what you're calling it now?"
"Enough," Becky snapped, her voice cracking like a whip. "I don't care about your grudges or your past deals. What does this have to do with my child?"
Daniel's smirk returned, though it was tinged with sadness. "Your father knew about the pregnancy before you did. He made sure I found out because he thought I'd be able to use it against Ben. But here's the kicker he didn't know who the father was, either."
Becky felt the room tilt. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Daniel said slowly, "your father has been controlling your life so tightly, he didn't even stop to consider the possibility that the child might not fit into his perfect little plan."
Ben stepped forward, his voice cold. "If you're trying to sow doubt, it's not going to work. Becky knows I've been honest with her about the things that matter."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Have you, though?"
The room erupted into chaos as the door flew open, armed officers storming in. Becky froze, her heart pounding as the officers shouted orders.
Daniel slipped out through a side window, his laughter echoing in the distance. Liam cursed under his breath, lowering his gun.
Ben reached for Becky's arm, but she pulled away, her voice trembling with fury. "Don't touch me."
"Becky, I'm trying to protect you," he said, his voice desperate.
"Protect me?" she said, tears streaming down her face. "You've done nothing but lie to me, Ben. Both of you have. How am I supposed to protect my child when I can't even trust the people closest to me?"
The officers swarmed the cabin, their presence a stark reminder of the danger Becky was in. But she barely noticed them. Her world had already fallen apart.
As she turned to leave, her phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced at the screen, her breath catching at the words:
Meet me at the place where it all began. I'll give you the truth.
No name. No explanation. But Becky knew exactly where to go.
Her father's estate.
Becky stands at the edge of a decision. She can confront her father, risking everything to uncover the truth or walk away, carving out a new life for herself and her child. But with the stakes higher than ever, one thing is clear: the truth will come at a cost.