Chapter 7 - Michael Realizes He Was Used
Michael stared at the frozen image of himself.
His hand against Emily's face.
Sophia had lied.
But Michael had made the choice to hit his wife.
Nobody forced that choice.
He sat beside Emily.
“I’m sorry.”
She didn't answer.
“I believed Sophia without asking you what happened.”
Still silence.
“And then I hit you.”
Emily's eyes filled.
“I was pregnant, Michael.”
“I know.”
“No. You knew then.”
That hurt because it was true.
He looked down.
“I don't expect you to forgive me because Sophia manipulated me.”
Emily finally looked at him.
“Good.”
Michael nodded.
He arranged somewhere else to stay.
Not as punishment.
Because Emily needed space to decide what she wanted.
He also began counseling immediately.
Meanwhile, Rebecca kept investigating.
The plan became clearer.
Sophia needed two narratives.
Emily was unstable and dangerous.
Michael was violent and impulsive.
If a crisis occurred, Sophia could present herself as the responsible family member protecting Mason, the unborn baby, and Reed Manufacturing.
Lucas had prepared the legal architecture.
Sophia created the incidents.
But one question remained.
Why now?
Reed Manufacturing wasn't failing.
There was no urgent succession issue.
Then the company's CFO discovered something.
Sophia had personally guaranteed loans for a luxury development project.
The project was collapsing.
Her potential losses exceeded $9 million.
She needed money.
More importantly, she needed leverage over Reed Manufacturing shares to secure refinancing.
Michael's father had left her wealth.
Sophia had gambled it.
Now she wanted Michael's control.
Emily whispered:
“So she was willing to destroy our family to save herself.”
Rebecca nodded.
“That appears to be where the evidence points.”
Then investigators authenticated the stairwell footage.
They finally watched it in full.
Sophia approached Emily.
Argued.
Grabbed her arm.
Shoved her.
Dropped to the floor.
Then Michael arrived.
Everything Mason said was true.
Michael watched himself slap Emily.
He couldn't look away.
Sophia's plan had worked perfectly because she understood his worst weakness.
His temper.
Emily watched beside him.
Michael whispered:
“I gave her exactly what she wanted.”
“Yes.”
He didn't defend himself.
That mattered more to Emily than another apology.
Then the footage continued.
After Michael and Emily left the camera's frame, Sophia remained alone for several seconds.
She pulled out her phone.
Made a call.
The camera had no audio.
But phone records identified the recipient.
Lucas.
The call lasted nineteen seconds.
Then Sophia smiled.
May you like
Three minutes later she sent him a message.
STEP ONE WORKED.
