Chapter 548 - 144 Buried Secrets Surface

Chapter 548: Chapter 144 Buried Secrets Surface

Daniel’s POV

I thought Lila’s situation had pushed us to the breaking point, but fate wasn’t finished with its cruel games. Sasha was supposed to be buried in the past, a sealed vault I’d locked away forever. When Gideon mentioned her name during our call, confusion hit me like a sledgehammer. He had no connection to her world, no reason to know she even existed in my life. Then he explained the discovery, and my entire foundation crumbled beneath me. It felt like taking a direct hit from an armored truck at full throttle. The crystal tumbler slipped from my numb fingers, and I didn’t register Lila’s approach. The room spun violently, my vision blurring in and out of clarity.

Operating on pure instinct, I asked Gideon to send the files immediately. I needed concrete evidence, needed to witness this horror with my own eyes. Lila’s tender touch on my shoulder barely penetrated my consciousness. When I turned toward her, everything remained an indistinct haze. Eventually, I became aware of the shattered crystal scattered across the hardwood. As I moved to collect the pieces, Lila intervened, worry carved deep into her features. She asked if I was alright. How could I respond when my world had just imploded? I muttered something about needing space and retreated to our bedroom.

The instant I secured the door, my phone buzzed with Gideon’s encrypted message containing the damning evidence. My hands shook uncontrollably as I accessed the files. There was Sasha’s photograph, her elegant signature on countless documents, wire transfer records, medical procedure receipts, laboratory results. She had been well into her pregnancy when she visited that underground medical facility years ago. But the revelations didn’t end there—she’d made multiple previous visits: twice during our marriage and once as a teenager. I read and reread every document, my mind refusing to accept the devastating truth. Three pregnancies terminated while we were husband and wife. Three potential heirs I never knew existed.

How could she commit such betrayal? I’d always been transparent about wanting children. She claimed to share that dream.

The records showed her initial visit as a teenager, accompanied by her mother to a facility recommended by someone in our extended network. The subsequent appointments, she attended alone.

Her most recent procedure had triggered severe complications requiring emergency hospitalization. Her mother was summoned to provide support. Medical notes indicated that due to the complications, Sasha required emergency surgery that would prevent future pregnancies. Since she hadn’t brought other clients to the facility, her name was transferred to what they called the "insurance" file.

Gideon clarified through additional texts that the "insurance" file contained women being extorted by someone named Aria who ran the operation. He attached supplementary documentation showing years of blackmail payments from Sasha—dates, threatening communications, payment amounts, transfer methods. The sums were astronomical, paid regularly through cash drops or untraceable cryptocurrency transfers.

Sasha had bled money to protect this secret from our families.

After processing the complete picture, I called my father immediately. He couldn’t have known about this deception. He’d pressured us relentlessly for grandchildren throughout our entire marriage.

"Daniel! What a pleasant surprise," he answered, his voice relaxed and content.

"Where are you right now?" I asked, abandoning any pretense of casual conversation.

"Just returned to the estate. What’s happened?" His tone shifted instantly to alert concern.

"I just discovered Sasha terminated a pregnancy," I stated without cushioning the blow.

"When did this happen? Who was the father?"

"That pregnancy during our divorce proceedings. She didn’t miscarry—she had it terminated at an illegal clinic."

"What are you telling me, Daniel? That’s inconceivable! I refuse to believe she would deceive our family so completely." His denial was predictable, and I understood his shock completely.

"I assumed you were unaware. But it wasn’t an isolated incident," I drew a sharp breath. "Authorities shut down an underground medical operation and discovered documentation proving Sasha had multiple procedures there."

"This has to be fabricated evidence," he protested vehemently.

"It’s legitimate. The operation that exposed this clinic was conducted by a detective with no knowledge of our family. The facility operated in another territory. The contact who provided me this intelligence never knew about Sasha," I explained with forced patience.

"How did this information reach you?" His skepticism remained strong.

"A police contact discovered the files, noticed the surname connection since she used our family name during the marriage, and contacted me. I verified the details and requested the complete documentation."

"I cannot accept she was capable of such deception."

"This wasn’t her first experience with them. And she’s been paying extortion money for years to the woman who operated the facility."

"Can you provide me copies of this evidence?" Classic behavior from my father, always requiring physical proof.

"Yes, but this information is highly confidential. You cannot share it with anyone outside our immediate circle," I warned sternly.

"I won’t, but I will ensure they pay for this betrayal." I knew my father’s methods well enough to understand his promise. He would be merciless in his pursuit of justice, and frankly, I felt no sympathy for what was coming.

As our conversation neared its end, he asked, "Daniel, how are you handling this revelation?" Genuine paternal concern colored his voice.

"I’m not handling it well, but I will recover."

"I owe you an apology, son, for insisting that woman was suitable for our family." For the first time in memory, my father offered a completely sincere apology.

"I hope this teaches you something valuable. Never impose your preferences on our personal lives again; you and Mother share responsibility for this disaster." I ended the call, transmitted the files, and threw my phone onto the bed. Once Lila’s crisis was resolved, I would confront Sasha and demand complete answers.

I sat there staring into emptiness for what seemed like endless hours. After grieving three potential children I never knew existed, it was time to return to the present reality. Somehow, my buried past had collided directly with Lila’s current nightmare.

When I finally emerged from the bedroom, Lila was curled beside her father, engaged in light conversation with her brother and sister-in-law. Her diary rested on the nearby table; I couldn’t determine if she’d begun reading it yet. The moment she noticed me, she rose quickly and wrapped me in her arms.

"Are you alright?" she whispered softly against my ear.