Chapter 7 - Truth in the Marble Hall
"You tampered with her car," Daniel said, his voice terrifyingly calm as he took a slow step forward, keeping himself between Halpern and the hallway leading to the children's bedrooms.
"She was going to destroy everything I built!" Halpern sneered, raising the iron poker. "Nine years I served your family! Nine years taking orders from a man who was too busy making millions to notice where it went! She meddled where she didn't belong!"
"And you tried to silence my son," Daniel said, his eyes blazing. "You sabotaged his toy because you knew it was picking up the transmitter signal from her studio."
"I broke the circuit yesterday," Halpern snarled, taking a stride forward. "I saw him playing near the west wing, hearing her voice! I couldn't risk you investigating the studio! But that housekeeper’s brat ruined everything!"
Halpern lunged forward, swinging the heavy iron poker directly at Daniel.
Daniel ducked smoothly, the metal bar crashing into the wooden wainscoting with a splintering crunch. Years of high-level athletic training and raw, protective fury fueled Daniel's reaction. Before Halpern could recover his balance, Daniel grabbed Halpern’s wrist, twisted it sharply until the iron bar clattered to the floor, and slammed the older man against the wall.
"You took my wife," Daniel growled into Halpern’s face, pinning him effortlessly. "You will not touch my family again."
Heavy footsteps thundered up the grand staircase as Richard Vance, accompanied by four armed estate security officers and two local police deputies, burst onto the third-floor corridor.
"Get him," Vance commanded.
The officers grabbed Halpern, forcing his arms behind his back and snapping handcuffs onto his wrists. Halpern glared at Daniel, thrashing wildly. "You have nothing! It was an accident! The rain killed her!"
"We have the master drive, Halpern," Daniel said softly, holding up the red toy car. "And we have her voice."
As the police dragged the screaming manager down the hall, the doors to the guest rooms opened. Rosa was holding Ethan, while Annie stood in front of them, holding a small flashlight.
Ethan looked at his father, then at the police. "Dad? Is it over?"
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Daniel walked over, dropped to his knees, and wrapped both Ethan and Annie in a fierce, protective embrace.
"It's over, buddy," Daniel whispered, tears finally escaping his eyes—not tears of grief, but of absolute relief. "It's over."
