The People Who Needed Emma Gone
Chapter 06 - The People Who Needed Emma Gone
By midnight, the gala had ended.
The official statement said only that a misunderstanding involving a staff member had been resolved.
But the internet had already chosen a story.
A twelve-second video of Victoria accusing Emma had gone viral.
No one had uploaded the part where Emma was cleared.
By morning, strangers were calling her a thief.
The hotel suspended her—not as punishment, Julian insisted, but for her protection.
It did not feel like protection.
It felt like losing her paycheck.
Emma sat beside her mother’s hospital bed with her phone turned face down.
Laura was pale but awake.
“You gave him the letter?”
“Yes.”
Laura closed her eyes.
“And?”
“He knew your name.”
Tears slipped from the corners of Laura’s eyes.
Emma leaned forward.
“Mom, is Julian Mercer my father?”
Laura opened her eyes.
“I don’t know.”
Emma stood.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I loved him. It means I was pregnant when his father forced me away. But before Julian and I were together, I made one terrible mistake with someone else.”
“Who?”
Laura looked toward the hospital door.
“Julian’s older brother.”
Emma froze.
Richard Mercer.
Chairman of the Mercer Foundation.
The respected philanthropist whose photograph hung inside the ballroom.
Laura gripped Emma’s hand.
“Richard found out about the pregnancy before I knew which brother was the father.”
Emma’s knees weakened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wanted you to grow up without being used in their war.”
A knock sounded.
Julian stood outside the room.
Behind him was Richard Mercer.
Sixty-two. Silver-haired. Calm.
He walked in carrying flowers.
Laura’s face filled with fear.
Richard smiled at Emma.
“You look just like your mother.”
May you like
Then he looked at Julian.
“And that is exactly why this should have stayed buried.”
