The manipulations
Stephanie woke before Brendan.
She watched him sleeping. His face looked peaceful.
But she knew something had changed. For days, he had become quieter.
He answered questions differently.
He sometimes stared into space as if trying to solve a problem he couldn't discuss.
Stephanie hated uncertainty.
Especially now. Her life was already collapsing around her.
The criminal case, her mother's illness,the company, james's mysterious documents and now Brendan.
She quietly got out of bed and went downstairs. Brendan woke shortly afterward.
He found her in the kitchen.
“You're awake early.”
“So are you.”
He sat, neither spoke. Finally Stephanie asked,
“What did Sharon tell you?”
Brendan looked at her.
“I told you I'm investigating.”
“That's not an answer.”
“I don't want to tell you something that might be false. I love you and I am trying to manage what I heard so that I won't hurt you or put you in a bad mood.”
He stepped closer as he tried touching her long hair put she gently removed his hands.
“Then tell me what she said.”
He looked down.
“She showed me documents.”
Stephanie's heart tightened.
“About what?”
“My family.”
She froze.
“Your family?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
“That there were financial dealings between our families.”
Stephanie stared at him.
“Financial dealings?”
“Yes.”
“And you believe them?”
“No.”
“But you are investigating.”
“Yes.”
She stood.
“Brendan, my life is being destroyed because someone planted evidence against me.”
“I know.”
“Now you're investigating whether your family harmed mine.”
“I need to know the truth.”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you'd think I was hiding something.”
“You are hiding something.”
He looked wounded.
“Stephanie.”
“I don't mean you're betraying me.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“I mean I'm scared.”
Her voice cracked.
“I am scared that everything I thought I knew is falling apart.”
Brendan stood.
“So am I.”
They stared at each other.
Then Stephanie whispered,
“I need you.”
He walked toward her.
“I need you too.”
She leaned against him.
He held her. But great uncertainty uncertainty remained.
At Brendan Group, Mitchell was searching through archived records.
Andrew entered.
“Anything?”
“Not yet.”
Carlos followed.
“We need to hurry.”
Mitchell looked at him.
“Why?”
“I saw one of the finance officers meeting Juliet.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Mitchell's expression changed.
“What were they discussing?”
“I don't know.”
She closed the file.
“Then we follow them.”
Meanwhile, Vasquez confronted Juliet again.
“You lied to me.”
Juliet looked at him.
“About what?”
“You told me the withdrawals were personal.”
“They were.”
“You took millions.”
“I told you why.”
“That's not the only issue.”
Juliet's face changed.
“What other issue?”
“Some of the money appears connected to transfers involving Stephanie.”
Juliet became silent. Vasquez stepped closer.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie.”
Juliet looked at him.
“You're already investigating me.”
“Yes.”
“Then investigate.”
He stared at her.
“I will.”
Juliet smiled.
“You may regret it.”
At the hospital, Stephanie sat with Racheal.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“I need you to tell me something.”
“What?”
“Did you ever know anything about my father's company?”
Racheal's's heart jumped.
“What makes you ask?”
“James brought documents.”
Racheal looked away.
“What documents?”
“Original company documents.”
“Why would James have them?”
“I don't know.”
Racheal remained silent. Stephanie studied her.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know something?”
Racheal forced a smile.
“No.”
It was a lie.
Stephanie saw the hesitation. She stood.
“You're hiding something.”
Racheal coughed.
“I'm sick, Stephanie.”
“I know.”
Stephanie's expression softened.
“I'm sorry.”
Racheal looked at her.
“Don't worry about old things.”
But Stephanie couldn't forget the look in her mother's eyes.
That evening, James contacted Stephanie.
“I need to speak to you.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere private.”
Stephanie hesitated.
“Why?”
“There are things I didn't tell you.”
She closed her eyes.
“James…”
“Please.”
His voice sounded desperate.
“I owe you the truth.”
Stephanie agreed. They met in a quiet restaurant.
James looked nervous. Stephanie sat across from him.
“What is it?”
James placed another document on the table.
“There are names on these records.”
She looked. Her father's name, Juliet's, Robinson's and Brendan's father's.
Stephanie's face went pale.
“Why is Brendan's father here?”
James swallowed.
"your father's company was used to develop another company in a bad way.”
“How?”
James hesitated.
"I think it has the do with some huge amount of money that was Stolen from your late father's company years ago by brendan's group. I overheard it from someone but I don't know the complete details."
Stephanie stared at him.
“Then why is his father's name here?”
“I don't know.”
Stephanie looked at the document again.
A terrible thought entered her mind.
“What if his family knows about all this and they kept it secret?”
James looked down.
“That is what you need to find out.”
James overhead the discussion from Sharon and now he is trying to tell Stephanie so that he can seperate her from Brendan and James wanted Stephanie to trust him and love him.
Later that night, Stephanie returned home.
Brendan was waiting.
“Where were you?”
“With James.”
His expression changed.
“Why?”
“He gave me more documents.”
“About what?”
“My father's company.”
Brendan stood.
“What did you find?”
She handed him the document.
He looked at it. His face became pale.
“This is my father's name.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“Stephanie…”
“I know. So you have been hiding this from me?.”
“No Stephanie,I can't do that . My family might have done this but I swear I know nothing about."
“I... i...i believe you.” She struggled to find her voice.
He stepped toward her.
“I know you are struggling to believe me but i would never hurt you.”
She nodded.
“I know. I need to investigate more to find out the history of my father's company so that I can fight to recover everything.”
Her eyes was filled with great determination.
Brendan was worried and troubled because he can't imagine what his family might go through if everything that he does not know about his family past is exposed.
He has to choose between loving Stephanie and watching his family facing justice and judgement or He protect his own family and forget Stephanie who is the love of his life.
But both of them could feel the distance created by the documents.
For the first time, they were standing on opposite sides of a mystery.
Not because they didn't love each other.
But because their families might have been enemies long before they ever met.
At the same time, Sharon received another call.
“How did it go?”
“He saw the documents.”
“And?”
“He's beginning to doubt.”
“Good.”
Sharon smiled.
“But be careful.”
“Why?”
“Because Stephanie is investigating too.”
Sharon's smile faded.
“Then we need to move faster.”
