THE MAN THEY SENT TO PRISON

Chapter 2 — The Woman Who Betrayed Him

The black SUV came closer. Daniel's body tensed.

"Drive faster," he said.

The taxi driver looked at him through the mirror. "What is happening?"

"Just drive."

The driver pressed the accelerator. The taxi moved faster, but the road ahead was narrow. On both sides were old buildings, small shops, and parked cars. The SUV remained behind them.

Daniel reached for the door handle. If the SUV hit them, he needed to be ready. He had survived seven years in prison. He wasn't going to die on his first morning outside.

"Turn left at the next street," Daniel said.

"There is no"

"Turn!"

The driver turned sharply. The taxi nearly hit a parked motorcycle. Daniel grabbed the seat to steady himself. The SUV continued straight. For a moment, Daniel thought they had lost it.

Then the driver suddenly stopped. "That's enough," he said nervously. "I don't want trouble."

Daniel looked behind them. The SUV was gone. He released a slow breath.

"How much?"

The driver told him the amount. Daniel paid and stepped out. He looked around before walking away.

The road was quiet. Too quiet. He checked his phone. Still no message from Emma. He tried calling again. Nothing.

Daniel's concern grew. He started walking toward his family home. He could have taken another taxi, but something inside him told him not to. He wanted to know whether someone was still watching him.

After nearly twenty minutes, he reached the neighborhood where he had grown up. The old houses were still there, but many had changed. He stopped at the end of the street. His family home stood behind a tall iron gate. Daniel stared at it.

For seven years, he had dreamed about coming back. Now that he was finally there, he felt like a stranger.

He walked toward the gate. Before he could knock, it opened. Emma stood there. Daniel almost didn't recognize her. She looked thinner. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her clothes were simple and worn.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Emma ran toward him. "Daniel!" She wrapped her arms around him.

Daniel held his sister tightly. He closed his eyes. For the first time that morning, he felt like he had truly come home.

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered.

Daniel pulled back. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Everything changed."

He looked at her face. "Tell me about Dad."

Emma looked away. "He's upstairs."

"Is he awake?"

"Sometimes."

Daniel entered the house. The living room looked smaller than he remembered. The expensive furniture was gone. The television was old. There were unpaid bills scattered across a table. Daniel picked one up. Electricity. Another. Medical expenses. Another. Bank debt.

His expression darkened. "What happened?"

Emma closed the door. "After you went to prison, everything started falling apart."

"My father was still running the business."

"He tried." She lowered her head. "But people stopped doing business with us. Banks stopped giving us loans. Suppliers demanded cash. Then our biggest partner withdrew."

"Why?"

Emma hesitated. "I don't know."

Daniel looked at her. "Someone knows."

Emma didn't answer.

Daniel placed the bill down. "Where's Mom's room?"

Emma's eyes became wet. "Daniel..."

"I just want to see it."

She slowly nodded.

Daniel walked down the hallway. His mother's room was still there. The door was closed. He opened it. Everything inside had been left almost exactly as he remembered. Her old chair. A small wooden table. Several books. A framed family photograph.

Daniel walked toward the photograph. There they were. His father. His mother. Emma. And him. A family before everything fell apart.

He touched his mother's face in the photograph. "I didn't even know," he whispered.

Emma stood at the doorway. "She waited for you."

Daniel turned. "What?"

"Mom waited for you until the end."

His eyes became red. "Then why didn't I know she was sick?"

Emma wiped her tears. "Because someone didn't want you to know."

Daniel stared at her. "Who?"

Before she could answer, a man's voice came from upstairs.

"Daniel?"

Daniel froze. His father's voice. Weak. But unmistakable. He ran upstairs.

His father was lying in a large bed. The man Daniel remembered as strong now looked fragile. His hair had turned almost completely gray. His face was thinner. His eyes, however, remained the same. They stared at Daniel for several seconds. Then tears appeared in them.

"My son."

Daniel couldn't hold himself together. He walked to the bed and dropped to his knees. "Dad."

His father reached for him. Daniel took his hand. It was cold.

"I'm sorry," his father whispered.

Daniel shook his head. "No. Don't say that."

"I should have protected you."

"You couldn't."

"I should have."

Daniel lowered his head. His father squeezed his hand.

"I always knew you were innocent."

Daniel looked up. "What?"

His father's eyes shifted toward the door. "Not here."

Daniel frowned. "What do you mean?"

His father struggled to sit up. Emma hurried over to help him.

"There's something you need to know."

Daniel waited. His father opened his mouth. Then a sound came from downstairs. The front door opened.

Emma froze. Her face changed.

Daniel noticed. "Who is that?"

Emma didn't answer. Footsteps echoed through the house. A man's voice followed.

"Emma?"

Daniel stood. His father suddenly looked frightened. "Don't let him see me," he whispered.

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Before anyone could answer, the bedroom door opened. Claire stood there.

Daniel's heart stopped. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was longer. Her clothes were expensive. A diamond bracelet rested around her wrist.

She stared at Daniel. For several seconds, neither of them moved. Then her expression changed. Shock. Fear. And something Daniel couldn't identify.

"Daniel?"

He looked at her. Seven years of memories came rushing back. Their wedding. Their first apartment. The promises. The nights they spent planning their future. Then the prison visits. The unanswered letters. The silence. And finally, the day she stopped coming.

Daniel's face became emotionless. "Claire."

She swallowed. "You were released?"

"Apparently."

Her eyes moved toward his small bag. Then toward his old clothes. A strange look crossed her face. "You came here?"

Daniel almost laughed. "This is my family's home."

Claire looked uncomfortable. Before she could answer, another man appeared behind her. He was tall, well dressed, and probably in his early thirties. A luxury watch sat on his wrist. He placed a hand on Claire's shoulder.

Daniel looked at the hand. Then at Claire.

The man noticed Daniel. "Who is he?"

Claire didn't answer. Daniel did.

"I'm her husband."

The man's eyebrows lifted.

Claire quickly said, "Ex-husband."

Daniel looked at her. The word didn't hurt as much as he expected. Maybe because he had already died inside years ago.

The man looked amused. "You're Daniel?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "I've heard about you."

Daniel said nothing.

The man extended his hand. "Richard."

Daniel looked at his hand. He didn't take it.

Richard slowly lowered it. "You haven't changed," he said.

Daniel stared at him. "You don't know me."

Richard laughed. "Claire told me enough."

Daniel looked at Claire. "How long?"

She frowned. "How long what?"

"How long have you been with him?"

Claire looked away. Richard answered for her. "Almost three years."

Daniel's eyes hardened. Three years. His mother had died three years ago. His wife had been with another man while he was still in prison.

He looked at Claire. "You never came to tell me."

"What was I supposed to say?"

"The truth."

Claire's expression became defensive. "You were going to prison for years. What did you expect me to do? Wait forever?"

Daniel stared at her. "I expected you to keep your promise."

She laughed bitterly. "Promises don't pay bills, Daniel."

Richard stepped forward. "You should accept that Claire has moved on."

Daniel looked at him. "And you should stay out of my marriage."

Richard smiled. "Marriage?" He glanced at Claire. "She divorced you months ago."

Daniel froze. "What?"

Claire's face changed.

Daniel looked at her. "You divorced me?"

She didn't answer.

Emma stepped forward. "Daniel, there were papers."

Daniel turned toward his sister. "You knew?"

Emma lowered her head. "I didn't want to tell you over the phone."

Daniel looked at Claire again. "So while I was in prison, you divorced me."

"I had no choice."

"No choice?"

"You were gone."

"I was in prison, Claire. I didn't disappear."

Her eyes became cold. "You don't understand what I went through."

Daniel laughed once. It wasn't a happy laugh. "What you went through?" He looked at her expensive clothes. Her diamond bracelet. Richard standing beside her. Then he looked around his father's deteriorating house. "You're right." His voice became quiet. "I don't understand."

Claire folded her arms. "You have nothing, Daniel. You just got out of prison. What exactly do you want from me?"

Daniel stared at her. "Nothing." She looked surprised. "I want nothing from you."

Richard smiled. "Good. Then this conversation is over."

Daniel turned toward him. "No."

The smile disappeared from Richard's face.

Daniel looked at Claire. "You wanted a divorce."

"Yes."

"Then you'll get one."

Claire stared at him. Daniel reached into his bag and pulled out the envelope containing his release documents. His eyes were calm. "I'll sign whatever is necessary."

Claire looked almost confused. She had probably expected anger. Maybe begging. Maybe tears. She got none of those things.

Daniel walked past her. Then stopped. Without turning around, he said, "Claire."

She looked at him.

"You made your choice." He paused. "Don't regret it later."

Richard laughed. "Regret leaving a man who has nothing?"

Daniel looked over his shoulder. His expression was cold. "You might want to remember that sentence."

Then he walked away.

Two hours later, Daniel sat in a small legal office downtown. The divorce papers were on the desk. Claire sat across from him. Richard was beside her. Daniel didn't look at either of them.

The lawyer explained the documents. Daniel listened quietly.

"Do you understand everything?"

"Yes."

"Are you certain?"

Daniel picked up the pen. "I'm certain."

He signed. One page. Then another. Finally, he placed the pen down.

Claire stared at him. "That's it?"

Daniel stood. "That's it."

She looked strangely disappointed. "Daniel..."

He stopped. "What?"

For the first time, her voice softened. "I'm sorry."

Daniel looked at her. He searched her face for the woman he once loved. He couldn't find her anymore.

"Take care of yourself, Claire."

Then he left.

Outside the office, Daniel stood on the sidewalk. He looked up at the sky. Seven years ago, he had entered prison with a wife. Today, he had walked out with nothing. But strangely, he didn't feel defeated. He felt free.

His phone vibrated. Daniel looked at the screen. Unknown number. A message appeared.

You think the divorce is your biggest problem?

Another message arrived.

Ask your father why you really went to prison.

Daniel's face changed. He immediately called the number. It was unavailable. He tried again. Nothing.

Then another message appeared. This one contained a photograph. Daniel opened it. His blood ran cold. It was a picture of his father standing beside a group of powerful men. And among them was the same man Daniel had seen in a faded photograph hidden inside his mother's room. A man who had supposedly died more than ten years ago.

Daniel stared at the photograph. Then his phone rang. It was Emma. He answered immediately.

"Emma?"

Her voice was shaking. "Daniel, come back home."

"Why?"

"Dad is gone."

Daniel's heart stopped. "What do you mean?"

"The room is empty." He heard her breathing heavily. "Someone took him."

Daniel looked at the photograph again. The mysterious man in it seemed to be staring directly at him.

Then Emma screamed through the phone. "Daniel!"

The call went dead.

Daniel stood frozen in the middle of the street. For seven years, he had believed his prison sentence had destroyed his life. Now he was beginning to realize something much worse.

Someone had been waiting for him to come home.