“I helped people.”
His words were sharp now.
“Thousands of them.”
“But you tried to kill me.”
The silence between us felt enormous.
Finally, he spoke again.
“You were never supposed to die.”
My heart pounded.
“What?”
“The doses were meant to weaken you,” he said quietly. “Eventually you’d get sick enough to step down from the foundation.”
“So you could take control.”
“Yes.”
“And continue stealing.”
“And continue helping them.”
I stared at him.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Maybe.”
Daniel leaned back slightly.
“But tell me something, Evelyn.”
His eyes held mine.
“Before all of this… were you happy?”
I opened my mouth.
But no words came.
Because despite everything—
Despite the lies.
Despite the betrayal.
There had been moments.
Real moments.
Quiet mornings.
Shared laughter.
The warmth of a hand on mine.
Daniel saw the answer in my silence.
“I didn’t fake all of it,” he said softly.
“I know.”
We sat there for a long time.
