All Chapters of THE ATTRACTION OF DOUBT: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

DanielThe next morning, I got up early, though I hadn’t really slept. My thoughts spun endlessly around Claire, around the truth I was beginning to glimpse but still couldn’t fully grasp. I found myself at a crossroads, both in my investigation and in my personal life. On one side, there was the justice I had always dedicated myself to, and on the other, Claire, who was slowly becoming an enigma I couldn’t ignore.The police station was quieter than usual that January morning, but the heavy atmosphere only added to the weight on my shoulders. I made my way to my desk, glancing at the scattered files before me, but only one question kept looping in my mind: why did Claire always seem to be at the center of things, like a key figure, without ever actually being responsible?I opened my computer and reread Claire’s last statement. It was brief, emotional, as if she were trying to protect herself, to hide a truth that would condemn her if she revealed it. I struggled to decipher it, to u

DanielThe wind howled through the empty streets, carrying with it fallen leaves that swirled over the cobblestones. I walked briskly, my heart pounding in my chest. Never before had I felt such urgency within me. The words I had finally spoken, the secrets I had confessed, still echoed in my mind. But beyond the confession, beyond the weight of the truth, I knew that everything had just changed. My world, Daniel’s world, and that of everyone around us.The walls of my apartment seemed to close in on me, as if the truth I had shared was only the first step, a mere trigger. There was still so much to say, so much to understand, so much to face. Fear and shame had long imprisoned me in my silence, but now, the chains were broken. Yet every step I took led me to a new uncertainty.Daniel… He had believed in me, despite everything. But how could he still look at me the same way after everything I had told him? How could I hope that he wouldn’t see me as guilty, as a victim myself, or wors

DanielThe wind was blowing violently, rustling the trees around the small café where Daniel and I had met. The promises of a clearer future clashed with the shadows of the past, which seemed to swallow us whole at every moment. I was nervous. Even though I had revealed my secrets to Daniel, I knew there was still so much more to uncover, things I wasn’t ready to face. But I had no choice.I stared at my cold coffee, my mind drowned by the weight of the revelations I had made. I felt as though I had barely scratched the surface of a truth far greater, far more complex than I had imagined.“You know,” Daniel began, his voice deep, “we're touching something much bigger than we thought. If what you're saying is true, then these people aren't going to back down.”I bit my lower lip. “I know. That’s why I told you everything. Because they won’t leave me alone. Not as long as I’m alive and they’re afraid of what I could reveal.”Daniel’s eyes were filled with determination. “They have no id

DanielI stood there, my hands trembling on my knees, my gaze avoiding Daniel's. The room seemed to shrink around me, the air growing thick and suffocating. The silence was heavy, almost oppressive, as if the words I had just spoken hovered in the air, unprocessed, unabsorbed. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat, each beat a cruel reminder of what I had just confessed.Daniel stood opposite me, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze locked on mine with an intensity that took my breath away. Confusion, pain, and disbelief were etched across his features. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard."Your father... how is that possible?" he whispered, his voice broken, as if trying to make sense of what he'd just learned. "Claire... he’s always been so... distant. How could you not have known?""I didn’t see it," I replied, my voice cracking. "I always trusted him, and I never wanted to see what he truly was. The father I knew was the one who always told me he would protect me,

ClaireLe soleil s'était à peine levé, mais une nouvelle journée semblait déjà se dresser sur moi comme une épreuve. Le silence de la pièce était oppressant, seulement brisé par le bruit sourd de mes pas qui résonnaient sur le sol froid. Je traversai le salon, mes pensées tourbillonnant, et m'assis sur le canapé, les mains entrelacées, nerveuses, sur mes genoux. Le dossier que nous avions trouvé semblait peser plus lourd à chaque seconde. La vérité, ou ce qu'il en restait, était là, devant moi, et je n'avais aucune idée de comment l'affronter.Daniel était toujours dans la pièce voisine, occupé à fouiller parmi les papiers. Son absence, bien qu'apaisante d'une certaine manière, me donnait aussi une impression de vide. Je me sentais perdue, comme une enfant qui tente de comprendre un monde trop vaste pour elle. Depuis l'instant où les premiers documents avaient été révélés, j'avais l'impression que ma vie s'effondrait peu à peu. Tout ce que je croyais savoir de mon père, tout ce que j'