A/N: Thanks for the reviews :0)
Disclaimer: If I owned any part of Ugly Betty, Daniel would've realized he loved Betty by now.
Betty blinked once more to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"How did you...I don't..." Betty's mind was swimming with thoughts as she struggled to say something coherent, "everyone things you're-"
"Dead. I know," Connor took a couple steps closer and crossed his arms over his chest. "Alex Meade isn't the only one who can fake a tragedy," he glared down at her.
"Why are you doing this?" tears were threatening to cloud her vision once more but she held it together.
"Isn't it obvious, Betty? Revenge."
"I had everything- money, power, and was on the verge of claiming Meade Publications as my own. And I damn sure would have. If Daniel hadn't gotten in the way."
"You took money from the company, Connor! That's illegal. Just because he turned you in doesn't mean it's his fault. You're to blame for your own downfall," Betty looked at him with anger, the sound in her voice surprising even her. And Betty thought he was crazy before. Shows how much she knew.
"Just shut up! You were always the first to stick up for his ass. Unfortunately for the both of you, you won't be around to do that much longer," he replied, glancing at Michael, who looked surprised.
Betty briefly closed her eyes, feeling herself getting dizzy again. She had to stay strong.
"Daniel took away everything that mattered to me. Now I'm gonna take away what matters most to him...starting with you."
He turned around, beckoning Michael to follow. Michael did as he was told, leaving Betty alone in the cold, darkened room with her thoughts.
- - -
Daniel stood rooted to the spot, his hand resting on the door in front of him. After a few hours of wallowing in self-pity once he realized there was nothing else he could do but wait for news on Betty, he'd somehow ended up at her front door. He didn't know what brought him there and certainly knew he shouldn't have come, but something magnetic had pulled him in this direction.
He held the set of spare keys she'd given him awhile ago in his hand and slowly slid it through the lock. It clicked, and the door opened with ease. Betty's scent filled his senses as he took in the brightly decorated apartment. He closed the door behind him and took in a deep breath. It felt like she was a few feet away. The realization that she wasn't made his heart sink.
He walked over to where she'd set a few pictures up, a small grin playing on his lips when he saw himself in one of them. Daniel reached for the frame, his hand lightly grazing it as his phone started to ring. Startled, he stepped back, digging in his pocket for it. He quickly glanced at the screen, seeing Betty's image and bringing the phone to his ear.
"Yes?"
"Listen up, Meade. I'm sure this line is tapped, so I'll be brief. Go to the Meade building, to the top floor. In your father's old office within the safe you'll find an envelope. If you want to see Betty alive again, bring $1,000,000 to the location specified in the letter in four hours. Make sure you're not followed. There are instructions on where to wire the rest of the money in the envelope. If you bring cops, you're dead. Understand?"
"Yes..." Daniel replied with a sigh, hearing a click on the other end. He rolled his yes, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. He didn't have a clue as to how they'd gotten information about his father's personal items, but he sure the hell was going to find out.
They hadn't been on the phone long enough for the call to be traced, but he knew the cops had heard everything. Still, he didn't want to involve them and risk getting Betty killed.
He had to do this alone.
