Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH MY FATHER HID
I couldn't move.
My father stood ten feet away.
Alive.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
I wanted to run to him.
I wanted to hit him.
I wanted to ask why he had allowed me to mourn him for seven years.
Instead, I whispered,
“You're alive.”
He nodded.
“I am.”
“Why?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You were afraid?”
“Yes.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I know.”
“You let me stand beside your grave.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe I had lost my father.”
“I know.”
My voice broke.
“Then don't say you're sorry.”
He lowered his head.
“I won't.”
That somehow hurt more.
Adrian stood behind me.
My father looked at him.
“You came.”
Adrian nodded.
“I promised Claire I wouldn't leave.”
My father's eyes softened.
“That is what I hoped.”
I turned.
“You knew?”
“I knew he loved you.”
“Then why did you let him divorce me?”
My father looked at Adrian.
“Because Adrian believed it was the only way to save you.”
I shook my head.
“You both made decisions for me.”
“Yes.”
His voice was quiet.
“And I was wrong.”
That was the first thing he said that made me want to cry.
Eli tugged on my coat.
“Are you my aunt?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Dad said you were nice.”
I knelt.
“What else did your dad say?”
“That you like pancakes.”
I laughed despite myself.
“I do.”
Eli smiled.
Then he looked at my stomach.
“Is there a baby in there?”
“Yes.”
“Boy or girl?”
“We don't know yet.”
He thought about it.
“Maybe both.”
I smiled.
My father watched us.
For a moment, the room felt almost normal.
Then Adrian asked,
“Where is Daniel?”
My father looked toward the hallway.
“He's outside.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn't trust himself to face you yet.”
Adrian frowned.
“He's my brother.”
“And you were the son who believed he was dead.”
The words hurt.
Adrian accepted them.
“I was six.”
“I know.”
My father sat down.
“Daniel was twenty-four.”
He told us everything.
Daniel had discovered that Adrian's father was being manipulated by three executives.
They had created secret companies, moved money, and used Daniel as the scapegoat.
When Daniel tried to expose them, his own father ordered him removed from the company.
Thomas helped him disappear.
Adrian's mother knew.
She helped too.
The three men believed Daniel was dead.
Years later, they realized Thomas had survived.
That was when the threats began again.
I asked,
“Who are the three men?”
My father looked at Adrian.
“Victor Hale.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“My father's former chief financial officer.”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
“Richard Sloan.”
Adrian stared.
“Head of legal.”
“And the third?”
My father looked at me.
“Your father's attorney.”
“Name?”
“Samuel Cross.”
I recognized it.
“Cross & Bell?”
My father nodded.
“They control the trust accounts.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“They still work with Moretti Capital.”
“Yes.”
I felt sick.
“All these years?”
“Yes.”
“Why did they want me?”
My father looked at my stomach.
“Because you were the one thing Adrian would never sacrifice.”
Adrian's eyes closed.
My father continued.
“They wanted access to the old records.”
“The names.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't they take them?”
“Because I hid them.”
“Where?”
My father pointed toward the silver bracelet.
“Your mother hid the key.”
I looked down.
“The bracelet isn't the key.”
“No.”
He pointed toward the necklace on the table.
“The necklace is.”
I picked it up.
A small heart-shaped pendant.
My mother had worn it every day.
I opened it.
Inside was a tiny metal disc.
Engraved on it were three initials.
V.H.
R.S.
S.C.
The three men.
Adrian took a breath.
“That's enough to expose them.”
“No.”
My father shook his head.
“Names aren't enough.”
“Then what is?”
“Proof.”
I looked at him.
“Where is it?”
My father looked toward Daniel.
Daniel had entered the room.
He was older than Adrian by only a few years, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Different expression.
He looked at his brother.
“I kept copies.”
Adrian stared.
“Where?”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“Somewhere they would never search.”
“Where?”
Daniel looked at me.
“With Claire.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“The evidence has been with you for three years.”
I looked confused.
“How?”
Daniel pointed to my coat.
“The coat Adrian gave you on your first anniversary.”
My stomach dropped.
“That coat?”
“Yes.”
“The one I lost?”
“You didn't lose it.”
Adrian's face changed.
“Who has it?”
Daniel answered.
“Vanessa.”
Silence.
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“She was supposed to bring it here.”
Adrian checked his phone.
Nothing.
Then a message appeared.
One sentence.
I HAVE THE COAT. BUT THEY HAVE ELI.
I looked at Eli.
He was gone.
The red toy car lay on the floor.
My father stood.
Adrian's face turned cold.
Daniel whispered,
“They found us.”
Then the lights outside the farmhouse went dark.
May you like
And from somewhere beyond the blue door came Vanessa's voice.
“Claire, don't open it.”
