Chapter 8: The Man Behind the Grave
Marcus couldn't move.
Neither could Evelyn.
The man standing outside the garage slowly walked toward them.
His face looked older than the photograph.
Gray hair.
Deep lines around his eyes.
But there was no mistaking him.
Graham Pierce.
Samuel's supposed dead father.
Samuel backed away.
“You died.””
Graham looked at him.
“So did your mother.””
Samuel's face twisted.
“You're lying.””
Graham glanced at Vanessa.
“She told you I was dead because I needed you to believe the inheritance was yours.””
Samuel stared.
“You used me.””
“I protected you.””
“You destroyed my life.””
“No.””
Graham's voice hardened.
“I destroyed your mother's plans.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“What the hell is going on?””
Graham looked at him.
“You're Marcus.””
“Yes.””
“I've wanted to meet you for a long time.””
Marcus clenched his fists.
“You ruined my family.””
Graham shook his head.
“Your family was already ruined.””
Evelyn stepped beside Marcus.
“You tried to kill me.””
“I never wanted you dead.””
“You paid Vanessa.””
“I paid her to frighten you into disappearing.””
Evelyn stared.
“She told me you wanted me dead.””
“She lied.””
Vanessa looked away.
Marcus turned toward her.
“You knew Graham was alive.””
Vanessa nodded.
“For years.””
“Why?””
“Because he had my son.””
She looked at Adrian.
“He promised to release him if I helped.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“He never released me.””
Graham looked at him.
“You were never a prisoner.””
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“You controlled every job I had. Every account. Every person I dated.””
Graham's expression hardened.
“You were protecting the family.””
“No,” Adrian said.
“You were protecting yourself.””
Samuel suddenly grabbed Graham by the collar.
“You made me believe I was your heir.””
Graham didn't resist.
“I needed you to believe that.””
“Why?””
“Because I needed you to stay close to the company.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Why would you need Samuel inside my company?””
Graham looked at him.
“Because your father suspected I was stealing.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“So he was right.””
“Yes.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“How much?””
Graham looked at him.
“Enough to destroy him.””
Marcus stared.
“My father died believing you betrayed him.””
“I did.””
The admission was brutally calm.
“But I didn't kill him.””
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
“Then who did?””
Graham looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa whispered, “Samuel.””
Samuel froze.
“What?””
Vanessa's voice shook.
“You caused the accident.””
Samuel stared at her.
“I was sixteen.””
“You were eighteen.””
“I didn't know who he was.””
“You knew.””
Samuel's face twisted.
“No.””
Graham interrupted.
“Stop.””
Everyone looked at him.
Graham continued.
“Your father died because he discovered the offshore accounts.””
Marcus stared.
“What happened that night?””
Graham looked toward the rain.
“Samuel confronted him.””
Samuel shook his head.
“I don't remember.””
“You do.””
“I don't.””
“You were driving.””
Samuel stepped backward.
“No.””
“You were angry.””
“No.””
“You crashed into his car.””
Samuel covered his ears.
“Stop.””
Marcus looked at Samuel.
“My father…”
Graham nodded.
“He survived the crash.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“What?””
“He was alive when I found him.””
“Then why did he die?””
Graham looked at the floor.
“Because Vanessa arrived first.””
Vanessa began crying.
Marcus turned toward her.
“What did you do?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“I called an ambulance.””
“That's not what he said.””
“I did!””
Graham looked at her.
“You moved the evidence.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I was scared.””
“What evidence?””
Graham answered.
“Your father had recorded everything.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“The recording.””
“Yes.””
“Where's the rest?””
Graham looked at Evelyn.
“She has it.””
Marcus turned.
Evelyn looked shocked.
“No.””
Graham nodded.
“The second phone.””
Evelyn's eyes widened.
Marcus stared at her.
“You have another phone?””
Evelyn slowly reached inside her coat.
She pulled out a small black device.
Marcus recognized it.
It was his father's old phone.
He stepped closer.
“You've had that all these years?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I couldn't unlock it.””
Graham said, “You don't need to.””
He pointed at Marcus.
“It recognizes his voice.””
Marcus took the phone.
The screen lit up.
*VOICE REQUIRED.*
He stared.
“What do I say?””
Graham answered:
“Say your father's name.””
Marcus swallowed.
“Richard Hale.””
The phone unlocked.
A folder appeared.
*FINAL MESSAGE.*
Marcus tapped it.
His father's voice filled the garage.
“Marcus, if you're hearing this, then Evelyn survived.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
His father's voice continued.
“That's good.””
A pause.
“But there's something you must know.””
Marcus opened his eyes.
“I was wrong about Graham.””
Graham's face changed.
Richard's recording continued.
“Graham did not betray me.””
Everyone stared.
“He was protecting you from someone far closer than we realized.””
Marcus slowly turned.
“Who?””
The recording crackled.
Then his father's voice said:
“Your mother.””
Marcus went completely still.
Evelyn gasped.
Graham whispered, “No…”
Richard continued.
“She is the person who created the first account.””
Marcus's heart pounded.
“My mother died twelve years ago,” he whispered.
Graham looked at him.
“She didn't.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Graham's expression was grim.
“She disappeared.””
The phone suddenly emitted a warning tone.
Then a message appeared:
*FILE CORRUPTED. ONE MINUTE REMAINING.*
Marcus looked at the screen.
“Can we save it?””
Daniel grabbed the phone.
“I can try.””
Then a voice came from behind them.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Calm.
Familiar.
“You've always been so impatient, Marcus.””
Everyone turned.
An elderly woman stood in the doorway.
Marcus stopped breathing.
He knew that face.
He had seen it in every childhood photograph.
His mother.
May you like
She smiled.
“Hello, son.””
