Chapter 4: The Secret In The Basement
The front door opened slowly.
Nobody spoke.
The only sound inside the mansion was the rain hitting the windows and Ethan’s frightened breathing beside me.
Three people stepped inside.
A woman in a dark coat.
A man carrying a briefcase.
And an older gentleman I recognized immediately.
My attorney.
Robert Hayes.
I stared at him.
“What are you doing here?””
Robert looked uncomfortable.
He removed his coat slowly.
“David, I wish I could say I came here by choice.””
My eyes moved from him to Michael.
Then to Victoria.
“How many people were involved?””
Nobody answered.
That was the answer.
My son moved closer to me.
“Dad…”
I looked down.
“It’s okay.””
But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t.
Not anymore.
Robert stepped forward.
“David, there are things you need to know before you make any decisions.””
I laughed.
“Decisions?””
I pointed toward Ethan.
“My son spent three years hidden inside a wall.””
Robert lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
The words made the room go silent.
“You know?””
His face tightened.
“Yes.””
My anger rose instantly.
“You knew too?””
“I knew Ethan was alive.””
The confession felt like another betrayal.
“How?””
Robert looked at Victoria.
“She came to me three years ago.””
Victoria whispered:
“Robert, stop.””
But he continued.
“She asked me to prepare documents.””
My hands curled into fists.
“What documents?””
Robert opened his briefcase.
Inside were several folders.
Not secret recordings.
Not hidden messages.
Legal papers.
“I was told Ethan had been involved in an accident and that custody arrangements needed to be changed.””
Ethan looked confused.
“Custody?””
I turned toward Victoria.
“What were you planning?””
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to protect myself.””
The words shocked me.
“Protect yourself?””
She looked at me.
“You had no idea what was happening.””
Michael suddenly laughed.
“Still pretending you’re the victim?””
Everyone looked at him.
Victoria’s expression changed.
“You promised me.””
Michael stepped closer.
“I promised you we would fix the problem.””
“What problem?”” I demanded.
Neither answered.
Robert opened one of the folders.
“The problem was the inheritance.””
The room became silent.
My chest tightened.
“What inheritance?””
Robert looked at Ethan.
“When your father died, he left a trust for your son.””
I frowned.
“That trust was locked until Ethan turned eighteen.””
Robert nodded.
“Exactly.””
I looked at Victoria.
“So she hid him?””
Robert didn’t answer directly.
He didn’t need to.
The truth was already forming.
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“I didn’t want to lose everything.””
Ethan stared at her.
“Mom…”
She looked at him.
And for a second, I saw regret.
Real regret.
But then she looked away.
Michael stepped forward.
“She was afraid.””
I turned toward him.
“You manipulated her.””
His expression changed.
“You think she was innocent?””
Victoria looked at him.
“Don’t.””
Michael ignored her.
“She came to me first.””
My heart sank.
Victoria shook her head.
“Michael, stop talking.””
But he continued.
“She wanted Ethan gone because she believed you would leave her if you discovered what happened.””
I stared at Victoria.
“What happened?””
Nobody spoke.
Then Ethan quietly said:
“Dad…”
I looked at him.
“There’s something else.””
My son reached into his pocket.
The small recorder was still in his hand.
“There was another room.””
My blood froze.
“What?””
Ethan pointed toward the hallway.
“Behind my room.””
Victoria stepped backward.
“No.””
Hannah looked terrified.
“What room?””
Ethan swallowed.
“The basement.””
Michael suddenly moved.
Fast.
Not toward us.
Toward Ethan.
I stepped in front of my son.
“Stay away from him.””
Michael stopped.
His face hardened.
“You really don’t know what you’ve uncovered.””
I stared at him.
“What’s in the basement?””
Nobody answered.
Then Robert spoke quietly.
“David…”
He looked at Victoria.
“She wasn’t hiding Ethan.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“What do you mean?””
Robert looked toward the basement door.
“She was hiding what Ethan saw.””
The mansion suddenly felt silent.
Too silent.
Ethan grabbed my hand.
“Dad…”
His voice shook.
“The night they put me there…”
He looked toward Victoria.
“I saw someone else.””
Victoria’s face turned completely pale.
Michael closed his eyes.
Because he knew.
“Who?”” I asked.
Ethan whispered:
“The person who helped them.””
The basement door behind us slowly creaked open.
And from the darkness below…
A voice called out.
“David.””
I froze.
May you like
Because I knew that voice too.
It was someone I thought had been dead for years.
