Chapter 18: The Final Secret of My Father
The words echoed.
You were never supposed to inherit anything.
Noah looked at Victor.
Then at me.
Confusion covered his face.
“Mom?””
I stepped forward.
“Don’t listen to him.””
Victor smiled.
“You still protect him.””
“Because he’s my son.””
“Yes.””
Victor’s smile faded.
“And that is exactly why your father chose you.””
I felt a chill.
“What are you talking about?””
Victor looked at the flash drive in Daniel’s hand.
“Your father built his entire plan around one weakness.””
“What weakness?””
“Love.””
The answer made me angry.
“You don’t know anything about love.””
Victor ignored me.
“Your father knew Ellis would betray him. He knew Claire would seek revenge. He knew I would return.””
He looked at Noah.
“But he also knew one person would never abandon that boy.””
Me.
I didn’t speak.
Because despite everything…
That was true.
Victor continued.
“Your father didn’t choose Noah because of his blood.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“He chose Noah because of you.””
Daniel frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
Victor smiled.
“It does when you know the whole story.””
He stepped closer.
“Ellis was never supposed to have access to the inheritance.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“Because the inheritance wasn’t created for Ellis’s son.””
My hands went cold.
“Then who?””
Victor looked at Noah.
“Your son.””
“That’s what you just said.””
“No.””
Victor shook his head.
“Not because he was Ellis’s child.””
Silence.
“Because he was yours.””
I felt my breath disappear.
“What?””
Victor looked at me carefully.
“Your father discovered Ellis had another child. He knew Ellis would use that child as leverage.””
My mind raced.
“The other child…”
“Yes.””
Victor nodded.
“Was part of Ellis’s first betrayal.””
Noah looked at me.
“But I’m his son.””
Victor smiled sadly.
“That’s the problem.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
I refused.
“Ellis is Noah’s father.””
Victor looked at Daniel.
“Show her.””
Daniel hesitated.
Then opened the file.
My hands trembled as he turned the screen.
A DNA report.
I stared at the names.
Ellis Carter.
Noah Carter.
The result.
I didn’t understand.
“No.””
Daniel looked away.
“Sabrina…”
“No.””
I backed up.
“That’s not possible.””
Noah looked terrified.
“Mom?””
I grabbed his hand.
“No matter what this says, you are my son.””
Victor watched silently.
And for the first time, he looked almost respectful.
“That’s why your father chose you.””
I looked at him.
“Explain.””
“Because he knew the truth wouldn’t matter to you.””
My eyes filled.
“You knew?””
Victor nodded.
“Your father knew before Noah was born.””
I stared.
“My father knew?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t he tell me?””
Victor’s expression changed.
“Because he was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing you.””
The words hurt.
Because my father was gone.
And I would never get to ask him why.
Daniel looked at the DNA report again.
“But if Ellis isn’t Noah’s biological father…”
Victor interrupted.
“He is.””
Everyone froze.
I looked at him.
“What?””
Victor smiled.
“The report was altered.””
Daniel stared.
“What?””
Victor stepped closer.
“Ellis is Noah’s father.””
Relief came.
Then confusion.
“Then why show us that?””
“To prove something.””
“What?””
“That Ellis has been changing records for years.””
Victor looked at Noah.
“He wasn’t hiding one child.””
He looked at me.
“He was hiding all of them.””
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
This time from Claire.
*Sabrina, don’t trust Victor.*
My blood ran cold.
A second message appeared.
*He’s the reason your father died.*
I looked up.
Victor was still standing there.
Calm.
Patient.
Waiting.
And suddenly I realized something.
Everyone had been telling me who the villain was.
Ellis.
Claire.
Victor.
But only one person knew the complete truth.
My father.
And he had left one final message.
A message hidden inside the flash drive.
Daniel opened a locked folder.
A video appeared.
My father’s face filled the screen.
Older.
Tired.
Afraid.
And his first words destroyed everything I thought I knew.
“Sabrina… if you are watching this, it means I failed to protect you from the man I trusted most.””
He paused.
Then said:
“Victor Hale is not the person you should fear.””
The screen flickered.
My father looked directly into the camera.
“The person you should fear is the one who has been helping him all along.””
The video stopped.
And the final frame appeared.
May you like
A name.
Claire.
