Chapter 15: The Person Pulling the Strings
I read the letter again.
Then again.
The words refused to make sense.
*Vanessa, if you fail, I will finish what we started.*
Someone was controlling Vanessa.
Someone above her.
Someone who had been watching my family for years.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who wrote this?””
He didn’t answer.
“Daniel.””
He took a deep breath.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at him.
“You brought me here and you don’t know?””
“I know who sent it.””
“Then tell me.””
His expression changed.
“It’s someone close to you.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Before he could answer, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A familiar voice spoke.
“Marcus.””
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Dad?””
Silence.
Then the voice said:
“You need to stop digging.””
I couldn’t move.
My father.
Impossible.
My father had been dead for years.
But the voice was real.
“Who is this?””
A soft laugh.
“You always were stubborn.””
My heart raced.
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at me.
He recognized the voice too.
The caller continued:
“You think Vanessa is your enemy.””
I couldn’t speak.
“You think Daniel is your enemy.””
The voice became colder.
“You’re wrong.””
“Who are you?””
The answer came quietly.
“The person who has been protecting your family.””
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Daniel looked terrified.
“What?””
I looked at him.
“You know that voice.””
He didn’t answer.
“You know who it was.””
Daniel swallowed.
Then whispered:
“Yes.””
“Who?””
He looked away.
And said:
“Your father’s brother.””
My heart stopped.
“My uncle?””
Daniel nodded.
“The man everyone thought disappeared.””
I felt dizzy.
I had an uncle.
A man my father never talked about.
A man whose name was erased from our family.
“Why?””
Daniel looked at the files.
“Because your father took something from him.””
“What?””
Daniel pointed at the documents.
“The inheritance.””
I stared.
“This was about money again?””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“Your father discovered what your uncle had done.””
My voice lowered.
“What did he do?””
Daniel looked at me.
“He was the one who originally created the plan to enter your family.””
The room went silent.
“Before Vanessa?””
“Yes.””
“Before her mother?””
“Yes.””
I looked at the letter.
The handwriting.
The threats.
Everything.
“Then Vanessa was just a piece.””
Daniel nodded.
“She was never the queen.””
I felt sick.
“She was a pawn.””
Daniel looked at me.
“And now the person who created the game knows you found out.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From the unknown number.
One sentence.
*Come to the old family house if you want the truth about Lily.*
I stared at the screen.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Don’t go.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His face was pale.
“Because that’s where my father died.””
I froze.
“What?””
Daniel whispered:
“And that’s where your uncle has been hiding for fifteen years.””
I looked at the message again.
The address.
The old family house.
The place my father left behind.
The place nobody had entered since his death.
Then another message arrived.
This time with a photo.
My blood ran cold.
It was Lily.
Standing outside the old family house.
May you like
And the caption said:
*She already knows the truth.*
