Chapter 17: The Enemy Inside the Family
The security alarm continued ringing.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because the impossible had just happened twice.
Someone was using my mother’s identity.
And the system believed them.
Thomas rushed to the computer.
“This shouldn’t be possible.””
I followed him.
“What does that mean?””
He looked at the screen.
“Only two people can access this level of the trust.””
“Who?””
“You.””
“And?””
He hesitated.
Then looked at my mother.
“Your mother.””
Everyone turned.
My mother looked devastated.
“I told you. I didn’t do this.””
I believed her.
But belief wasn’t enough anymore.
Not after everything.
“Then someone has access to everything.””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Nobody answered.
Then Adrian spoke.
“Robert.””
The name filled the room.
My uncle.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
My mother looked at him.
“That’s impossible.””
Adrian looked at her.
“You know it isn’t.””
She went quiet.
“You knew.””
The accusation in his voice surprised me.
My mother looked away.
“Not everything.””
“But enough.””
I stepped between them.
“Stop.””
They both looked at me.
“I’m tired of half-truths.””
I pointed at Adrian.
“You.””
Then my mother.
“You.””
Then Victor.
“You.””
Everyone had pieces.
Everyone had secrets.
But I was done being the last person to know.
“Tell me what happened to Robert.””
Nobody spoke.
Finally, my mother sat down.
“He wasn’t killed.””
The words landed heavily.
“He disappeared.””
“Why?””
“Because he was running.””
“From what?””
She looked at me.
“From what he did.””
My mother finally told me everything.
Robert Whitmore had spent years believing he deserved control over the family empire.
He hated that my father inherited leadership.
He hated that my father’s marriage to Evelyn united the families.
And most of all, he hated that I existed.
Because I was the person who would eventually inherit everything.
Robert didn’t want money.
He wanted legacy.
He wanted his name attached to power.
“So Adrian knew all this?””
I asked.
My mother nodded.
“He learned from Robert.””
“And Robert raised him?””
“No.””
She looked at Adrian.
“But Robert influenced him.””
Adrian looked down.
“I was a teenager when I found the records.””
“And you said nothing.””
“I thought I could fix it.””
I stared at him.
“You thought becoming exactly what you hated would fix it?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he knew.
Then Victor interrupted.
“There’s something you all forgot.””
Everyone looked at him.
“Robert isn’t the biggest threat.””
My eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?””
Victor opened his phone.
A video appeared.
A man sitting in a dark room.
Older.
Weak.
But alive.
Robert Whitmore.
My breath stopped.
My mother whispered:
“No.””
Robert looked into the camera.
And smiled.
“Claire.””
My blood turned cold.
“How does he know my name?””
Victor didn’t answer.
The video continued.
“I know you’ve found the truth.””
Robert leaned closer.
“And I know you have the trust.””
I stepped toward the screen.
“How?””
Robert smiled.
“Because I created it.””
The video paused.
May you like
Then one final message appeared.
*Meet me if you want to know why your father really died.*
