Chapter 9: The Last Lie of the Blackwood Family
The darkness lasted only a few seconds.
But in those seconds, I felt the same fear Lily must have felt inside that hidden room.
The fear of being trapped.
The fear of not knowing who to trust.
Then emergency lights flickered on.
Daniel immediately moved in front of me.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
Victoria stood near the doorway.
Calm.
Almost amused.
My mother looked terrified.
Not of Victoria.
Of something else.
“Marianne,” I whispered.
She looked at me.
“Lena, you have to listen.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I spent my whole life thinking you abandoned me.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
The question came out louder than I intended.
The hallway became silent.
My mother took a slow breath.
“Because I was trying to keep you alive.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn’t explain anything.””
“No,” she said softly.
“It doesn’t.””
She looked older than the woman in my childhood memories.
Not because of age.
Because of everything she had carried.
“When I discovered what Arthur Blackwood was doing, I thought exposing him would be enough. I thought the truth would protect people.””
She looked toward Victoria.
“I was wrong.””
Victoria crossed her arms.
“Still blaming everyone else?””
My mother’s expression changed.
“You know exactly what you did.””
Daniel looked between them.
“Someone needs to explain what happened.””
My mother nodded.
“Twenty-five years ago, Arthur was not the only person involved.””
She looked at Victoria.
“His son was too.””
My stomach tightened.
“Victor?””
“No.””
My mother shook her head.
“Victor was young. He knew some things, but he didn’t know everything.””
“Then who?””
She hesitated.
And that hesitation frightened me.
“Someone inside the family.””
Victoria smiled.
“You finally figured it out.””
My mother looked at her.
“You were always the smartest person in the room.””
I felt confused.
“Victoria?””
She laughed quietly.
“You really believed I married into this family because I loved money?””
Nobody answered.
Victoria walked closer.
“I was brought into Blackwood Mansion because I knew how to fix problems.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“What kind of problems?””
“The kind powerful families have.””
My mother stepped forward.
“You hid Caroline.””
Victoria’s smile disappeared.
“I protected her.””
“From who?””
Victoria looked at me.
“From Arthur.””
The room went silent.
I looked toward my mother.
“What?””
Victoria continued.
“Arthur controlled everyone. Victor. Me.
His employees. Even his own children.””
My mother shook her head.
“You helped him.””
“At first.””
Victoria’s voice became quieter.
“Because I was afraid.””
For the first time, I saw something human in her expression.
Not kindness.
Regret.
“I discovered what Arthur had done. I found out about Marianne. I found out about the records. But by then, I was trapped.””
My mother looked at her.
“Then why hide Lily?””
Victoria looked away.
“Because Arthur threatened her.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Where is Arthur now?””
Nobody answered.
That was when my phone rang.
A number I didn’t recognize.
I answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“Come back to Blackwood Mansion.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who is this?””
“You want the truth about your mother?””
I looked at Marianne.
“Then bring the recorder.””
I froze.
“How do you know about that?””
The voice continued.
“Because I know everything Elena Carter has done since she entered that house.””
The call ended.
Daniel immediately reached for the phone.
“Can you trace it?””
“No.””
My mother looked terrified.
“He knows.””
“Who?””
She looked at me.
“The person who has been controlling everything.””
We returned to Blackwood Mansion under police protection.
But something felt wrong the moment we arrived.
The gates were open.
No guards.
No lights.
The mansion looked abandoned.
Daniel entered first.
The main hall was empty.
Then we heard a sound.
A recording playing from the speakers.
Arthur’s voice.
“Everyone eventually returns to where their story began.””
I looked around.
“Where is he?””
A light turned on in the center of the room.
A projector displayed an image on the wall.
A photograph.
My mother.
Holding me as a child.
And standing beside us was a man.
Someone I had never seen before.
Daniel stared at the image.
“Who is that?””
My mother covered her mouth.
Because she knew.
“It can’t be.””
I looked at her.
“Who?””
Her voice barely came out.
“Your father.””
I froze.
“My father?””
My mother nodded slowly.
“The man Arthur blamed for everything.””
The projector changed.
A second image appeared.
Then a third.
Each one revealing a piece of a story I never knew existed.
And then the final image appeared.
A document.
A birth record.
My name.
My mother’s name.
And beneath it…
A different last name.
May you like
Not Carter.
Blackwood.
