Chapter 14: The Child They Tried to Erase
I don’t remember leaving the building.
I only remember driving.
The road blurred in front of me.
My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly they hurt.
Nia.
The thought repeated over and over.
Nia was never supposed to survive.
My daughter.
The child who hid under blankets when thunderstorms came.
The child who saved evidence because she was afraid nobody would believe her.
The child everyone kept treating like a problem.
I drove faster.
Not because I wanted revenge.
Because I needed to get home.
When we arrived, Ava was waiting at the door.
She ran toward me.
“Dad.””
I hugged her.
“Where’s Nia?””
“Upstairs.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She stood frozen.
The guilt on her face was unbearable.
But I couldn’t deal with it yet.
“Show me the letter.””
Ava led us upstairs.
The letter was on the bed.
Old.
Folded.
My father’s handwriting covered the page.
I recognized it instantly.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Vanessa stood beside me.
Everyone waited.
The letter began:
If this reaches Marcus, then I failed to control the situation.
Control.
That word alone made my stomach turn.
I continued.
The girl cannot be connected to our family. If the truth comes out, everything I built will collapse.
The girl.
Not Lily.
Not Nia.
The girl.
I kept reading.
Vanessa was supposed to cooperate. Diane was supposed to keep quiet. The child’s identity was the only remaining risk.
My breathing became heavier.
“What is this?””
Claire stepped closer.
“Keep reading.””
The next line made my blood run cold.
If Marcus ever learns that the child survived, he will destroy everything I built.
I lowered the letter.
“He was afraid of me?””
Claire nodded.
“Because you would have exposed him.””
I looked at the signature.
My father.
A man I spent my entire life trying to impress.
A man I thought was powerful.
Successful.
Respected.
But behind closed doors, he had been destroying people.
Nia walked into the room.
Everyone froze.
She had heard enough.
“Dad?””
I immediately folded the letter.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“What did Grandpa do?””
I hated that she had to ask.
I knelt beside her.
“Something wrong.””
“Was it about me?””
I looked at her.
And I knew I couldn’t lie.
“Yes.””
Her face fell.
“But why?””
I held her hand.
“Because some adults make terrible choices.””
She looked down.
“I always knew something was wrong with me.””
My heart broke.
“No.””
“Yes.””
She wiped her eyes.
“Mom looked at me like I was a mistake.””
Vanessa started crying.
“Nia…”
But Nia stepped back.
“I wanted you to love me.””
The room went silent.
Vanessa collapsed into tears.
“I did.””
Nia looked at her.
“Then why did you let me think I wasn’t worth anything?””
Vanessa had no answer.
Because there wasn’t one.
Then Ethan walked in holding his phone.
“We have a problem.””
I looked up.
“What?””
He showed me the screen.
News articles.
Online posts.
My family’s private information had been leaked.
Photos.
Documents.
Everything.
“Who did this?””
Ethan looked at Claire.
“She did.””
Everyone turned.
Claire’s face changed.
“What?””
Ethan showed another message.
Sent from Claire’s account.
*The truth is coming out. Marcus will know everything.*
I looked at Claire.
“Did you release this?””
She looked genuinely shocked.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Nobody answered.
Then another notification appeared.
A live video.
Someone was broadcasting.
The title was:
*THE HALE FAMILY SECRET REVEALED*
The video started.
A man appeared on screen.
Older.
Gray hair.
Impossible.
Because I knew that face.
Even though I hadn’t seen it in years.
My father.
Dead for ten years.
Or at least…
Someone who looked exactly like him.
May you like
And his first words were:
“Marcus, if you’re watching this, it means my final plan has begun.””
