Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
I spent my entire life believing my father’s death was the one tragedy my family couldn’t escape.
A car accident.
A rainy night.
A phone call that changed everything.
That was the story I had been told.
But standing inside my abandoned wedding hall, with Elena staring at me and Victoria unable to meet my eyes, I realized I had never known the whole story.
My father wasn’t just connected to the secret.
He was part of it.
I looked at Elena.
“You’re saying the man who called me is alive?””
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
My laugh came out empty.
“That’s impossible.””
Elena didn’t argue.
Instead, she reached into her bag and pulled out another photograph.
She placed it on the table.
My hands felt cold as I picked it up.
It showed a man standing outside the same building where Elena had been hidden.
Older.
Different hairstyle.
But the face was unmistakable.
My father’s business partner.
The man who had attended my father’s funeral.
The man who had comforted my family after his death.
The man everyone believed was gone.
“His name is Marcus Vale,” Elena said.
I stared at the photograph.
“Why would he call me?””
Victoria finally spoke.
“Because he knows the truth.””
I turned toward her.
“And you do too.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I knew pieces of it.””
“Pieces?””
She stepped closer.
“I never knew he was alive.””
I looked at her.
“Then why are you afraid?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
That was when Richard spoke.
“Because Marcus knows what happened the night Elena disappeared.””
Everyone turned.
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
Richard looked older than he had a few minutes ago.
Like carrying the secret had aged him.
“Your father discovered that Marcus had been using both families’ companies for illegal deals.””
My jaw tightened.
“And Marcus killed him?””
Nobody responded.
The silence was enough.
I stepped back.
“No.””
I shook my head.
“My father’s death was an accident.””
Elena looked at me carefully.
“That’s what they wanted everyone to believe.””
The words hit me.
I looked at Victoria.
“Did you know?””
She looked devastated.
“I knew your father was investigating something before he died.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I almost smiled.
Everyone kept using that phrase.
Protect you.
Protect you.
Protect you.
But every secret they buried had only made the damage worse.
“How did Elena survive?”” I asked.
Elena looked down.
“Your father helped me escape.””
The room went silent.
“My father?””
She nodded.
“When he discovered what Marcus was doing, he tried to expose him.””
She touched the notebook.
“He gave me these records and told me to disappear until it was safe.””
“Then why didn’t you come back?””
Elena looked at Victoria.
“Because Marcus found me.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“And because I failed you.””
Elena’s expression softened slightly.
“You were young.””
“But I still chose silence.””
Nobody spoke.
Then the doors opened again.
A young security guard walked in holding an envelope.
“Mr. Sterling?””
I turned.
“Yes?””
“This was left at the front desk.””
I took it.
No name.
No address.
Just my initials.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Three words.
*Ask your mother.*
My breathing stopped.
My mother had been dead for fifteen years.
I looked up.
“Who delivered this?””
The guard shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
I looked at Victoria.
She looked confused.
Richard looked worried.
But Elena…
Elena looked terrified.
“What?””
She slowly stood.
“Your mother wasn’t supposed to know.””
I stared at her.
“Know what?””
Elena looked at the note.
Then whispered:
“Your mother was the first person who found out Marcus was alive.””
The room became completely silent.
Because suddenly the mystery wasn’t only about Victoria.
It wasn’t only about Elena.
It went back to my own family.
May you like
And the person who had been gone the longest.
My mother.
