Chapter 5: The Sister Nobody Knew Existed
The diner felt smaller after the phone call.
Vincent stood frozen near the door, the phone pressed against his ear.
His entire life had been built around one impossible truth.
He was Daniel Maddox’s only child.
Now a stranger was telling him otherwise.
Marcus watched him carefully.
“What happened?””
Vincent looked at him.
For the first time, he saw something different in Marcus’s eyes.
Not concern.
Calculation.
Vincent ended the call.
“Nobody moves.””
The Iron Wolves members looked confused.
Marcus smiled slightly.
“You’re giving orders now?””
Vincent stepped closer.
“I’ve been giving orders for years.””
The smile faded.
“Remember that.””
Nobody spoke.
Vincent turned to Elias.
“Who is she?””
The old man looked devastated.
“Her name is Clara.””
“Clara what?””
Elias swallowed.
“Maddox.””
The name felt impossible.
Vincent shook his head.
“My father never had another child.””
Elias looked down.
“He did.””
“When?””
“Before you were born.””
Vincent stared at him.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
The anger returned.
“You knew I had a sister and you said nothing?””
Elias looked ashamed.
“Your father wanted to tell you.””
“But?””
“He was afraid.””
Vincent laughed bitterly.
“Everyone was afraid.””
Margaret looked at him.
“Vincent…”
“No.””
He looked around the diner.
“At some point, everybody decided they could protect me by lying to me.””
Nobody argued.
Because nobody could.
Twenty minutes later, Vincent sat in the back of his truck outside the abandoned Maddox family house.
The place looked smaller than he remembered.
The white paint had peeled away. The front porch sagged. The windows were covered with dust.
But the memories were still alive.
He remembered running through the yard.
His father lifting him onto his shoulders.
His mother laughing from the kitchen.
Before the night everything disappeared.
Elias stood beside him.
“I’m sorry.””
Vincent looked at him.
“For what?””
“For not being stronger.””
The old man looked at the house.
“Your father believed if he kept you away from the truth, you would have a chance at a normal life.””
Vincent opened the gate.
“And did I?””
Elias didn’t answer.
Because they both knew.
Inside, the house smelled like old wood and forgotten years.
Vincent walked through the hallway slowly.
Every step brought back something.
A broken toy in the corner.
A faded mark on the wall where his height had been measured.
A family photo still hanging crooked.
He stopped.
His younger self stood beside his father.
Daniel Maddox looked happy.
Not like the monster people described.
Like a man who loved his son.
Vincent touched the frame.
“He was really here.””
Elias nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then why did everyone lie?””
Before Elias could answer, Vincent heard something.
A noise.
Upstairs.
He turned.
“You hear that?””
Elias looked confused.
“No.””
Vincent moved toward the stairs.
He had spent years learning how to sense danger.
It was the only reason he was still alive.
Someone was here.
He reached the second floor.
The hallway was dark.
At the end was his old bedroom.
The door was slightly open.
Vincent pushed it.
Inside, everything was untouched.
His old bed.
His old desk.
His old books.
Then he noticed something.
A loose floorboard.
He kneeled and pulled it up.
Underneath was a metal box.
Inside:
Photos.
Documents.
A small recording device.
And a hospital bracelet.
Vincent picked it up.
The name printed on it made his hands shake.
CLARA MADDOX.
A sound came from behind him.
“Please don’t hurt me.””
Vincent spun around.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Late twenties.
Dark hair.
Tears in her eyes.
She looked terrified.
But there was something familiar about her.
Something impossible.
Vincent lowered the bracelet.
“Who are you?””
The woman swallowed.
“I’m Clara.””
The room went silent.
“My father was Daniel Maddox.””
Vincent stared at her.
“No.””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
Clara looked at the box.
“Because your father spent his last year trying to keep me alive.””
Vincent stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“It means your father didn’t disappear.””
A pause.
“He died protecting me.””
Vincent felt the ground shift.
Before he could speak, Clara looked past him.
Her face suddenly changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
“Someone followed me.””
Vincent turned toward the window.
A shadow moved outside.
Then the glass shattered.
A bullet hit the wall inches from Clara’s head.
Vincent grabbed her and pulled her down.
Elias dropped to the floor.
Outside, engines roared.
Multiple motorcycles.
Vincent looked through the broken window.
And saw the Iron Wolves surrounding the house.
Then his phone buzzed.
May you like
A message from Marcus.
*You should have left the past buried.*
