Chapter 10: The Father I Never Knew
The photograph sat on the table between us.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody breathed.
I stared at the face of the man beside my mother, trying to find something familiar.
A smile.
A gesture.
A memory.
Anything.
But there was nothing.
Just a stranger.
A stranger who looked exactly like me.
“That’s impossible,” I whispered.
Marcus leaned against the basement wall.
“You’ve spent your entire life believing one story.””
I looked at him.
“And now you expect me to believe another?””
“No.””
His voice was calm.
“I expect you to ask questions.””
I hated that he was right.
My whole life had been built on answers other people gave me.
My father.
My mother.
The people around me.
Everyone had decided what I was allowed to know.
I picked up the photograph.
“Who is he?””
My father looked away.
That reaction told me more than words could.
“Dad.””
He flinched.
I almost regretted using the name.
Almost.
“Tell me.””
The man I had called my father for thirty-five years looked smaller than I had ever seen him.
“His name was Daniel Carter.””
I looked at the man standing beside me.
Daniel.
The same name as Claire’s brother.
My confusion grew.
“That’s impossible.””
Claire stepped closer.
“Ryan…”
I looked at her.
“What?””
She hesitated.
“Daniel was my brother’s name.””
The basement fell silent.
Everyone looked at the photograph.
Marcus nodded.
“Because there were two Daniels.””
My head spun.
“What are you talking about?””
Marcus walked closer.
“The man in that picture was your biological father. The Daniel you know today is his brother.””
I looked at Daniel.
He looked devastated.
“You knew?””
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My chest tightened.
“You knew who I really was?””
Daniel’s eyes filled with guilt.
“I knew part of it.””
“Part?””
He swallowed.
“Your father died before you were born.””
I stared.
“Then how did he—”
I stopped.
Because I understood.
The pieces started connecting.
The secrets.
The documents.
The lies.
My father stepped forward.
“I raised you because he asked me to.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
He looked at the photograph.
“Because he knew someone would come after you.””
Marcus smiled.
“And he was right.””
I looked at Marcus.
“You?””
He nodded.
“I was hired to find out what happened to Daniel Carter.””
“By who?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at Ava.
That single glance made my blood run cold.
“You’re still protecting her.””
I moved in front of Ava.
“You don’t go near her.””
Marcus smiled slightly.
“That’s exactly why you were chosen.””
“Chosen?””
He looked at me.
“Ryan, your entire family history is connected to one thing.””
“What?””
“The Carter bloodline.””
I almost laughed.
“This sounds insane.””
“Does it?””
Marcus pointed toward Ava.
“A child hidden behind a wall. A missing mother. A fake death. A stolen identity.””
He paused.
“Does that sound like a normal family?””
Nobody answered.
Because it didn’t.
Marcus continued.
“Your biological father discovered something before he died.””
“What?””
“He discovered that someone had been manipulating your family for decades.””
I looked at my father.
“Who?””
He closed his eyes.
“I don’t know.””
Marcus laughed softly.
“Your father never knew the whole truth.””
I looked at Marcus.
“But you do?””
“Yes.””
The confidence in his voice bothered me.
“What is it?””
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small envelope.
“This belonged to your real father.””
I didn’t move.
“Why give it to me?””
“Because it’s time.””
I took the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
The handwriting was unfamiliar.
But the first line made my heart stop.
Ryan, my son.
I swallowed.
I had spent my entire life wondering who I was.
And now a dead man was finally answering.
The letter continued:
If you are reading this, then they failed to erase our family completely.
My hands trembled.
You need to know why they came after Claire. Why they came after Ava. Why they came after you.
I looked up.
“Who are they?””
Marcus stared at me.
Then he said:
“The same people who are standing above us right now.””
Everyone froze.
A sound came from the basement stairs.
More than one person.
Footsteps.
Approaching.
May you like
Marcus whispered:
“They found us.””
