Chapter 14: The Last Blackwood Secret
The name hit Ethan like a physical blow.
"Dr. Harrison?""
My mother nodded.
"Yes.""
Richard immediately shook his head.
"That cannot be correct. Dr. Harrison has treated Ethan's fertility concerns for years, but the original surgery was performed five years ago by Dr. Miller.""
My mother looked at him.
"Dr. Miller signed the report. He wasn't the surgeon.""
Ethan stared at her.
"You're saying Dr. Harrison operated on me?""
"I saw the original hospital photograph.""
Richard opened his laptop.
"Do you have proof?""
My mother removed a small envelope from her handbag.
Inside was a photograph.
A young Dr. Harrison stood beside Charles Blackwood and Daniel outside a private medical facility.
On the back, my father's handwriting read:
The doctor who knows what happened to both of our families.
I felt cold.
Richard studied the photograph.
"Where did you get this?""
"Michael kept it. He found it among Charles's private correspondence.""
Ethan looked at the picture.
"Dr. Harrison told me my fertility results were accurate.""
"He may have told you the truth about your current condition," Richard said.
"That doesn't establish what happened during your original surgery.""
I looked at Ethan.
"Did you ever question why he treated you?""
"No. My father recommended him.""
Richard immediately made a call.
He requested that Dr. Harrison's previous records be preserved and that an independent investigator contact the hospital where Ethan's surgery had taken place.
Then he turned toward us.
"We are going to Blackwood Manor. But we are not going alone.""
The next morning, police investigators accompanied us to the estate.
Blackwood Manor stood on a hill outside Greenwich, surrounded by iron gates and tall trees.
It had belonged to Charles for decades.
I had visited twice during my marriage.
Both times, Ethan had insisted that I stay away from the private wing.
Now I understood why.
Daniel was waiting in the entrance hall.
He wore a navy suit and held a glass of whiskey.
"Brother.""
Ethan walked toward him.
"You destroyed my life.""
Daniel took a sip.
"Father did most of the work.""
"Don't hide behind him.""
Daniel smiled.
"Still pretending you were the good son?""
Richard stepped between them.
"We're here to access the archive.""
Daniel nodded toward a corridor.
"Then follow me.""
The archive was behind a steel door in the private library.
Three fingerprint scanners were mounted beside the lock.
Daniel placed his finger against the first scanner.
A green light appeared.
Ethan followed.
The second scanner turned green.
I hesitated before placing my finger against the third.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the system flashed.
<badge color="success">IDENTITY VERIFIED</badge>
The lock clicked.
Daniel smiled.
"Welcome home, Olivia.""
I ignored him.
Inside was a room filled with filing cabinets, computer servers, and dozens of sealed boxes.
A large desk stood in the center.
On it was a laptop and a black leather folder.
Daniel opened the folder.
"Everything Father wanted preserved is here.""
Richard immediately photographed the contents.
I moved toward the nearest cabinet.
There were folders labeled with dates and names.
Ethan Blackwood.
Daniel Blackwood.
Michael Carter.
Margaret Carter.
And finally:
*OLIVIA MARIE BLACKWOOD.*
My hands shook as I opened it.
Inside were copies of my birth records, my father's financial documents, and photographs of me growing up.
There were even photographs of my wedding.
Someone had been watching me for years.
Daniel leaned against the desk.
"Father always considered you his greatest unfinished business.""
I turned toward him.
"Why did you forge my signature?""
"Because you were entitled to something you didn't know existed.""
"Why use my identity to move money?""
"Because the trust required a living beneficiary. Your name made everything easier.""
"You tried to make me look like a criminal.""
Daniel shrugged.
"Collateral damage.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"You used Vanessa to deceive me.""
Daniel smiled.
"Vanessa was always emotional. She wanted money, status, and a baby. I gave her a reason to cooperate.""
"Was the baby mine?""
Daniel's smile disappeared.
"No.""
"Then why did you let me believe it?""
"Because you wanted an heir so desperately that you never asked the right questions.""
Ethan's fists tightened.
Richard intervened.
"Mr. Blackwood, I strongly advise you to stop speaking.""
Daniel laughed.
"Why? The police are already here. Let them listen.""
He opened the black folder and removed a document.
"This is the original reproductive material transfer agreement.""
Ethan looked at it.
His face changed.
The document showed that biological samples had been collected during his surgery and transferred to a private laboratory.
The stated purpose was preservation.
But the authorization contained a second clause.
*AUTHORIZED USE FOR FUTURE ASSISTED REPRODUCTION SUBJECT TO FAMILY TRUST REQUIREMENTS.*
Ethan read it twice.
"I never signed this.""
Daniel nodded.
"Father signed for you.""
Richard took the document.
"This is evidence of unauthorized medical consent.""
Daniel shrugged.
"There's more.""
He opened a video file.
Charles Blackwood appeared on the screen, sitting in the same office where he had recorded the earlier message.
"If this archive has been opened, then the family arrangement has failed.""
Charles looked directly into the camera.
"Ethan, I know you will eventually discover what happened during your surgery. I made the decision because I believed the family needed a biological successor.""
Ethan stared at the screen.
Charles continued.
"Daniel was supposed to manage the trust until the child came of age. Vanessa was selected because of her relationship with both my sons.""
I felt sick.
Then Charles said something that made the entire room go silent.
"Olivia was never supposed to become involved. Her mother was supposed to keep her away from the family. But Michael interfered, and that interference cost him his life.""
My mother gasped.
Charles leaned toward the camera.
"If Daniel has failed, then the only person who can explain the final arrangement is the doctor.""
The recording ended.
Richard closed the laptop.
"Where is Dr. Harrison?""
Daniel smiled.
"Right here.""
A side door opened.
Dr. Harrison entered.
He looked directly at Ethan.
"Mr. Blackwood.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"Did you perform my surgery?""
The doctor hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you know my father had ordered you to conceal the damage?""
"Yes.""
"Did you preserve my biological material without my consent?""
Dr. Harrison lowered his eyes.
"Yes.""
Ethan looked as though he might collapse.
"Why?""
The doctor took a breath.
"Because Charles Blackwood threatened to destroy my career and my family if I refused.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Then you're prepared to provide a sworn statement?""
The doctor nodded.
"Yes. But there is something else you need to know.""
He opened his briefcase and removed a laboratory report.
It contained the results of an independent genetic comparison.
The first page identified Ethan.
The second identified the biological sample collected during his surgery.
The third identified the father of Vanessa's unborn child.
Ethan read the conclusion.
Then he looked at Daniel.
His brother's face had gone completely white.
The report confirmed that Daniel was the biological father.
But there was another finding.
The laboratory had also tested the original preserved sample.
And the results showed that Ethan's condition was not permanent.
His fertility had been deliberately damaged, but medical treatment might still offer a chance of recovery.
Ethan stared at the page.
"All these years...""
Dr. Harrison nodded.
"I should have told you.""
Ethan turned toward Daniel.
"Why did you do this?""
Daniel finally lost his composure.
"Because Father promised me the empire!""
The police officers moved forward.
Daniel backed away.
"You don't understand! I spent my entire life being second to you!""
Ethan shook his head.
"You were my brother.""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"And you had everything!""
An officer grabbed his arm.
Daniel struggled.
As they escorted him out, he turned toward me.
"Olivia, you think you've won? You still don't know what Father left you.""
I stared at him.
"I know enough.""
He laughed.
"No. You don't.""
The door closed behind him.
Richard looked at the final page of the laboratory report.
Then he looked at me.
"Olivia, we need to discuss the last result.""
"What result?""
He turned the paper around.
The genetic analysis showed that Charles Blackwood was my biological father with overwhelming probability.
But beneath that finding was an additional note.
*The original Blackwood trust contains a provision granting the biological descendants of Charles Blackwood priority ownership over the controlling family assets.*
I looked at Ethan.
Then at Richard.
And for the first time, I understood why Daniel had been so desperate to make me disappear.
May you like
I wasn't merely a beneficiary.
I was the person who could legally take control of the entire empire.
