Chapter 10: The Person Who Saved My Father
My father’s words stayed in the air.
"The person who saved me was the same person who tried to have me killed.""
Nobody moved.
Nobody even seemed to breathe.
I looked around the room, waiting for someone to explain.
My father.
My mother.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
Everyone looked like they were carrying a piece of a puzzle that I was the last person allowed to see.
"Who?"" I asked again.
My father looked down.
"I can't say yet.""
I stared at him.
"After everything?""
His face tightened.
"Marcus, you need to understand something. The person who did this spent years making sure nobody would believe the truth.""
I stepped closer.
"And you think hiding more information will help?""
He looked at me.
"No.""
His voice broke.
"But I know what happens when people learn too much too quickly.""
I almost laughed.
"That's exactly what everyone has done to me.""
My father looked hurt.
And for a moment, I saw the man I remembered.
The father who taught me how to ride a bike.
The father who stayed awake when I had nightmares.
The father who promised he would always protect me.
But then I remembered the empty years.
The funeral.
The grief.
The lie.
"You let me mourn you.""
He lowered his head.
"I know.""
"Do you know what that did to me?""
"I know.""
"No, you don't.""
My voice cracked.
"You weren't there when I graduated. You weren't there when I got my first promotion. You weren't there when I needed advice.""
Tears filled his eyes.
"I watched.""
The words stopped me.
"What?""
"I watched from a distance.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"You knew?""
I turned toward her.
She nodded slowly.
"Only sometimes.""
The pain on her face was unbearable.
"I hated it.""
"Then why?""
My father answered.
"Because someone was watching you.""
The room became quiet again.
I looked at him.
"Who?""
He walked to the table and opened another file.
Inside were surveillance photos.
My apartment.
My office.
My car.
My hands went cold.
"These were taken three years ago.""
Daniel nodded.
"Someone was tracking Marcus.""
Vanessa stepped closer.
"That's why I found him.""
Everyone looked at her.
She swallowed.
"I wasn't trying to use him.""
I didn't respond.
She looked at my father.
"I found documents showing someone was watching Marcus. I thought if I got close to him, I could figure out why.""
My father looked at her carefully.
"You put him in danger.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I know.""
The honesty surprised me.
Then my father looked at the bracelet.
"That was supposed to reach you differently.""
I picked it up.
"The bracelet?""
He nodded.
"Your grandfather gave it to your mother before he died.""
I frowned.
"Then why did you leave it for my wife?""
My father looked at Vanessa.
"Because I needed to know if she was telling the truth.""
I stared.
"You used the wedding gift as a test?""
"No.""
He shook his head.
"The letter was the test.""
My eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?""
"If Vanessa was truly after the money, she would try to stop you from opening it.""
I looked away.
She had.
My father continued.
"But if she knew the contents before seeing it, that meant someone had already told her.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked ashamed.
"My mother told me.""
My father nodded.
"I know.""
"Then you knew?""
"Yes.""
The answer shocked me.
"You knew she knew?""
"Yes.""
"And you still let me marry her?""
My father looked at me.
"I hoped she would choose you over the secrets.""
The words hurt.
Because maybe he was right.
Maybe she had.
Maybe she hadn't.
Before I could answer, Daniel's phone rang.
He stepped away.
A few seconds later, his face changed.
"What happened?""
He listened.
Then looked at me.
"We need to leave.""
"Why?""
Daniel didn't answer.
My father did.
"Because they know I'm alive.""
A crash came from outside.
Everyone froze.
The farmhouse lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
My mother grabbed my arm.
Vanessa whispered:
"Someone followed us.""
Then we heard footsteps outside.
Slow.
Heavy.
Coming closer.
My father grabbed the hidden drawer beneath the table.
Inside was a gun.
I had never seen my father hold one before.
He looked at me.
"Marcus.""
"Yes?""
"If anything happens, you take Vanessa and run.""
I stared.
"Why her?""
His eyes moved toward the door.
"Because she is the only person who knows where the truth is hidden.""
The door handle began turning.
And then a voice came from the other side.
A voice I recognized.
A voice that made my blood freeze.
"Open the door, brother.""
May you like
My father went completely still.
Because the man outside was supposed to be dead.
