Chapter 10: The Man From My Father’s Past
I couldn’t move.
The man standing in my father’s old office looked like someone who had stepped out of a memory.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakable.
I had seen his face before.
In photographs.
At family dinners.
In the stories my father used to tell me.
“Marcus Vale,” I whispered.
The man smiled faintly.
“Your father’s daughter remembers.””
Ethan stepped forward immediately.
“What are you doing here?””
Marcus looked at him.
“That’s an interesting question coming from you.””
My eyes moved between them.
“You know each other?””
Neither answered.
That silence told me everything.
Again.
Another secret.
Another piece of my life that everyone knew except me.
Victor stepped closer.
“Who is he?””
Marcus looked at Victor.
“Someone who tried to warn your company years ago.””
Victor’s expression changed.
“Impossible.””
Marcus gave a quiet laugh.
“People say that when they don’t want to believe something.””
I tightened my grip on the envelope.
“My father wrote this because of you?””
Marcus looked at the letter in my hand.
“No.””
He looked at Ethan.
“He wrote it because of him.””
The room became cold.
Ethan’s face hardened.
“You’re lying.””
Marcus walked toward the desk.
“I spent twenty years building Carter International beside your father.””
He touched the old wooden surface.
“Then I watched him realize the company was being stolen from inside.””
My heart pounded.
“Who?””
Marcus looked directly at Ethan.
“Your husband.””
The words should have shocked me.
But somehow, after everything, they felt like the final piece sliding into place.
Ethan shook his head.
“Claire, don’t listen to him.””
Marcus smiled.
“You always did underestimate her.””
Ethan’s voice became sharper.
“Enough.””
“No.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“You’ve been saying enough for years.””
Victor looked between them.
“What happened?””
Marcus turned toward him.
“Ethan’s father was not the only person who wanted control of this company.””
I frowned.
“Ethan’s father?””
Marcus nodded.
“Your husband’s father started this.””
Ethan looked away.
And I noticed.
He wasn’t surprised.
“You knew,” I whispered.
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Claire.””
“You knew about your father’s plan.””
“It wasn’t like that.””
I shook my head.
“Stop saying that.””
Marcus walked to the metal box.
“He knew your father left protections behind.””
He picked up one of the documents.
“He knew Claire inherited more than shares.””
Victor took the paper.
“What is this?””
Marcus answered.
“The original ownership agreement.””
I looked at him.
“What does it say?””
Marcus looked at Ethan.
“It says Claire cannot be removed from the company unless she personally approves it.””
Victor scanned the document.
Then his eyes widened.
“This is legitimate.””
Marcus nodded.
“Which is why someone needed a fake agreement.””
The room went silent.
Ethan finally spoke.
“I was trying to save the company.””
I looked at him.
“By destroying me?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
He stepped closer.
“I found out someone was moving against Carter International.””
Marcus laughed.
“You mean the person who was using you?””
Ethan’s face changed.
“What?””
Marcus looked at him.
“You really thought you were in control?””
The question landed.
Ethan looked confused.
And for the first time, I wondered if he was not the beginning of this.
Maybe he was another piece.
A dangerous piece.
But still a piece.
Marcus pulled out the recorder from the box.
“Your father left this.””
My hands went cold.
“A recording?””
He nodded.
“He knew someone would try to rewrite history.””
Victor looked at the device.
“Does it still work?””
Marcus pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then a familiar voice.
My father’s voice.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
“If Claire is hearing this, then my fears were correct.””
I covered my mouth.
My father continued.
“The person trying to take control of this company is someone we trusted.””
I looked at Ethan.
The recording continued.
“But Ethan Carter is not the mastermind.””
Everyone froze.
Ethan looked shocked.
Marcus looked satisfied.
My father’s voice became weaker.
“He is being used.””
The recording stopped.
Nobody spoke.
Then Ethan whispered:
“No.””
Victor looked at him.
“Who is using you?””
The answer came from the doorway.
A woman’s voice.
A voice I had heard only once.
Lauren.
Except she wasn’t alone.
May you like
She was standing beside someone.
Someone holding a gun.
