Chapter 10: The Grandfather Who Never Died
I watched the video three times.
Three times, I saw my mother standing beside a man who had supposedly been dead for twenty-three years.
My grandfather.
William Carter.
The man whose portrait hung above the fireplace in our family home.
The man my father had described as a ruthless businessman who had died before I was old enough to remember him.
I pointed at the screen.
"Victor, tell me that's not him.""
Victor slowly closed the laptop.
"I'm afraid it is.""
Rachel sat beside me, gripping my hand.
"But why would Margaret hide him?""
Victor looked toward Detective Miller.
"Because William Carter never actually died.""
I stood.
"You're telling me my grandfather faked his death?""
Victor nodded.
"And he wasn't the only one.""
I stared at him.
"Explain.""
Victor pulled a chair closer.
"William built the Carter property empire through a complicated network of trusts and private companies. When he discovered that several partners were stealing from him, he staged his death and disappeared.""
"Why?""
"To protect his assets.""
I shook my head.
"That's insane.""
"Not as insane as what happened afterward.""
Victor opened another folder.
Inside were photographs of my grandfather with several people.
Daniel Mercer.
Michael.
Margaret.
And Vanessa.
I recognized the date on one photograph.
It had been taken only two years earlier.
I pointed at Vanessa.
"She knew him?""
"She worked for him.""
My stomach tightened.
"Since when?""
"Since before she met you.""
Rachel closed her eyes.
"That's why she knew about the trust.""
Victor nodded.
"William had been monitoring your family for years. He knew Thomas was hiding. He knew Rachel had survived. And he knew Vanessa was using the pregnancy story to get close to you.""
I felt sick.
"Then why didn't he stop her?""
Victor's expression changed.
"Because he wanted something.""
"What?""
"The eighteen-million-dollar account isn't the only asset your grandfather left behind.""
Victor placed another document on the table.
It was a shareholder agreement.
My name appeared at the top.
But beneath it was a clause I had never seen.
If I died without children, control of the Carter holdings would pass to a designated family representative.
I looked at the name.
Margaret Carter.
My mother.
I felt my blood run cold.
"She was supposed to inherit everything?""
"Not exactly," Victor said.
"She was supposed to manage it until William's preferred successor took control.""
"Who?""
Victor looked directly at me.
"Your grandfather's other grandson.""
I frowned.
"I don't have another brother.""
Victor didn't answer.
Instead, he opened a photograph.
A young man stood beside William Carter.
He looked to be around thirty.
Dark hair.
Broad shoulders.
A familiar jawline.
I stared at the photograph.
Then I noticed the handwritten name.
Daniel Mercer.
I looked up.
"Daniel?""
Victor nodded.
"Daniel isn't just your family's attorney. He's William's biological grandson.""
Rachel covered her mouth.
I remembered Daniel's involvement in the property transfers.
The forged documents.
The insurance policy.
Everything suddenly made a horrible kind of sense.
My grandfather had been preparing someone else to take over the family empire.
And that person had been helping Vanessa destroy my family.
Detective Miller interrupted.
"Do you have evidence connecting William to the accident?""
Victor handed him a sealed envelope.
"Original payment records. Communications. And a statement from the driver.""
Miller examined the contents.
"Michael?""
Victor nodded.
"He wasn't acting alone.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Who gave him the order?""
Victor hesitated.
Then he said:
"William Carter.""
Rachel began crying.
I felt a wave of anger so strong I could barely speak.
"My grandfather ordered my wife's murder?""
"That's what the records suggest.""
I walked toward the warehouse window.
Outside, rainwater streamed down the glass.
My father had disappeared.
My mother had lied.
My brother had accepted money.
My bride had planned to steal my inheritance.
And now my grandfather was apparently the architect behind all of it.
I turned toward Victor.
"Where is he?""
Victor lowered his voice.
"At the old Carter estate.""
I knew the place.
A massive property outside Columbus that had been abandoned after my grandfather's supposed death.
"Why is he there?""
"Because he's preparing to leave the country.""
Detective Miller immediately reached for his radio.
"We need to move.""
But Victor grabbed my arm.
"There's one more thing.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He removed a final photograph from the envelope.
It showed a woman sitting beside William Carter.
She was holding a newborn baby.
The woman looked remarkably like Rachel.
I stared.
"Who is that?""
Victor answered quietly.
"Your biological grandmother.""
I frowned.
"But Margaret is my mother.""
Victor nodded.
"Margaret raised you. But the woman in that photograph is the person who gave birth to you.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Who is she?""
Victor turned the photograph over.
A name was written on the back.
Evelyn Hayes.
May you like
Then Victor said something that made my legs weaken.
"She's still alive, Ethan.""
