Chapter 9: The Fourth Child
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Emma took the photograph from my hand.
"Who is that boy?""
Richard stared at it.
His lips parted, but no words came out.
I looked at him.
"Father?""
He sat down heavily.
"That photograph was taken before you were born.""
"Then who is the boy?""
Richard closed his eyes.
"My name is not the only thing your mother kept from me.""
Agent Brooks stepped forward.
"Mr. Blackwood, I need you to answer carefully. Did your wife have another child?""
Richard shook his head.
"Not that I knew of.""
"Then why do you recognize him?""
My father looked at the photograph again.
"Because I know that face.""
He pointed at the little boy.
"His name was Samuel.""
Emma frowned.
"Who was he?""
Richard took a shaky breath.
"Your mother's nephew.""
"Her sister's son?""
"Yes.""
"Then why was he living with you?""
Richard looked at the floor.
"Because his mother died when he was very young. Your mother brought him into our home.""
I stared at the photograph.
"So he was our cousin?""
"That's what we were told.""
Agent Brooks examined the picture.
"When was this taken?""
Richard gave him a date.
Brooks typed something into his phone.
Then his expression changed.
"That's impossible.""
"What?"" I asked.
He showed me the screen.
A recent photograph appeared.
It showed a middle-aged man leaving a private airport.
The facial structure was almost identical to the little boy in our family portrait.
"Who is that?"" Emma asked.
Agent Brooks answered quietly.
"Samuel Hayes.""
Eleanor's surname.
I turned toward the detective.
"Hayes?""
He nodded.
"He's been using several identities. We believe he's connected to Thomas Blackwood's financial network.""
Richard stood abruptly.
"Samuel died.""
"According to the records, yes.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"How many people in this family have supposedly died and then turned up alive?""
Agent Brooks didn't smile.
"Mr. Blackwood, Samuel is not your mother's nephew.""
My father stared at him.
"What?""
Brooks placed the recent photograph beside the old one.
"Samuel was born six months before the triplets. We found evidence that his birth records were altered.""
Elizabeth sat down.
"Why?""
"Because someone wanted to hide his connection to the Blackwood family.""
Richard shook his head.
"That can't be true.""
I looked at him.
"Who was his father?""
Brooks hesitated.
Then he answered.
"Your grandfather.""
The room went silent.
Richard gripped the back of a chair.
"My father?""
"Yes.""
My grandfather had died when I was a teenager. He had been a powerful businessman, known for his strict rules and even stricter expectations.
I remembered the way he spoke about family reputation.
He had once told me that the Blackwood name was worth more than any individual life.
Now I understood why.
"You're saying Samuel was my father's half-brother?"" I asked.
"Correct.""
Richard looked devastated.
"Then why did my mother raise him?""
Brooks glanced at Eleanor.
"Because your mother discovered the truth. She knew Samuel was being used as leverage in a dispute over the family inheritance.""
Eleanor finally spoke.
"Your grandfather had promised Samuel a portion of the estate. But after his death, Richard inherited everything.""
My father shook his head.
"I never knew.""
"Samuel did," Eleanor replied.
She sat down slowly.
"He believed the Blackwoods stole his birthright. Thomas found him and convinced him that the only way to recover it was to destroy Richard's family.""
Emma looked at the photographs.
"So Samuel and Thomas are working together?""
"That's what we believe," Brooks said.
My phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID showed a blocked number.
I answered.
"Adrian Blackwood.""
A man's voice came through.
"Hello, nephew.""
I recognized it immediately.
Thomas.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"Victor?""
"Busy.""
"Samuel?""
A brief pause.
Then Thomas laughed.
"You're finally asking the right questions.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"What do you want?""
"Your shares.""
"Then come and get them.""
"Still arrogant. Just like your grandfather.""
"I know about Samuel.""
The laughter stopped.
"Do you?""
"I know he's alive.""
Thomas sighed.
"Then perhaps it's time you learned why he hates your family.""
I looked toward Richard.
Thomas continued.
"Your grandfather promised him the Blackwood estate. But your father took everything. Your mother knew the truth and tried to correct the injustice.""
"By hiding three children?""
"Your mother was a clever woman. Unfortunately, she made one mistake.""
"Which was?""
"She believed she could protect everyone.""
I felt anger rising.
"You killed her.""
Thomas didn't deny it.
Instead, he said, "Your mother was warned.""
My father grabbed the phone.
"Thomas! You murdered your sister-in-law!""
Thomas laughed softly.
"Richard, you really should stop pretending you're innocent.""
My father froze.
Thomas continued.
"Tell Adrian what happened the night of the accident.""
Richard's face turned white.
I stared at him.
"What is he talking about?""
My father shook his head.
"Nothing.""
Thomas chuckled.
"Go ahead, Richard. Tell him who was sitting in the passenger seat when his brakes failed.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?""
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
Thomas spoke slowly.
"Your father was in the car with you that night, Adrian.""
I couldn't move.
I remembered waking up in the hospital.
I remembered the doctors telling me I had been alone.
I remembered my father holding my hand and telling me I would recover.
I turned toward him.
"Father?""
He couldn't look at me.
Thomas delivered his final blow.
"Your father survived the crash without a scratch. Then he left you there and went home.""
My legs suddenly felt weak.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"Is that true?""
Richard began crying.
"Adrian, I can explain.""
I stepped backward.
"Why were you in my car?""
He covered his face.
"Because Thomas called me that night. He said he had evidence that Victor was planning to kill your mother.""
"What does that have to do with my accident?""
Richard looked up.
"I was trying to stop him.""
"Then why did you leave me?""
He opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, Agent Brooks received another call.
He listened, then slowly lowered his phone.
"Mr. Blackwood, we just received confirmation from the hospital records.""
"What confirmation?""
Brooks looked at my father.
"Richard wasn't the only passenger in that car.""
He turned toward me.
"There was a third person.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Who?""
Brooks looked at Emma.
"Your mother.""
My father collapsed into the chair.
And for the first time, I realized that the accident I had spent seven months recovering from might have been connected to the night my mother died.
May you like
*Someone had put all three of us in the same car.*
And someone had made sure only two of us survived.
