Chapter 13: The Mercer Estate
The old Mercer estate looked exactly the way I remembered.
And somehow, that made it worse.
The iron gates were covered in rust.
The stone walls were cracked.
The windows were dark.
But the house still stood there like it had been waiting.
Waiting for me.
Waiting for the truth.
Detective Harris parked behind me.
“I’m coming with you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Daniel.””
“If Ethan knows you’re here, he’ll move Emma.””
Laura stepped out of the car.
“Then I’m going.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
Her expression hardened.
“I lost two years with my daughter.””
She stepped closer.
“I’m not losing another minute.””
I wanted to argue.
But I couldn’t.
Because she was right.
I had spent years believing I was protecting Emma.
But the truth was…
I had been protecting the lies I needed to survive.
We approached the house slowly.
The front door was unlocked.
That scared me more than a locked one would have.
Someone wanted us inside.
The moment we entered, the memories came rushing back.
Family dinners.
Christmas mornings.
My father sitting in his office.
Michael and I fighting over stupid things.
A perfect childhood.
Or at least, that was what I believed.
Then I saw the wall.
Photographs.
Hundreds of them.
Our family.
Our friends.
Everyone.
My entire life displayed like a collection.
Laura stopped beside me.
“He watched all of this.””
I looked closer.
There were pictures of me as a child.
Michael.
Laura.
Emma.
Even Vanessa.
And then I saw one photograph that made my blood run cold.
It was taken the day Vanessa met me.
Someone had been watching before she entered my life.
“She was chosen.””
Laura looked at the photo.
“Yes.””
A sound came from upstairs.
A door closing.
I immediately moved.
“Emma!””
No answer.
I ran upstairs.
The hallway was empty.
But at the end of it was a room.
My father’s old office.
The door slowly opened.
Inside was Ethan.
Sitting behind the desk.
Like he belonged there.
And beside him…
Was Emma.
My daughter was sitting on the chair, holding Bunny.
When she saw me, her face changed.
“Daddy!””
She started to stand.
Ethan gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Not hurting her.
But controlling the movement.
I froze.
“Take your hand off my daughter.””
Ethan looked at me.
For a moment, he looked exactly like the friend I knew.
Then he smiled.
“You finally came.””
“Why?””
The question came out quietly.
Why.
That was all I wanted.
Why destroy my life?
Why use Emma?
Why use Laura?
Ethan leaned back.
“Because you never listened.””
I stepped forward.
“Listened to what?””
“The truth.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You kidnapped my daughter to teach me a lesson?””
His face changed.
“No.””
He looked at Emma.
“I protected her.””
My anger exploded.
“You locked my daughter in a house full of cameras.””
“I kept her alive.””
The words stopped me.
“What?””
Ethan stood.
“You think Vanessa was the danger?””
He shook his head.
“She was just scared.””
“Scared?””
“Yes.””
He walked toward the wall.
“Everyone thinks this story started with me.””
He touched an old photograph of my father.
“It didn’t.””
Laura stepped into the room.
“Then tell us.””
Ethan looked at her.
“You know.””
She looked away.
And that scared me.
“Know what?””
Ethan faced me.
“Your father didn’t die naturally.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“What?””
“He was killed.””
My heart stopped.
“By who?””
Ethan looked at Laura.
Then at me.
“Your brother.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Michael found out what your father was doing.””
Ethan’s voice became darker.
“He tried to expose him.””
“Then why blame him?””
“Because Michael wasn’t the only person involved.””
The lights suddenly flickered.
Ethan looked toward the hallway.
Someone else was there.
Someone we hadn’t seen.
A voice came from the darkness.
“Enough.””
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
Michael.
He stepped into the room.
Alive.
But not like before.
Older.
Broken.
And holding a file.
He looked at me.
“Daniel.””
I couldn’t move.
Michael stared at Ethan.
“You were never supposed to bring him here.””
Ethan smiled.
“I knew he deserved the truth.””
Michael looked at Emma.
Then back at me.
“I’m sorry.””
Those two words terrified me.
Because I realized something.
May you like
Michael wasn’t here to explain.
He was here to confess.
