Chapter 12: The Name on the Screen
Nobody spoke.
The screen stayed frozen.
A single name.
A name that changed the entire story.
I looked at my father.
His face had lost all color.
“Dad?””
He didn’t answer.
“Who is it?””
He slowly sat down.
Because whatever he saw…
it broke something inside him.
The officer looked at the screen.
“Colonel Carter?””
My father finally spoke.
“I never thought it was possible.””
I stepped closer.
“Who?””
His eyes met mine.
And I saw something I had never seen before.
Fear.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Fear.
“Your grandfather.””
I froze.
“What?””
“My father.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“My grandfather?””
My father nodded slowly.
“I thought he was dead.””
Daniel looked confused.
“Your grandfather?””
My father looked at the screen.
“He disappeared years ago.””
I shook my head.
“This doesn’t make sense.””
“I know.””
My father rubbed his face.
“My father was the reason I joined the military. He taught me discipline. Loyalty.””
He looked at the frozen screen.
“But he also taught me something else.””
“What?””
“That people will do anything for power.””
I looked at the journal.
“My mother knew?””
“She suspected.””
My father closed his eyes.
“She found out before I did.””
The pieces started connecting.
The company.
The money.
Daniel.
Patricia.
The lies.
All of it went deeper than I imagined.
Then my phone rang.
I looked down.
Unknown number.
Again.
My father immediately said:
“Don’t answer.””
But I did.
“Hello?””
A voice answered.
An old voice.
A voice I had never heard before.
“Emily Carter.””
My body went cold.
“Who is this?””
A quiet laugh.
“You sound just like your mother.””
I couldn’t speak.
My father moved closer.
The voice continued.
“I’ve waited a long time for you to find that video.””
My hands trembled.
“How do you know?””
“Because I wanted you to.””
I looked at my father.
The man on the phone knew everything.
“Why?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because your father needs to know the truth.””
My father reached for the phone.
“Who are you?””
The voice became colder.
“You don’t recognize me?””
Silence.
Then:
“I’m your father.””
My father froze.
The room stopped moving.
Impossible.
The man everyone thought was dead…
was alive.
The voice continued.
“And Emily…”
I held my breath.
“You need to know something.””
“What?””
A pause.
Then the words came.
“Your mother didn’t die because she discovered the money.””
My heart pounded.
“Then why?””
The answer was barely a whisper.
“She died because she discovered who Daniel’s father really was.””
The call ended.
Nobody moved.
Then Daniel looked at the screen.
At the old video.
At my father.
May you like
And whispered:
“My grandfather is Daniel’s grandfather too.””
