Chapter 13: The Final Trap
The message stayed on my screen.
Come alone. Or Emily dies.
For a few seconds, I couldn’t hear anything else.
Not Detective Collins asking questions.
Not Nathan explaining something I couldn’t process.
Not even my own breathing.
All I could see was Emily lying in that hospital bed, trusting me to keep her safe.
I looked at Nathan.
“Where is this location?””
He stepped closer.
“You’re not actually thinking about going.””
“My wife is there.””
“You don’t know that.””
I held up the phone.
“Michael sent it.””
Nathan’s expression changed.
And that was the first time I saw real fear on his face.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Nathan looked toward the basement.
“The person who sent that message wants you angry. They want you alone.””
Detective Collins nodded.
“He’s right.””
I looked at her.
“You think I should ignore it?””
“No.””
She lowered her voice.
“I think we need to go prepared.””
I hated that she was right.
But there was something else bothering me.
Nathan.
For weeks, I had imagined the person behind everything as a monster.
A stranger.
A man who wanted my family destroyed.
But standing in front of me, he looked more like someone who had spent his whole life fighting a battle nobody knew existed.
That didn’t erase what he did.
But it complicated everything.
The location was an abandoned warehouse outside Boston.
The same place where my father used to store company records.
A place nobody had used in years.
A place Michael knew existed.
Detective Collins arranged officers nearby.
Nathan insisted on coming.
“I’m not leaving you alone.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
He stared at the warehouse.
“Because if Michael is inside, you’re walking into the same trap I escaped from.””
The doors were unlocked.
That scared me more than a locked door would have.
Inside, the warehouse smelled like dust and old paper.
My flashlight moved across shelves of forgotten documents.
Then I heard it.
A cough.
A weak cough.
“Michael?””
I ran forward.
Detective Collins grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
But I was already moving.
Behind a stack of boxes, I found him.
Michael was tied to a chair.
His face was bruised.
His shirt was stained.
He looked up.
“Daniel.””
I stopped.
For the first time in days, I saw my brother look afraid.
Not guilty.
Afraid.
I cut the ropes.
“What happened?””
Michael struggled to stand.
“Nathan.””
Nathan stepped forward.
Michael looked at him.
“You.””
The hatred between them filled the room.
“You ruined everything.””
Nathan laughed.
“Me?””
“You were supposed to disappear.””
I froze.
“What did you say?””
Michael looked at me.
“Daniel, listen to me.””
“No.””
My voice shook.
“You explain.””
Michael looked exhausted.
“I never wanted Emily dead.””
“Then why did you poison her?””
His face changed.
“I didn’t.””
Silence.
“What?””
Michael looked at Nathan.
“Victoria did.””
Everyone froze.
Detective Collins stepped closer.
“Explain.””
Michael sat down.
“She knew Emily found the documents. She knew Claire had left evidence behind.””
I stared.
“Then why did you take the blame?””
Michael looked at me.
“Because I thought I could control it.””
I almost laughed.
“You almost buried my wife.””
His eyes filled with regret.
“I know.””
The answer hurt more than an excuse.
“I was trying to keep Nathan away.””
Nathan stepped forward.
“You were protecting yourself.””
Michael looked at him.
“You don’t know what she promised me.””
“Who?””
“Victoria.””
The warehouse went quiet.
Then the lights turned on.
Everyone turned.
Victoria stood at the entrance.
Clapping slowly.
“Beautiful.””
My blood ran cold.
She smiled.
“I was wondering how long it would take you all to understand.””
Detective Collins raised her weapon.
“Victoria Hale, you’re under arrest.””
Victoria laughed.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Daniel, you still don’t understand.””
“What?””
She walked closer.
“Your father didn’t abandon Nathan.””
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Victoria smiled.
“He abandoned you.””
The words made no sense.
May you like
She held up a folder.
“Because you aren’t the son you think you are.””
