Chapter 8: The Man My Father Trusted
I didn’t sleep that night.
I sat in the guest room of Adrian’s building, staring at the city below.
Ten years ago, I lost my family.
Ten years later, I found a man who claimed he wanted to protect me.
And now someone was telling me he might be connected to their deaths.
The worst part wasn’t the accusation.
It was that Adrian didn’t deny it.
The next morning, I found him in the private gym downstairs.
He was alone.
No guards.
No weapons.
Just Adrian Kane sitting quietly with a cup of coffee.
“You knew my father called you.””
He looked up.
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
“You could have lied.””
“I could have.””
“Why didn’t you?””
He looked away.
“Because you deserve the truth.””
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me.””
A long silence followed.
“Your father called me the night of the fire.””
My heart tightened.
“What did he say?””
Adrian stared at the floor.
“He said, ‘If anything happens to us, protect my daughter.’”
My anger disappeared for a second.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I existed.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you find me?””
The question stayed between us.
Adrian looked like he had been waiting ten years to hear it.
“Because I thought you were dead.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone thought that.””
“I saw the reports.””
“Reports can be wrong.””
“Yes.””
His voice became quieter.
“But I was nineteen years old. My father was dead. Vincent controlled the family. And every person who searched for you came back saying there was no survivor.””
I stared at him.
“You believed them.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
Then he added:
“I was wrong.””
The simple words were heavier than any excuse.
Before I could respond, Marco entered.
“Boss.””
Adrian immediately stood.
“What happened?””
“We found Thomas Vale.””
The room froze.
“Where?””
“An old property in Queens.””
Adrian grabbed his jacket.
I followed.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“You’re staying here.””
“No.””
“Wren.””
“You found the man who knows what happened to my family.””
“This could be dangerous.””
I stepped closer.
“My whole life has been dangerous.””
He stared at me.
Then finally nodded.
The old property looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Overgrown grass.
A place nobody would notice.
Marco checked the entrance.
“Clear.””
We entered.
The inside smelled like dust and old wood.
Then I saw something.
A photograph on the wall.
My family.
My mother.
My father.
Me.
And Thomas Vale standing behind us.
I touched the frame.
“He was part of our family.””
Adrian looked at the picture.
“Not family.””
“No?””
“Something more complicated.””
We moved deeper into the house.
Then we heard it.
A cough.
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Thomas.””
A weak voice answered.
“Adrian Kane.””
The man stepped from the darkness.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakable.
Thomas Vale.
The man from my nightmare.
Adrian aimed his weapon.
“You should be dead.””
Thomas smiled sadly.
“I know.””
I stepped forward.
“Why did you leave me?””
Thomas looked at me.
And the sadness in his eyes almost broke me.
“Because I was trying to save you.””
“You abandoned me.””
“I know.””
“Do you know what happened to me?””
His face collapsed.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because I watched.””
My anger froze.
“You watched?””
Thomas looked at Adrian.
“Vincent ordered me to make sure she didn’t survive.””
Adrian’s hand tightened around the weapon.
“But you didn’t.””
“No.””
Thomas looked at me.
“I carried you out.””
My voice shook.
“Then why leave me?””
He looked down.
“Because Vincent had someone watching me.””
A pause.
“If I stayed, they would have killed you.””
I didn’t know what to say.
For ten years, I believed I was abandoned.
Now I didn’t know what was true.
Thomas reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small envelope.
“I kept this because I knew someday you would need it.””
Adrian took it.
“What is it?””
Thomas looked at him.
“Something Alexander Whitmore wanted you to have.””
Adrian opened the envelope.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
His face changed as he read it.
“What?””
I moved closer.
“What does it say?””
Adrian slowly handed me the paper.
My eyes moved across the words.
And my blood ran cold.
It was written by my father.
*Adrian Kane cannot know the truth until Wren remembers who she really is.*
I looked up.
“Why?””
Thomas whispered:
“Because your father discovered something about you.””
I stared.
“About me?””
Thomas nodded.
“The fire wasn’t meant to kill you.””
May you like
A pause.
“It was meant to erase your identity.””
