Chapter 11: The Woman Who Left Me Behind

I couldn’t speak.

The world around me disappeared.

The abandoned house.

Arthur.

Vincent.

The cold air.

Everything became background noise.

Because the voice on the phone belonged to someone I had mourned for most of my life.

“Mom?””

My voice cracked.

The woman on the other end cried softly.

“Yes.””

One word.

One word I had spent years believing I would never hear.

I gripped the phone tighter.

“Where are you?””

“I can’t tell you.””

The answer hurt more than silence.

“Why?””

“Because they are still watching.””

My eyes moved toward Arthur.

He looked away.

Not angry.

Not surprised.

Almost ashamed.

“Who?””

She hesitated.

Then whispered:

“The same person who tried to destroy you.””

My heart raced.

“Tell me who.””

“Dominic, listen to me.””

Her voice became urgent.

“You cannot trust anyone who was close to your father.””

I looked at Arthur.

Then Vincent.

Then the letters.

“Mom, Arthur said you knew.””

A pause.

“You found him.””

“Yes.””

“Then you know he wasn’t the only one.””

The words confirmed my fear.

Someone else.

Someone still hidden.

“Who?””

Before she could answer, static interrupted the call.

“Mom?””

The line crackled.

“Dominic, I need you to remember something.””

“What?””

“Your father had one person he trusted above everyone.””

I waited.

“His accountant.””

The call cut.

I stared at the phone.

Vincent immediately moved.

“Can we trace it?””

He checked.

“Blocked.””

Arthur looked disturbed.

“Your father’s accountant.””

I turned.

“You know who that was?””

“Yes.””

“Who?””

Arthur looked at me.

“Daniel’s father.””

The room went silent.

Daniel.

Again.

The same name.

The same connection.

My father’s accountant.

Daniel’s father.

Arthur.

My accident.

My company.

Everything connected.

But why?

I walked toward the desk.

The letters were still there.

I searched through them.

One name appeared repeatedly.

*Richard Cross.*

Daniel’s father.

The man who managed my family’s finances.

The man who died ten years ago.

Or so I thought.

“Vincent.””

“Yes?””

“Find everything about Richard Cross.””

He nodded.

Arthur looked at me.

“You don’t understand what you’re searching for.””

I turned.

“Then explain.””

Arthur’s expression became serious.

“Richard wasn’t just your father’s accountant.””

“What was he?””

“He was the person who knew every secret.””

I waited.

“Every payment. Every deal. Every mistake.””

Arthur looked at the letters.

“And when your father realized Richard had been hiding money, everything changed.””

“Hiding money?””

“Yes.””

I looked at the documents.

“How much?””

Arthur’s answer was quiet.

“Enough to destroy families.””

Before I could ask more, Vincent’s team called.

He answered.

Listened.

Then his face changed.

“What?””

He stepped away.

A few seconds later, he turned back.

“Dominic.””

“What happened?””

“We found Richard Cross.””

My heart stopped.

“Impossible.””

“He’s alive.””

Nobody moved.

Vincent continued.

“And he’s been living under a different name.””

The room felt colder.

“Where?””

Vincent looked at his tablet.

“He’s been working for a private investment firm.””

“What’s the name?””

Vincent hesitated.

Then said:

“Voss Holdings.””

I looked at Arthur.

The color had disappeared from his face.

Because that meant something neither of us expected.

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Arthur wasn’t controlling the game.

Someone had been using him too.