Chapter 8: The Man Who Knew Too Much
I should have ignored the message.
Every logical part of my brain told me it was a trap.
A person threatening my children was not someone I could trust.
But the same person had sent me information nobody else knew.
The medical report.
The photograph.
The truth about Elena.
Someone wanted me to find something.
The question was why.
“Adrian, don’t go.””
Ethan stood beside me in the parking garage.
His voice was different.
Not defensive.
Not confident.
Afraid.
“You know who sent it.””
He looked away.
That was answer enough.
“Ethan.””
He sighed.
“Richard Vale.””
My jaw tightened.
“My father’s lawyer.””
“Yes.””
“Why would he do this?””
Ethan looked at me.
“Because he knows where the last documents are.””
“What documents?””
“The ones your father hid.””
I stared at him.
“You knew about those too?””
His face fell.
“I knew there were missing files.””
“You always know something.””
The words hurt him.
Good.
They were supposed to.
Before he could respond, Lily walked toward us.
“Daddy?””
I immediately softened.
“What happened?””
She held the old necklace Elena gave her.
“Mommy said you would know what to do.””
I looked at the necklace.
The engraving.
The secrets.
The promises.
I realized something.
Elena had trusted me to find the truth.
Even when she couldn’t tell me herself.
“I’m coming back,” I told Lily.
She looked scared.
“Promise?””
I knelt.
“I promise.””
The old Cole house sat outside the city.
It had been empty since my father’s death.
The place where I learned to ride a bike.
Where I celebrated birthdays.
Where I thought my family was perfect.
Now it felt like a graveyard.
I entered alone.
The lights were already on.
That was impossible.
“Richard?””
A voice answered from upstairs.
“You’re finally here.””
I walked toward the sound.
Richard Vale stood in my father’s old study.
He looked older than I remembered.
Tired.
Broken.
But dangerous.
“You threatened my daughters.””
His expression changed.
“I warned you.””
“You sent someone to photograph children.””
“I was trying to show you the danger.””
I laughed.
“You don’t get to call that protection.””
Richard looked at me.
“You sound just like your father.””
The sentence angered me.
“I’m nothing like him.””
Richard looked around the room.
“You don’t know that.””
I stepped closer.
“Tell me the truth.””
He sighed.
“I spent thirty years cleaning up your father’s mistakes.””
“Then why help him?””
“Because I believed he was protecting the family.””
“And now?””
Richard looked at the floor.
“Now I know he was protecting his legacy.””
He walked to a bookshelf.
Behind a row of books was a hidden compartment.
He removed a small drive.
“This is what Victoria was looking for.””
I took it.
“What’s on it?””
“The complete record.””
“Of what?””
Richard looked at me.
“Everything.””
Before I could ask more, a loud crash came from downstairs.
We both froze.
Someone had entered the house.
Richard’s face changed.
“They followed you.””
I looked toward the hallway.
“Who?””
He whispered:
“The people who don’t want you to know your father’s final secret.””
Footsteps moved closer.
Slow.
Confident.
Someone wasn’t hiding.
They wanted us to hear them coming.
Richard grabbed my arm.
“Take the drive and leave.””
“I’m not leaving you.””
“You have children now.””
The words stopped me.
Because he was right.
I ran toward the back entrance.
Then I heard a voice behind me.
A familiar voice.
“Adrian.””
I stopped.
My entire body went cold.
Because I knew that voice.
It was impossible.
The person who spoke next was someone who should never have been there.
May you like
Someone who had been declared dead three years ago.
My father.
