Chapter 3 - THE FATHER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
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I stopped moving.
My father was dead.
At least, that was what I had believed for six years.
Heart attack.
Private funeral.
Closed casket.
No public memorial.
No questions.
Our family had called it tragic.
Now his voice had just echoed through a crumbling Chicago apartment building.
“Gabriel!”
Clara grabbed my sleeve.
“Don't listen.”
I stared at her.
“You knew.”
She shook her head.
“I knew he was alive.”
My chest tightened.
“You knew?”
“He contacted me.”
“When?”
“Three months before I vanished.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he told me you were in danger.”
I couldn't process any of it.
Gunfire echoed below.
Victor's men were returning fire.
I carried both newborns.
Maya clung to Clara.
We ran through the back stairwell.
At the bottom, a black SUV waited.
The rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Thinner.
Gray-haired.
But unmistakably my father.
Alexander Sterling.
I froze.
He looked at me.
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Then he said:
“Get in.”
I wanted to hit him.
Instead I got in.
We drove for twenty minutes without speaking.
Clara held the babies.
Maya sat beside her.
My father stared through the windshield.
Finally I said:
“You're supposed to be dead.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe that.”
“Yes.”
“You let me run your empire.”
“Yes.”
“You let me mourn you.”
His jaw tightened.
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
He didn't answer.
I leaned forward.
“What is happening?”
“The family is collapsing.”
“I noticed.”
“Victor has broken away from me.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered the child existed.”
My father looked at the twins through the rearview mirror.
“He wants the trust.”
“The one with the evidence.”
“Yes.”
“What evidence?”
My father took a breath.
“The evidence that proves I ordered your mother’s disappearance.”
Clara went still.
Maya looked confused.
I stared at him.
“My mother?”
“She was never killed.”
“What?”
“She was taken.”
“By whom?”
“My father.”
I felt sick.
“Our grandfather?”
He nodded.
“He wanted control of the family.”
“And you?”
“I tried to protect you.”
“You abandoned all of us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I believed fear would keep you alive.”
I almost laughed.
“That's the same lie you've told me my entire life.”
My father looked at me.
“I know.”
Then he turned toward Clara.
“I failed you.”
She looked away.
“You failed everyone.”
The car became silent.
After several minutes, my father handed me a file.
“Your grandfather wasn't the real architect.”
I opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Contracts.
Bank records.
And one name repeated across nearly every page.
Eleanor Sterling.
My grandmother.
I stared.
“She controlled the trust.”
My father nodded.
“She controlled Victor.”
“She controlled you.”
“Yes.”
“She controlled my entire life.”
“Yes.”
I looked toward Clara.
“She knew about the child?”
“She ordered us to find him.”
“Why?”
My father answered:
“Because she believes the child is not the final heir.”
I frowned.
“Then who is?”
He looked at me.
“You.”
I almost tore the file apart.
“Why would I be the heir?”
“Because the trust was designed to transfer to the oldest living descendant who can prove the family has been betrayed.”
Silence.
“You mean…”
My father nodded.
“You.”
I felt something cold settle inside me.
“Then why are they hunting the baby?”
“Because if they eliminate the child, they can force the trust to identify you.”
“And then?”
“They can manipulate you.”
“How?”
My father looked down.
“They will accuse you of murder.”
I stared.
“Whose murder?”
“Your grandfather's.”
The car stopped.
My father looked at me.
“There is a recording.”
“Where?”
“Inside the Sterling vault.”
I frowned.
“The vault was sealed.”
“Yes.”
“Who can open it?”
My father looked at my hand.
“The man carrying the signet ring.”
My ring.
I finally understood why Victor had recognized it.
My father opened the door.
“We have less than an hour.”
“Why?”
He looked toward the dark city.
“Because your grandmother just ordered the vault opened.”
“And if she gets there first?”
He answered quietly:
“She will destroy the evidence.”
May you like
Then the SUV headlights swept across the street.
Dozens of black vehicles were already waiting.
