Chapter 8 - JESSICA
Matthew barely slept.
At sunrise, he was at the bus station.
Grace came with him.
Neither spoke much.
The photograph had been taken only hours earlier.
Jessica was alive.
That was all that mattered.
Then Matthew saw her.
She stood beneath the station awning.
Thin.
Pale.
Exhausted.
But alive.
"Jessica."
She turned.
Their eyes met.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Jessica began crying.
Matthew walked toward her.
"You left."
"I had to."
"You could have told me."
"I tried."
"You disappeared."
"Because they threatened the boys."
Matthew's anger dissolved.
"Why didn't you trust me?"
Jessica looked down.
"Because I thought you were part of it."
He stared.
"What?"
"You were always working."
"That doesn't mean—"
"They showed me financial documents with your signature."
Matthew froze.
"They made it look like you were stealing."
Jessica wiped her tears.
"I thought you'd chosen money over us."
Matthew closed his eyes.
The misunderstanding had destroyed their family.
Then Jessica noticed Grace.
She ran to her.
The sisters embraced.
Matthew watched silently.
"How did you know where she was?" he asked.
Jessica looked at Grace.
"She found me."
"When?"
"Before she came to work for you."
Matthew stared.
Grace nodded.
"Jessica contacted me after she escaped."
"Why didn't she come home?"
"Because we didn't know who we could trust."
Matthew looked at Jessica.
"I would have protected you."
"I know that now."
Silence.
Then Jessica said:
"I need to tell you something else."
"What?"
"Michael wasn't the mastermind."
Matthew's expression changed.
"Who was?"
Jessica looked at him.
"Your father's lawyer."
"Daniel?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Jessica whispered a name.
"Robert Carter."
Matthew froze.
His uncle.
His father's older brother.
He had been presumed retired for years.
Jessica continued.
"He created the entire network."
Matthew shook his head.
"He's seventy-four."
"That doesn't mean he's harmless."
Jessica pulled out a small envelope.
"This is everything."
Matthew opened it.
Inside were bank records.
Photographs.
Names.
And one document.
A property transfer.
Matthew's eyes widened.
"What's this?"
Jessica looked at him.
"Your company."
"What about it?"
"Your father didn't leave it to you."
Matthew stared.
"What?"
"He put it into a trust."
"Whose trust?"
Jessica pointed to the signature.
Matthew read it.
Beneficiary: Robert Carter.
His uncle had secretly owned controlling rights to Matthew's company.
Michael had only been an operator.
Evelyn had been a participant.
Daniel had been the legal fixer.
But Robert was the architect.
Matthew looked up.
"Where is he?"
Jessica's face went pale.
"He knows we're alive."
Matthew's phone rang.
He answered.
No one spoke.
Then he heard a child's voice.
"Daddy?"
Matthew's heart stopped.
It was Benjamin.
Then Caleb cried.
A man's voice followed.
"Come home, Matthew."
The call ended.
Matthew stared at his phone.
Jessica whispered:
"Where are the boys?"
Matthew's face drained of color.
"They were with security."
Grace grabbed his arm.
"Let's go."
They ran.
When they reached the house, the gates were open.
The security guards were unconscious.
The front door stood wide open.
Matthew sprinted inside.
The panic room was empty.
His children were gone.
On the floor lay a single note.
Matthew picked it up.
May you like
You found the truth.
Now pay the price.
