Chapter 7 - THE GRAVEYARD
Blackwood Cemetery was surrounded by iron gates.
Lucas arrived with six armed men.
Daniel stayed beside him.
Rain fell over the graves.
At the center of the cemetery stood Richard Blackwood's mausoleum.
A single light burned inside.
Lucas raised his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Daniel nodded.
They approached.
The door was open.
Inside, Sarah sat on the floor.
Her hands were tied.
Vincent stood beside her.
And Harold stood behind him.
Lucas aimed his gun.
“Let her go.”
Vincent smiled.
“You came exactly as I expected.”
“Release Sarah.”
“You still don't understand.”
Lucas stepped forward.
“I understand enough.”
Vincent pointed toward the coffin.
“Your father lied to you.”
Lucas looked at the coffin.
“What did he lie about?”
“Everything.”
Vincent laughed.
“Your father's empire was never supposed to belong to you.”
Lucas stared.
“Then who?”
Vincent pointed toward the doorway.
A man stepped inside.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
Same gray eyes as Lucas.
Same sharp jaw.
Same unmistakable Blackwood features.
Lucas stared at him.
Nathan.
His brother.
Nathan looked at Lucas.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Nathan said:
“Hello, brother.”
Lucas couldn't answer.
Seven years of loneliness suddenly made sense.
The strange photographs.
The missing records.
The unanswered questions about his childhood.
The empty bedroom in the old family mansion that nobody had ever explained.
Nathan walked closer.
“We were separated when we were five.”
Lucas whispered:
“Why?”
“Because Dad knew Vincent would kill us both if he knew we existed.”
Vincent laughed.
“I didn't kill anyone.”
Nathan looked at him.
“You tried.”
Sarah shouted:
“Lucas, don't trust him!”
Vincent's face darkened.
Nathan reached inside his coat.
Lucas raised his gun.
Nathan stopped.
“Relax.”
He pulled out a flash drive.
“This contains everything.”
Vincent shouted:
“Don't!”
Nathan smiled.
“That reaction tells him all he needs to know.”
Lucas looked at the drive.
“What is on it?”
“Bank records.”
“Anything else?”
“Videos.”
“Of what?”
Nathan looked at Vincent.
“Your father's murder.”
Lucas froze.
The room fell silent.
Vincent's expression changed.
Nathan continued.
“Everything was recorded.”
Lucas's voice became almost inaudible.
“Who killed him?”
Nathan looked directly at him.
“Vincent didn't.”
Lucas frowned.
“Then who?”
Nathan looked toward Harold.
Harold lowered his eyes.
Lucas turned slowly.
“Harold?”
Harold's shoulders began to shake.
Vincent stepped backward.
Harold whispered:
“I didn't have a choice.”
Lucas's face became emotionless.
“What did you do?”
Harold looked at him.
“I opened the gate.”
Lucas stared.
Harold continued.
“Your father trusted me.”
“Yes.”
“I betrayed him.”
Lucas's fingers tightened around the gun.
“Why?”
Harold's eyes filled with tears.
“Because they had your mother.”
Sarah gasped.
Lucas froze.
“My mother?”
Harold nodded.
“Your mother wasn't killed in a car accident.”
Lucas felt the blood drain from his face.
“She was kidnapped.”
Harold whispered:
“She was alive.”
Lucas's world shattered.
“Where?”
Harold looked at Vincent.
Vincent smiled.
Then he said:
“She's been alive this entire time.”
Lucas's phone suddenly rang.
A video appeared.
He opened it.
The screen showed an elderly woman sitting in a dark room.
Lucas stopped breathing.
His mother.
Alive.
Then the woman looked directly into the camera.
And whispered:
“Lucas… don't trust Nathan.”
The screen went black.
Lucas looked at his brother.
Nathan's face had gone pale.
Because he knew exactly what that message meant.
May you like
Someone had changed sides.
And the traitor was standing in the room with them.
