Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT MY FATHER DIED
My father's death had always been described as a heart attack.
Sudden.
Natural.
Unavoidable.
Now I wondered whether any part of it had been true.
I returned to the family house.
Florence was gone.
So was Mason.
Paige had been detained for questioning.
Brenda had disappeared.
The house felt abandoned.
I went into my father's old office.
I had not entered it in years.
His desk remained.
His books.
His old leather chair.
A framed photograph of our family.
I pulled open the bottom drawer.
Nothing.
Then I remembered something.
My father always locked the second drawer.
I searched his old key box.
Found a key.
Opened it.
Inside was a cassette tape.
No label.
And a photograph.
My father stood beside a younger Maeve.
And another man.
I recognized him.
Dr. Lucas Albright.
Fifteen years earlier.
My father's doctor.
I put the cassette into an old player.
Static.
Then my father's voice.
“If anyone ever hears this, understand that I was wrong.”
I froze.
“I thought money could fix everything.”
Static.
“I took Vivienne from Maeve.”
My hands shook.
“I convinced Florence to help.”
Another pause.
“But Mason is not my son.”
My heart stopped.
“I discovered the truth too late.”
The tape continued.
“The boy's father was dangerous.”
I leaned closer.
“His name was Adrian Vale.”
I recognized the name.
A former business associate.
A man who had disappeared fifteen years earlier.
My father continued.
“He wanted control of the company.”
Static.
“Florence believed she could protect Mason by hiding the truth.”
Then:
“Adrian threatened to kill everyone if he learned Mason wasn't his.”
I stopped the tape.
My mind raced.
Adrian Vale.
Mason.
Florence.
My father.
Vivienne.
The hidden trust.
But why was Adrian still relevant?
I searched my father's files.
There were newspaper clippings.
Adrian Vale had supposedly died fifteen years ago.
But one article showed no body was recovered.
I stared at the photograph.
No body.
No confirmation.
Just a disappearance.
Then I heard the front door open.
I grabbed the nearest object.
Footsteps.
Someone entered the office.
“Conrad?”
Brenda.
I lowered my hand.
“Where have you been?”
“Running.”
“From whom?”
“Everyone.”
She closed the door.
“You have to listen to me.”
“I found the tape.”
Her face changed.
“You shouldn't have.”
“What do you know about Adrian Vale?”
She went silent.
“Brenda.”
“I thought he was dead.”
“So did everyone.”
“He isn't.”
I stared at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw him.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Where?”
She whispered:
“At the clinic.”
I felt cold.
“Dr. Albright was meeting him.”
“What did they discuss?”
“Vivienne.”
“Why?”
“Because Adrian wanted the trust.”
“Who hired him?”
Brenda looked at me.
Then said:
“Your mother.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“But Vivienne said she wasn't the mastermind.”
“She wasn't.”
“Then who was?”
Brenda hesitated.
I knew from her expression that she was terrified of the answer.
“Conrad…”
“What?”
“Your mother didn't hire Adrian.”
“Then who?”
Brenda whispered:
“Mason.”
I stared at her.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Mason learned the truth about his father.”
I felt the room spin.
“He wanted the trust.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Brenda looked toward the window.
“He wanted revenge.”
A noise came from outside.
Brenda grabbed my arm.
“Don't move.”
“What?”
She whispered:
“Someone is watching the house.”
We looked through the curtains.
A black SUV sat across the street.
The driver's door opened.
A man stepped out.
Tall.
Gray-haired.
He looked directly at the house.
May you like
Brenda whispered:
“Adrian Vale.”
