Chapter 5: The File My Father Never Destroyed
The world stopped when I heard my brother’s name.
Not in a metaphorical way.
Not the kind of dramatic moment people write about in stories.
Everything actually felt still.
The hallway.
The cold air.
The faint sounds of the gala continuing behind us.
All of it disappeared.
Because someone had Ethan.
And they knew exactly how to hurt me.
Alexander held the phone against his ear, his expression becoming darker with every second.
“Who is this?””
The stranger didn’t answer immediately.
That silence was worse than any threat.
Then the voice returned.
“You know exactly who this is.””
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“No. I want a name.””
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
“You always were stubborn.””
My eyes moved to Alexander.
Something about that voice affected him.
He knew this person.
“Where is Ethan?”” I whispered.
The man on the phone heard me.
“Claire.””
My blood ran cold.
He knew I was there.
“You sound just like your father.””
I stepped closer to the phone.
“Where is my brother?””
“Safe.””
“That’s not an answer.””
A pause.
Then:
“Not for long.””
My hands curled into fists.
“If you hurt him—”
“You’ll do what?””
The voice sounded amused.
“You’ll call the police? You’ll expose me? You’ll tell the world what you found?””
The man laughed softly.
“Your father tried that.””
My stomach dropped.
“What happened to him?””
Silence.
Then the voice said:
“He learned that some truths are expensive.””
The call ended.
Alexander lowered the phone slowly.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I turned to him.
“Who was that?””
He looked away.
“Someone dangerous.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“It’s the truth.””
I stepped closer.
“You keep doing that.””
“Doing what?””
“Giving me pieces.””
My voice shook.
“You know everything. You knew my father. You knew about Ethan’s treatment. You knew someone was after me.””
Alexander looked at me.
“I knew someone might come after you.””
“Might?””
His expression changed.
“I hoped I was wrong.””
I stared at him.
“And now?””
“Now I know.””
The anger inside me burned hotter than fear.
“My brother is missing because of secrets you kept.””
“I know.””
The fact that he admitted it made me even angrier.
“You know?””
“Yes.””
“You’re not going to deny it?””
“No.””
That surprised me.
Most powerful people defended themselves first.
Alexander didn’t.
“I should have told you sooner,” he said quietly.
I looked at him.
“Why didn’t you?””
His eyes dropped to the photograph in his hand.
“Because your father made me promise.””
My anger froze.
“What?””
“Before he died, he asked me to protect you and Ethan.””
I laughed once.
A painful sound.
“He asked you to protect us by lying?””
“He asked me to keep you alive.””
The hallway became silent.
I wanted to argue.
I wanted to tell him he had no right.
But something in his voice stopped me.
Not guilt.
Pain.
“You were there when he died?””
Alexander looked at the floor.
“Yes.””
The answer was quiet.
Too quiet.
I swallowed.
“What happened?””
He didn’t answer.
Not immediately.
And I realized something.
Alexander Cross was not afraid of Victoria.
He wasn’t afraid of losing money.
He wasn’t afraid of destroying his reputation.
But this?
Talking about my father?
This hurt him.
“He called me three days before the accident,” Alexander said.
“Accident?””
He looked at me.
“The official story was wrong.””
My heart stopped.
“What do you mean?””
“He didn’t die because of a random construction accident.””
The hallway seemed colder.
“Then how did he die?””
Alexander’s eyes met mine.
“He was trying to protect the research.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“No.””
I stepped backward.
“My father wouldn’t—”
“Your father was brave.””
I looked away.
I didn’t want to hear it.
Because suddenly the man I remembered was changing.
The quiet father who packed my lunch.
The man who sang badly while washing dishes.
The man who always told me honesty mattered.
He had been fighting a war I never knew existed.
“He knew someone was stealing the research,” Alexander continued.
“Who?””
“I thought it was Victoria.””
“Thought?””
Alexander hesitated.
That hesitation made my chest tighten.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Before he could answer, Natalie rushed toward us.
Her face was pale.
“Alexander.””
He turned.
“What happened?””
“We found Lena.””
Relief flashed through me.
“Is she okay?””
Natalie looked at me.
“She’s alive.””
I exhaled.
“But?””
“There’s something else.””
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“Where is she?””
“Security room.””
We followed Natalie back through the hallway.
The gala had changed.
The music was gone.
The guests were no longer laughing.
Everyone looked nervous.
Like they had finally realized this wasn’t entertainment.
This was real.
When we entered the security room, Lena was sitting in a chair.
She looked shaken.
But unharmed.
I immediately went to her.
“Lena.””
She looked up.
“I’m sorry.””
I frowned.
“For what?””
“They took me because of you.””
“No.””
My answer came instantly.
“They took you because they’re afraid of the truth.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I should have told you sooner.””
“Told me what?””
She looked at Alexander.
Then at me.
“Your father left something behind.””
My heart started racing.
“The research file?””
She nodded.
“But not just the research.””
“What else?””
Lena reached into her bag.
Then froze.
“I…”
She looked confused.
“What?””
“I had it.””
Alexander stepped forward.
“You had what?””
“The backup drive.””
Everyone became still.
“What backup drive?”” I asked.
Lena looked at me.
“The one your father gave me.””
My breath caught.
“My father gave you something?””
She nodded.
“Before he disappeared.””
The room went silent.
“He knew he couldn’t trust anyone,” Lena said.
“Not the foundation. Not the investors.””
Her eyes moved toward Alexander.
“Not even everyone close to him.””
That hurt him.
I saw it.
But I needed answers.
“What was on the drive?””
Lena swallowed.
“Everything.””
“Everything about what?””
“About the people who destroyed his work.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Where is it?””
Lena looked down.
“I don’t know.””
“What do you mean you don’t know?””
“When they took me, I hid it.””
“Where?””
Her expression changed.
Then she looked at me.
“I gave it to someone.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
She didn’t answer.
Because the door behind us opened.
Everyone turned.
A security officer stood there.
But something was wrong.
He wasn’t looking at Alexander.
He wasn’t looking at Lena.
He was looking at me.
Then he removed his hat.
I recognized him.
Not because I knew him.
Because I had seen his face before.
In the photograph.
The same photograph of my father.
The same photograph of Alexander.
The same photograph where Victoria stood in the background.
The man smiled.
“Hello, Claire.””
My blood went cold.
Alexander immediately moved in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The man ignored him.
He looked only at me.
“Your father always said you would be the one to finish what he started.””
My voice barely worked.
“How do you know my father?””
The man smiled.
“Because I was there the night he died.””
The room went silent.
Alexander’s face changed.
“You.””
The man looked at him.
“Yes, Alexander.””
A slow smile appeared.
“You finally found her.””
I felt my heartbeat pounding.
“Who are you?””
He reached into his jacket.
Everyone tensed.
But he didn’t pull out a weapon.
He pulled out a small black drive.
And placed it on the table.
“The file your father died protecting.””
Nobody moved.
The man looked at me.
“But before you take it…”
He smiled.
“…you should know the truth.””
I stared at him.
“What truth?””
His expression became serious.
“The person who ordered your father’s death…”
He paused.
May you like
Then looked directly at Alexander.
“…was not Victoria Ashford.””
