Chapter 9: The Truth Hidden In My Blood
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The only sound inside the shipyard vault was the distant crashing of waves against the harbor.
Victor's words stayed in my mind.
*You were never supposed to inherit the company.*
I looked at the birth certificate in his hand.
Then at my mother.
Then at Tobias.
Everyone had a reaction.
Everyone except me.
Because I felt nothing.
Not because I wasn't hurt.
Because I was too hurt to feel anything.
"My entire life...""
My voice came out quietly.
"My entire life has been a lie?""
My mother took a step forward.
"Rosalind.""
I moved away.
"Don't.""
The pain on her face was obvious.
But I couldn't stop.
"You let me believe I was your daughter.""
"You are my daughter.""
The answer came instantly.
"No.""
My voice cracked.
"Apparently, I'm not.""
Victor smiled.
"Now you understand.""
I looked at him.
"You wanted me to know this.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
He walked closer.
"Because your family destroyed mine.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Your family?""
Victor looked at Adrian.
For the first time, I noticed something strange.
Adrian wasn't surprised.
He was angry.
"Victor.""
The warning in his voice was clear.
Victor ignored him.
"Tell her.""
Nobody moved.
Victor held up the birth certificate.
"Tell Rosalind who her real father was.""
My mother closed her eyes.
Like she had been fighting this moment for years.
Then she whispered:
"His name was Daniel.""
The room went silent.
"Daniel who?""
She looked at me.
"Daniel Cross.""
My heart stopped.
I turned toward Adrian.
He looked away.
No.
Impossible.
"You're saying...""
My voice disappeared.
My mother nodded.
"Adrian was his brother.""
I looked at Victor.
Then Garrett.
Then Penelope.
Everything connected in a way I didn't want to understand.
"My biological father was a Cross?""
My mother nodded.
"But Daniel died before you were born.""
I stared at the birth certificate.
"Then why did Dad raise me?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because your father loved you.""
I laughed softly.
A broken sound.
"Everyone keeps saying love.""
I looked around the room.
"Love.""
I pointed at Garrett.
"He loved me.""
I pointed at Tobias.
"He protected me.""
I looked at my mother.
"You sacrificed yourself for me.""
My voice shook.
"But somehow, every person who loved me still lied to me.""
Nobody had an answer.
Because there wasn't one.
Victor stepped forward.
"Your father knew the truth about your birth.""
I looked at him.
"How?""
"Because Evelyn told him.""
My mother nodded.
"He knew Daniel was my first love.""
I looked at Adrian.
"Daniel was your brother.""
Adrian finally spoke.
"Yes.""
His voice was quiet.
"He was the one good person in my family.""
I studied him.
"Then why did everyone think you were the villain?""
Adrian looked down.
"Because I let them.""
The answer shocked me.
"What?""
He looked at Victor.
"Someone needed to take the blame.""
Victor smiled.
"And you were happy to play the monster.""
Adrian's expression hardened.
"I was protecting Evelyn.""
My mother looked at him.
"You protected me too much.""
A painful silence passed between them.
I looked between them.
There was history there.
Pain.
Regret.
A story nobody had told me.
Then Garrett spoke.
"You all love pretending you're the victims.""
Everyone turned.
He stood near the entrance.
Calm.
Controlled.
Like the man who abandoned me in the river had never existed.
"You blame me.""
He pointed at Adrian.
"You blame Victor.""
He pointed at my mother.
"You blame everyone except yourselves.""
I stared at him.
"Do you actually believe that?""
Garrett looked at me.
"Yes.""
The answer was immediate.
"I was used by all of you.""
I almost laughed.
"You tried to kill me.""
His expression changed slightly.
Only slightly.
"You were never supposed to survive.""
The words were so cold that they almost didn't hurt.
Almost.
"Why?""
Garrett looked away.
Then back at me.
"Because of the inheritance.""
Victor handed him the folder.
Garrett opened it.
"Your father changed the company agreement before he died.""
I frowned.
"What agreement?""
"He added a condition.""
Garrett looked at the document.
"The heir could only control the company if they were a direct blood descendant of the Hartwell line.""
I looked at my mother.
"And I'm not.""
Garrett nodded.
"Exactly.""
My stomach tightened.
"Then why marry me?""
He didn't hesitate.
"Because your father had another clause.""
I waited.
"If you were legally recognized as Evelyn Hartwell's daughter, you remained the heir.""
My mother whispered:
"Your father adopted you.""
Garrett continued.
"You were the key.""
The pieces fell into place.
"Penelope.""
Her face hardened.
"She was supposed to marry you?""
Garrett nodded.
"She was the original plan.""
I looked at my half sister.
She looked away.
"Then what happened?""
Garrett smiled bitterly.
"You happened.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Penelope couldn't get close to the company. You were too protected.""
He stepped closer.
"Then I met you.""
My stomach turned.
"I was easier.""
"No.""
His voice softened.
And somehow that was worse.
"You were trusting.""
I felt a tear fall.
"I loved you.""
"I know.""
He said it without emotion.
"That's why it worked.""
Before I could respond, Tobias moved.
"You ruined her life.""
Garrett looked at him.
"You ruined mine.""
Tobias froze.
"What?""
Garrett laughed.
"You think I wanted this?""
Nobody spoke.
Garrett looked at me.
"I was sixteen when my father died because of your family.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"Your father destroyed mine.""
My mother immediately shook her head.
"That's not true.""
Garrett looked at her.
"You would say that.""
Victor stepped in.
"Enough.""
Everyone turned.
Victor's face had changed.
He wasn't enjoying this anymore.
He was afraid.
"Garrett.""
The younger man looked at him.
"What?""
Victor lowered his voice.
"You don't understand what you started.""
Garrett frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Victor looked at me.
And I knew.
There was another secret.
Another layer.
I was exhausted.
But I needed the truth.
"What aren't you telling me?""
Victor didn't answer.
My mother did.
She walked toward the table.
Her hands were shaking.
"Because Garrett doesn't know the full story.""
Garrett looked confused.
"What?""
My mother opened the old folder Victor had brought.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
Medical records.
She pulled one out.
Then placed it in front of Garrett.
His face changed.
"What is this?""
My mother looked at him.
"The truth about your father.""
Garrett stared at the document.
Then slowly looked at Victor.
"You knew?""
Victor said nothing.
Garrett grabbed the paper.
His hands started shaking.
"What does this mean?""
Nobody answered.
I stepped closer.
"What is it?""
Garrett looked at me.
And for the first time since I met him...
He looked genuinely afraid.
The document fell from his hand.
I picked it up.
A DNA report.
Two names.
Garrett Vale.
Daniel Cross.
My mind went blank.
Victor whispered:
"Garrett isn't Adrian's ally.""
Adrian stared at the report.
"He's Daniel's son.""
My breathing stopped.
Garrett looked at Adrian.
"My father?""
Adrian nodded slowly.
"My brother.""
The room fell silent.
Garrett had spent years trying to destroy the Hartwell family.
But he wasn't destroying strangers.
He was destroying his own blood.
My mother stepped closer.
"And that's why your father died.""
Garrett looked at her.
"What?""
She pointed at the report.
"Because Daniel Cross discovered that someone was trying to use his son to destroy the family he loved.""
Garrett's face lost all color.
"You're lying.""
My mother shook her head.
"No.""
She looked at him with sadness.
"Your father spent his final days trying to find you.""
A tear appeared in Garrett's eyes.
The first real emotion I had seen from him.
"He abandoned me.""
"No.""
My mother whispered.
"He protected you.""
Nobody moved.
Then a phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Victor looked at the screen.
His face turned pale.
"What?""
Adrian stepped closer.
"Who is it?""
Victor slowly lowered the phone.
"It's impossible.""
I looked at him.
"Who?""
He looked at me.
And whispered:
"The person who has been controlling all of this from the beginning.""
The phone screen showed one name.
A name that made my mother collapse into the nearest chair.
Because she knew exactly who it was.
*Evelyn Hartwell.*
But my mother was standing right in front of us.
Victor answered the call.
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
Calm.
Cold.
Familiar.
"Victor.""
Everyone froze.
The voice continued:
"Bring Rosalind to me.""
May you like
A pause.
"She deserves to meet her real mother.""
