Chapter 9: The Father Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
“Claire, it's your father.””
I forgot how to breathe.
The entire ballroom seemed to disappear.
There was no music.
No guests.
No shattered glass.
No Brielle.
No Marcus.
Only that voice coming through my phone.
Older than I remembered.
Rougher.
But unmistakably his.
My father's voice.
“Dad?””
A pause.
Then a shaky breath.
“Yes.””
My knees almost gave out.
Daniel caught my elbow.
“Claire?””
I barely heard him.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere safe.””
“Where?””
“I can't tell you yet.””
“Why?””
“Because Marcus isn't the only person who has been watching you.””
My eyes moved across the room.
Marcus stood completely motionless.
Vanessa looked like she'd been struck.
Calvin was staring at the phone.
Brielle had both hands over her mouth.
I turned away from everyone.
“Dad, you're alive.””
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
For eleven years, I had mourned him.
Eleven years of anniversaries.
Eleven years of visiting a grave that apparently wasn't his.
Eleven years of talking to a stone.
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
“Because if you knew I was alive, they would have come after you.””
“Who?””
“The people who were using the trust.””
My hands trembled.
“Was my stepmother one of them?””
Silence.
Then my father said,
“She was trying to get out.””
I opened my eyes.
“What?””
“She made terrible choices. But near the end, she realized what she'd done.””
I looked toward Marcus.
“What about him?””
Another silence.
“Dad?””
“He was supposed to protect you.””
My eyes hardened.
“He didn't.””
“I know.””
“You know?””
“I've known for years.””
My voice cracked.
“Then why didn't you come back?””
“Because coming back would have exposed you.””
I looked at the letter in my hand.
“My stepmother left me a test.””
“Yes.””
“The wedding?””
“Yes.””
“The contracts?””
“Yes.””
“The trust?””
“Yes.””
“Brielle?””
A long pause.
“Brielle was never the intended beneficiary.””
I looked at Brielle.
She had tears streaming down her face.
“Then why was she part of it?””
“She wasn't.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“She was used.””
I glanced toward Marcus.
“By whom?””
My father exhaled slowly.
“Your husband.””
Marcus's face drained of color.
I covered the phone with my palm.
“Did you hear that?””
Marcus didn't respond.
I turned away again.
“Dad, what did Marcus do?””
“He needed access to the trust.””
“I know he took money.””
“That was only part of it.””
My heart pounded.
“What else?””
“He forged documents.””
I stared at the wall.
“My name?””
“Yes.””
“For years?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To make it appear that you had authorized transfers.””
My stomach twisted.
“So if anyone investigated, it would look like I stole my own money.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Marcus.
He finally spoke.
“Claire, that's not the whole story.””
I uncovered the phone.
“Dad says you forged my signature.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I didn't personally.””
My father's voice came through the speaker.
“Then who did?””
Marcus went silent.
I looked at him.
“That's what I want to know.””
He stared at me.
“Vanessa.””
She stepped forward immediately.
“No.””
Marcus pointed at her.
“She had access to the files.””
Vanessa's face hardened.
“I had access because you gave it to me.””
“I never asked you to forge anything.””
“You asked me to keep the company alive.””
“And you stole from me.””
“I took what you already stole.””
Calvin suddenly laughed.
“Both of you are still pretending you were the victims.””
My father spoke again.
“Claire.””
“Yes?””
“Don't let them distract you.””
I nodded instinctively.
“I won't.””
“Go to the bank.””
“The bank where the trust is held?””
“Yes.””
“Tonight?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because the account is about to be emptied.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Marcus looked at me sharply.
I put the phone on speaker.
My father's voice filled the ballroom.
“The trust is protected by a condition your stepmother created. Once you identify the people who abused your trust, control transfers to you.””
The venue manager stared.
Daniel looked stunned.
Brielle lowered her head.
My father continued.
“But the transfer isn't automatic until you appear in person.””
I frowned.
“Then what's stopping Marcus from taking the rest?””
“He doesn't know the final account exists.””
I looked at my husband.
Marcus looked terrified.
“What final account?”” he asked.
My father answered.
“The one your stepmother hid from you.””
Marcus took a step backward.
“No.””
I stared at him.
“How much is there?””
My father's voice softened.
“Enough to explain everything.””
“Dad, how much?””
“Four hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars.””
A murmur swept through the ballroom.
Brielle looked up.
Daniel swore under his breath.
Marcus looked sick.
I almost couldn't process the number.
“That's still there?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Because your stepmother wanted you to earn the right to control it.””
I looked at the letter.
“By discovering who was using me.””
“Yes.””
I swallowed.
“She knew.””
“She knew Marcus would eventually try to access the trust.””
My eyes went back to him.
“How?””
“She knew about his debts.””
Marcus shook his head.
“She didn't know everything.””
My father continued.
“She knew enough.””
Then his voice changed.
“Claire, there's one thing you need to understand.””
“What?””
“I didn't disappear because I wanted to.””
The room went silent.
“What happened?””
“I was taken.””
My skin prickled.
“By whom?””
“I don't know.””
“Where did they take you?””
“A private facility.””
“Who ran it?””
“I never saw their faces.””
“Why?””
“They wanted information about the company.””
My voice trembled.
“What information?””
“The names of the people moving money.””
I looked at Calvin.
He looked away.
“Did they know about the trust?””
“Yes.””
“Did they know about me?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't they hurt me?””
My father's answer came slowly.
“Because I agreed to disappear.””
I couldn't speak.
“What?””
“They told me that if I came back, you would be next.””
I pressed a hand against my mouth.
Marcus lowered his head.
Vanessa began crying quietly.
I looked at her.
“Did you know?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“All these years?””
“Yes.””
“You knew my father was alive?””
“Yes.””
I stared at her.
“How could you let me grieve him?””
Her voice broke.
“Because every time I tried to contact you, Marcus threatened to make sure you became a target.””
Marcus snapped.
“That's a lie.””
Vanessa turned on him.
“You threatened my sister.””
He froze.
I looked at her.
“What?””
“He knew where she lived.””
Marcus said nothing.
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I stayed away from you because I thought it was the only way to keep you alive.””
My father's voice interrupted.
“Vanessa told the truth.””
I looked at the phone.
“You trust her?””
“She was the only person who kept trying to get evidence to you.””
I stared at Vanessa.
For the first time, I saw something other than betrayal in her face.
I saw exhaustion.
Three years of carrying a secret.
Three years of knowing I was grieving someone who was still alive.
“Dad,” I whispered.
“Yes?””
“Why tonight?””
“Because tonight was the deadline.””
“For what?””
“The final transfer.””
“To the trust?””
“No.””
My blood ran cold.
“Then what deadline?””
“The people behind the operation discovered I was alive.””
Everyone went silent.
My father continued.
“They know the wedding would bring all of you together.””
Marcus suddenly stepped toward the doors.
Calvin moved in front of him.
“Don't.””
Marcus stopped.
“What did you do?”” Calvin asked.
“I didn't do anything.””
“You sent the message.””
Marcus looked at me.
“What message?””
I stared at him.
“What message did you send, Marcus?””
He said nothing.
My phone buzzed.
A text appeared.
Unknown number.
*Leave the ballroom. Now.*
Then another.
*The police are already on their way.*
Brielle looked at the screen.
“Claire…”
A third message appeared.
*Marcus has one last chance to hand over the ledger.*
I looked at Marcus.
“What ledger?””
His eyes widened.
“I don't have it.””
Calvin stepped closer.
“You know where it is.””
“No.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Marcus, stop.””
He backed toward the wall.
“I don't have your father's ledger.””
My father suddenly spoke.
“Claire, listen to me.””
“Yes?””
“The ledger is not in the bank.””
I frowned.
“Then where is it?””
“In your house.””
My heart stopped.
“Where?””
“In the room Marcus told you never to enter.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
There was only one room in our house he had always kept locked.
His study.
I whispered,
“What is in your study, Marcus?””
He stared at me.
Then the ballroom doors burst open.
Two uniformed officers rushed inside.
And behind them stood a man I recognized from an old family photograph.
May you like
My father's former business partner.
The man who had supposedly died twelve years ago.
