Chapter 8: The Night My Father Died
I stared at the photograph until my eyes burned.
My father’s hospital room.
The night he died.
Me standing beside his bed.
And someone else in the shadows.
Someone wearing my mother’s necklace.
The necklace that had been found inside her abandoned car.
The necklace that was supposed to belong to a woman who had been dead for twenty years.
My hands shook.
Because there was only one explanation my mind could create.
My mother had been there.
The night my father died.
But if that was true…
Why had nobody told me?
Why had my father looked at me during his final hours and said nothing?
Why had he let me believe I was alone?
My phone buzzed again.
A message from Dr. Samuel Reed.
*Come to the old Vance medical center. Alone. If you want the truth about your father.*
I read it three times.
Alone.
That word bothered me.
People who wanted to help didn’t usually demand isolation.
People who wanted control did.
I turned around and walked back toward the private office.
Jonathan and Victoria were still inside.
The moment they saw my face, they knew something had happened.
“What did you find?”” Jonathan asked.
I held up my phone.
“This.””
Victoria stepped closer.
Her expression changed when she saw the photograph.
“Where did you get this?””
“Dr. Reed.””
The room became silent.
Jonathan whispered:
“Impossible.””
“That’s what everyone says right before the truth destroys them.””
I looked at him.
“He wants me to meet him.””
Victoria immediately shook her head.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because Samuel Reed doesn’t give information.””
Her voice became colder.
“He trades it.””
Jonathan looked at the screen.
“When?””
“Tonight.””
“Absolutely not.””
I laughed.
“Interesting.””
“What?””
“You both spent my entire life hiding things from me because you said you were protecting me.””
I pointed at the phone.
“Now someone who might actually know the truth is offering answers, and you’re telling me no.””
Jonathan’s jaw tightened.
“Because I know Samuel.””
“So do you.””
I looked at Victoria.
“Which means I’m going.””
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Victoria said:
“Then I’m coming with you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You need someone who knows how he operates.””
“I need someone who knows how to manipulate me?””
The words landed.
For the first time, Victoria looked hurt.
Only for a moment.
Then she covered it.
“You still don’t understand.””
“No.””
I grabbed my coat.
“I understand one thing.””
I looked at both of them.
“Everyone in my life had a chance to tell me the truth.””
I walked toward the elevator.
“And everyone chose not to.””
The old Vance medical center had been abandoned for years.
My father built it after my mother died.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
A charity project.
A memorial.
A place dedicated to helping people.
But as I drove toward the empty building, I wondered if every piece of my father’s life had another story hiding underneath.
The building stood at the edge of the city.
Dark.
Silent.
Forgotten.
I parked outside.
For a moment, I stayed in the car.
The rational part of me knew this was dangerous.
But the part of me that had spent twenty years searching for answers was stronger.
I walked inside.
The doors were already open.
That scared me.
“Dr. Reed?””
My voice echoed through the empty hallway.
No answer.
I moved deeper into the building.
Old medical posters hung on the walls.
Dust covered the floors.
Then I heard footsteps.
Slow.
Calm.
Coming from behind me.
I turned.
Dr. Samuel Reed stood at the end of the hallway.
Older than I remembered.
But exactly the same eyes.
The eyes of a man who always knew more than he said.
“Ethan.””
I stared at him.
“You were at my father’s bedside.””
“Yes.””
“You were there when he died.””
“Yes.””
“You signed my mother’s death certificate.””
His face changed slightly.
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
I expected denial.
A lie.
An excuse.
Instead, he simply admitted it.
“Why?””
He looked down.
“Because someone had to.””
My anger rose.
“That’s your explanation?””
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“The explanation is much worse.””
I waited.
He looked at the empty hallway.
“Your father was poisoned.””
Everything stopped.
“What?””
Samuel nodded.
“Richard knew.””
My throat tightened.
“You’re saying my father knew he was dying?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t he tell me?””
“Because he was trying to identify who did it.””
I thought about the ledger.
The secrets.
The warnings.
“He knew someone close to him was responsible.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Samuel looked directly at me.
“You still think this is about one person.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means your father spent twenty years searching for one enemy.””
He paused.
“But he was actually surrounded by several.””
The words hit hard.
“Who?””
Samuel reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old medical file.
My father’s name was on it.
“This is the original report.””
I took it.
Inside were medical records.
Blood tests.
Treatment notes.
Then I saw something.
A medication list.
One name circled.
My hands tightened.
“This medicine…”
Samuel nodded.
“Was altered.””
My stomach dropped.
“By who?””
He looked at me.
“You already know one person who had access.””
I thought of the people around my father.
Victoria.
Jonathan.
Marcus.
Then I saw another name.
A name that made no sense.
My own.
I looked up.
“Why is my name here?””
Samuel’s expression changed.
“Because your father was afraid.””
“Of me?””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“He was afraid someone would use you.””
I stared at the file.
“What does that mean?””
Samuel didn’t answer.
Instead, he pulled out another photograph.
A security image.
My breath stopped.
It showed my father’s hospital room.
The same night.
The same moment.
But this angle was different.
And now I could see the person beside him clearly.
A woman.
A woman holding my father’s hand.
A woman wearing my mother’s necklace.
My knees almost gave out.
Because it was her.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakable.
My mother.
Elena.
Alive.
“You saw her?””
Samuel nodded.
“She came to say goodbye.””
My voice cracked.
“Why didn’t she come to me?””
His expression softened.
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of who?””
He looked at the photograph.
“Of the same people who tried to kill her.””
I looked at the image again.
My mother.
Beside my dying father.
The truth was finally appearing.
But every answer created another question.
“Did my father know she was there?””
Samuel looked at me.
“Yes.””
“Did he talk to her?””
“Yes.””
“What did he say?””
Samuel was quiet.
Then:
“He told her he was sorry.””
My eyes burned.
“For what?””
“For choosing to protect Ethan instead of exposing the truth.””
I looked away.
My father.
Still protecting me.
Even when he was dying.
“Where is she?””
Samuel didn’t answer.
“Where is my mother?””
His silence returned.
I grabbed his arm.
“Where is she?””
Suddenly, headlights flashed through the broken windows.
A vehicle outside.
Samuel’s expression changed.
“No.””
“What?””
He looked toward the entrance.
“She found us.””
“Who?””
The front doors opened.
Footsteps echoed through the building.
Not one person.
Several.
Samuel stepped back.
“You need to leave.””
I looked at him.
“Who is here?””
His face turned pale.
Then he whispered:
“The person who has been cleaning up your father’s secrets for twenty years.””
The footsteps came closer.
A familiar voice called from the hallway.
“Ethan.””
My blood ran cold.
Because I knew that voice.
Victoria.
But this time, she wasn’t alone.
Someone walked beside her.
Someone I never expected.
Someone who should have been impossible.
My mother.
Elena Vance.
Alive.
And the first thing she said when she saw me was:
“Ethan, your father was not murdered by them.””
She looked at Victoria.
Then at Samuel.
May you like
Then back at me.
“He was murdered because of me.””
