Chapter 8: The Man Who Played Both Sides
The video stopped.
The screen froze.
My uncle Marcus stood behind my father with a gun in his hand.
I stared at the image.
My mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
Because Marcus was not a stranger.
He wasn’t some enemy hiding in the shadows.
He was the man who held my shoulder at my father’s funeral.
The man who told me, “You’re not alone.””
The man who sat beside my mother during the hardest years of our lives.
The man who helped me rebuild everything my father left behind.
And now I was watching him threaten the man I thought he had lost too.
“No.””
The word came from my mother.
She stepped toward the phone.
“No, that’s not possible.””
Marcus didn’t move.
His face was empty.
Too empty.
And that scared me more than anger would have.
“Marcus.””
He looked at me.
For a moment, I thought he would deny it.
I wanted him to.
I wanted him to scream that the video was fake.
That Daniel had manipulated us.
That Selena had staged everything.
But Marcus only looked tired.
Like he had been carrying this moment for years.
“Adrian…”
I raised my hand.
“Don’t.””
My voice shook.
“Don’t say my name like you still have the right.””
My mother stepped between us.
“Marcus, tell me this is fake.””
He looked at her.
And that was when I saw something.
Pain.
Not guilt.
Pain.
“I’m sorry, Eleanor.””
My mother stepped back.
“No.””
She shook her head.
“No, you don’t get to apologize.””
Marcus looked down.
“I never wanted this.””
“Never wanted what?””
I stepped closer.
“My father disappearing?””
Silence.
“Me growing up without him?””
Silence.
“My mother believing she lost her husband?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
And somehow that made everything worse.
Because guilty people deny.
But broken people remember.
“Tell me the truth.””
He opened his eyes.
“I did not hurt Thomas.””
I laughed bitterly.
“The video says otherwise.””
“The video shows one moment.””
“Then explain it.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“Your father asked me to hold the gun.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
My mother stared at him.
“You expect us to believe that?””
“Yes.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“I watched you betray him.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You watched what someone wanted you to watch.””
I shook my head.
“This is insane.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Adrian, your father knew someone was recording that night.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He knew there was a traitor inside his circle.””
“Then why were you holding a gun?””
“Because Thomas needed proof.””
The room went silent.
“Proof of what?””
Marcus looked toward the window.
“Whoever controlled the recording.””
I felt a chill.
“You’re saying someone filmed you?””
“Yes.””
“And Daniel had the video?””
Marcus nodded.
“He kept copies.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel was the real threat.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Daniel?””
Marcus nodded.
“Thomas trusted him more than anyone.””
He looked at me.
“And that was his biggest mistake.””
I thought about the photograph.
Daniel standing behind my parents.
Watching.
Waiting.
“Then why did Daniel show me the video?””
Marcus laughed quietly.
“Because he wants us to turn against each other.””
A message appeared on my phone.
From Daniel.
*Ask Marcus why he let your father disappear.*
I showed everyone.
Marcus saw it.
His face changed.
“That’s exactly what he wants.””
“Answer it.””
Marcus looked at me.
I stepped closer.
“Why?””
He was silent for a long time.
Then he finally said:
“Because I failed.””
My mother looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
Marcus sat down.
For the first time, the powerful businessman disappeared.
He looked like an old man.
A man exhausted by his own secrets.
“The night Thomas disappeared, Daniel arranged the meeting.””
My stomach tightened.
“He brought your father there?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To show him proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That the company was being taken over from inside.””
I looked at Selena.
Her expression changed.
“My father…”
Marcus nodded.
“Victor Hart was involved.””
Selena went still.
“But not alone.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Daniel was working with him.””
The room became silent.
Everything connected.
The manipulation.
The secrets.
The lies.
Daniel had been beside us because he wanted access.
But one question remained.
“Then why are you still alive?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Because Daniel needed someone to blame.””
My mother whispered:
“You.””
Marcus nodded.
“He made it look like I betrayed Thomas.””
“And you let everyone believe it?””
His eyes lowered.
“I had no choice.””
“There is always a choice.””
“Yes.””
He looked at me.
“And mine was keeping you alive.””
I hated that sentence.
Because everyone used it.
But this time, I saw something different.
Marcus wasn’t asking me to forgive him.
He was admitting he was afraid.
“What happened to my father?””
Marcus looked at the floor.
“I don’t know.””
My anger returned.
“You don’t know?””
“I saw Daniel take him.””
My breathing stopped.
“Take him where?””
“I followed them.””
“And?””
“I found the car near the bridge.””
“The accident.””
Marcus nodded.
“But Thomas wasn’t inside.””
“Then where was he?””
Marcus looked at my mother.
“She knows.””
I turned.
My mother’s face changed.
“Mom?””
She looked at me.
“I found him.””
The words barely left her mouth.
“You found Dad?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
I felt betrayed all over again.
“Where?””
She looked toward the old study.
“Here.””
My eyes widened.
“Here?””
She nodded.
“He came back to this house.””
The house.
The place where everything began.
The place where my father had built his family.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because he told me not to.””
“Why?””
Her tears fell.
“Because he believed you were safer believing he was dead.””
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense.””
My mother looked at the phone.
“Watch the rest of the video.””
I looked down.
The video had stopped halfway.
I pressed play.
The screen moved.
The camera angle changed.
My father was speaking.
His face was older.
But his voice was calm.
“Marcus, if you’re watching this, then Daniel has already exposed the recording.””
Marcus looked shocked.
My father continued.
“I need Adrian to know the truth.””
I froze.
My name.
He knew.
“He will believe the video.””
My father looked directly into the camera.
“He should.””
Everyone became still.
Then my father said:
“Because Marcus did hold the gun.””
My eyes widened.
Marcus closed his eyes.
The video continued.
“But not against me.””
A pause.
“He held it because I asked him to.””
My father leaned closer.
“Marcus was protecting me.””
I looked at Marcus.
The relief I expected never came.
Because my father’s next words destroyed everything.
“The person holding the camera was the person I trusted most.””
The video shook.
A shadow appeared.
A person standing behind the camera.
My father looked at them.
And his expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then he said:
“Eleanor…”
My mother covered her mouth.
The video cut.
I stared at the screen.
My father’s final word.
My mother’s name.
The room went silent.
Then a sound came from behind us.
A slow clap.
Everyone turned.
The back door opened.
A man stood there.
Older.
Calm.
Holding a phone.
Daniel Cross.
He smiled.
“I was wondering when you would finally put the pieces together.””
Marcus stood.
“You.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Still playing the hero?””
Then he looked at me.
“Adrian, your father always underestimated one thing.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Daniel smiled.
“Family is the easiest thing in the world to destroy.””
He lifted his phone.
On the screen was a live video.
My father.
Alive.
Sitting in a chair.
And beside him…
My mother.
But not the mother standing next to me.
Another recording.
Another location.
Daniel whispered:
“Now you have to choose.””
My blood ran cold.
“Choose what?””
He smiled.
“Which parent you want to save.””
The screen went black.
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Then one final message appeared.
*You have ten minutes.*
