The Boy With the Scar My Billionaire Father Never Forgot

Adrian dragged Noah behind a row of steel shelving as bullets struck the concrete around them.

The teenager struggled, trying to twist free.

“Let me go!””

“Do you want to die?””

“You don't get to tell me what to do!””

Adrian pinned himself between Noah and the open warehouse floor.

“Then hate me later. Right now, stay alive.””

A metal door slammed somewhere behind them.

Footsteps pounded across the concrete.

Adrian could hear the attackers shouting to one another, their voices echoing through the cavernous building.

Then the gunfire stopped.

A man's voice rang out again.

“Mr. Blackwood, we know you're in there. We know you have both boys now.””

Adrian's blood ran cold.

Both boys.

Someone knew about Eli.

He reached for his phone, but it wasn't in his pocket. It had slid across the floor during the attack.

Noah pointed toward a narrow corridor beside the loading bay.

“There's an exit.””

“How do you know?””

“I've been here before.””

Adrian stared at him.

“You've been here before?””

Noah's jaw tightened.

“Grandpa brought me here whenever he wanted me to remember what happened to my mother.””

Adrian looked toward the wheelchair.

His father was still sitting beneath the lamp, seemingly untouched by the chaos.

“You knew this place was dangerous?””

The old man didn't answer.

Noah's expression changed.

“Grandpa?””

The elderly man finally looked at him.

“Stay where you are, Noah.””

Noah stared at him.

“You said nobody knew about this warehouse.””

“I said nobody would come here.””

“But they did!””

The old man gripped his armrests.

“Because your father has never understood when to stop digging.””

Adrian rose slowly.

“You brought me here.””

“Yes.””

“You knew someone would attack us.””

His father looked directly at him.

“I knew someone might.””

Adrian felt the truth settle over him like ice.

“You used Noah as bait.””

“I used the only leverage I had left.””

Noah lowered his weapon.

“You told me he was the enemy.””

“He is the reason your mother died.””

“No!”” Adrian shouted.

The old man's expression hardened.

“Then explain the crash.””

Adrian turned toward Noah.

“I wasn't driving.””

The teenager stared at him.

“What?””

“Your mother was in the passenger seat. I was at the office when the police called. My driver had taken her home earlier that evening.””

The old man shook his head.

“Lies.””

Adrian's voice rose.

“Check the police report. Check the traffic cameras. Check the hospital's original intake records. I have never been able to do that because someone buried the evidence.””

Noah's hands began to tremble.

“Grandpa said he saw you at the scene.””

“I arrived after the ambulance.””

“He said you were covered in blood.””

“Because I held your mother while the paramedics tried to save her.””

Noah's face crumpled.

He lowered the gun completely.

For eleven years, he had carried a story that explained his mother's death. It had given his anger somewhere to go. It had made his grandfather's protection seem necessary.

Now the story was falling apart.

The old man wheeled himself forward.

“Don't listen to him.””

Noah stepped away.

“Why didn't you tell me about Eli?””

The question struck the old man harder than any accusation.

He looked at the floor.

Noah's voice rose.

“Why did you tell me I was an only child?””

“Because I needed you to stay alive.””

“You told me my brother was dead!””

“He was supposed to be.””

Adrian went rigid.

The old man closed his eyes.

For the first time, he appeared to realize what he had admitted.

Noah backed away from him.

“You knew Eli was alive?””

The old man said nothing.

Adrian's hands curled into fists.

“You knew both my sons were alive, and you let me mourn them?””

“I was protecting the family.””

“From whom?””

The old man looked up.

“From the people who stole the foundation's money. They used the children as leverage. They threatened to kill them if I exposed the fraud.””

“Then why didn't you tell me?””

“Because I knew what you'd do. You would have gone to the police. You would have tried to save everyone. And they would have killed all of you.””

Adrian stared at him.

“You could have trusted me.””

“I couldn't risk it.””

“You didn't risk it,” Adrian said.

“You made the decision for all of us.””

A gunshot exploded near the loading bay.

The attackers were moving closer.

Noah grabbed Adrian's sleeve.

“We have to go.””

Adrian nodded toward the old man.

“What about him?””

Noah looked at his grandfather.

The old man reached toward him.

“Come here, son.””

Noah stepped backward.

“Don't call me that.””

The words seemed to wound the old man more deeply than anything else.

Noah turned toward the narrow corridor.

Adrian followed.

They had nearly reached the exit when a voice called from behind them.

“Adrian!””

Victor emerged from between the shelves, his suit torn at the shoulder and blood running down one side of his face.

Adrian stopped.

“What are you doing here?””

Victor was breathing hard.

“Saving what's left of this family.””

He held up a small black drive.

“I found it in Father's briefcase.””

Adrian took it.

“What is it?””

“The original financial records. Names, transfers, recordings. Everything he kept hidden.””

Noah stared at his uncle.

“You knew about the fraud?””

Victor shook his head.

“I knew money was being moved. I didn't know who was behind it until tonight.””

“Why should I believe you?””

Victor looked at the boy.

“You shouldn't. But you can listen to this.””

He pulled a small recorder from his pocket and pressed play.

A man's voice filled the corridor.

It was their grandfather's voice, younger but unmistakable.

“The first child goes to the private facility. The second must disappear. Adrian cannot know that either boy survived. If he discovers the truth, the entire operation collapses.””

Another voice answered.

Malcolm Reed.

“And Vanessa?””

Their grandfather replied without hesitation.

“She has already seen the documents. If she talks, none of us will be safe.””

The recording ended.

Adrian felt as though the floor had vanished beneath him.

Noah covered his mouth.

Victor looked at the ground.

“There are more recordings.””

Adrian turned toward his father, who had slowly followed them in his wheelchair.

“You threatened my wife.””

His father looked exhausted.

“I was trying to protect the family.””

Adrian's voice shook.

“You were protecting yourself.””

The old man raised his eyes.

“You have no idea what I sacrificed.””

“You sacrificed my wife. My children. My life.””

“I gave you everything!””

“You took everything!””

For a moment, the warehouse fell silent except for the distant sounds of the attackers searching the building.

Then Noah looked at his grandfather.

“Did you order the crash?””

The old man opened his mouth.

Before he could answer, Victor's phone rang.

He checked the screen and turned pale.

“What?”” Adrian demanded.

Victor held out the phone.

The caller was Danielle.

Adrian answered immediately.

“Danielle?””

Her voice came through in broken gasps.

“Adrian, listen to me. They found the hotel.””

Adrian's blood froze.

“Where's Eli?””

“I got him out. Marcus is driving us away, but there are cars following us.””

“Where are you?””

“Near the old bridge. I don't know how long we can—”

A loud crash sounded through the phone.

Danielle screamed.

Then a man's voice replaced hers.

“Mr. Blackwood, we have your younger son.””

Adrian gripped the phone.

“If you touch him—”

“You have ten minutes to bring us the drive. Come alone, or the boy dies.””

The call ended.

Noah stared at Adrian.

“Eli?””

Adrian nodded, unable to speak.

Victor looked toward the exit.

“They're using the children to get the evidence.””

Adrian held the black drive in one hand.

His two sons had been separated for eleven years. One had been taught that his father was a murderer. The other had been taught that his father had abandoned him.

And now someone was threatening to take the younger boy away again.

Noah stepped forward.

“Give me the drive.””

Adrian looked at him.

“No.””

“I'm the reason they're asking for it.””

“You're not going anywhere near those men.””

Noah's eyes filled with fury.

“You don't get to decide that anymore!””

He snatched the drive from Adrian's hand and ran toward the loading bay.

Adrian shouted his name.

But Noah had already disappeared through the open doors.