Chapter 14: The Last Secret Of The Holloway Family
The knock came again.
Three slow taps.
Nobody moved.
It was strange how a person could be outside a door and still feel like they filled the entire room.
Marcus stepped in front of me.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“Dad.””
“Stay behind me.””
That was the father I knew.
The man who stood between me and everything dangerous.
But now I knew something.
Sometimes the person protecting you was also the person hiding the truth.
Sarah looked terrified.
“Michael.””
Marcus didn’t answer.
The door opened.
An older man entered.
He didn’t look like the monster I imagined.
That was the worst part.
He looked normal.
A gray suit.
A calm expression.
A polite smile.
Victor Holloway.
My grandfather.
His eyes moved through the room.
First to Sarah.
Then Marcus.
Then me.
When he looked at me, something changed.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Something closer to regret.
“Lily.””
I hated how everyone knew my name.
“Don’t call me that.””
His expression softened.
“You have your mother’s strength.””
My mother.
The words made me angry.
“You don’t get to talk about her.””
Victor looked at Marcus.
“She raised you well.””
Marcus’s face hardened.
“You don’t know anything about her.””
Victor smiled sadly.
“I know more than you think.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“You should have stayed gone.””
Victor looked at her.
“And you should have stopped searching.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Sarah.
“You found him?””
She didn’t answer.
Victor sighed.
“I suppose there is no point hiding anymore.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Funny. That’s what everyone says after ten years.””
Victor looked at him.
“You think I’m the only one who made mistakes?””
The words hit.
Because they were true.
Everyone here had secrets.
Everyone had made choices.
But I was tired of being the person who paid for them.
“Why did you erase me?””
Victor looked at me.
Finally.
The question nobody wanted to answer.
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone says that.””
His face changed.
“I know.””
The honesty surprised me.
He continued:
“I spent my life believing control was the same as protection.””
He looked older.
Not powerful.
Just old.
“I was wrong.””
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Marcus.
Then Victor.
“Then why?””
Victor looked down.
“Because Thomas was in danger.””
My heart stopped.
“Where is he?””
Victor didn’t answer.
Sarah whispered:
“Victor.””
He closed his eyes.
“He’s alive.””
The words hit harder than anything else.
Thomas.
My biological father.
Alive.
Somewhere.
“But where?””
Victor looked at Marcus.
And my father looked away.
I noticed.
Again.
Another secret.
“Dad.””
Marcus was silent.
Victor answered for him.
“He knows.””
My chest tightened.
“You knew where he was?””
Marcus looked destroyed.
“I knew where he went.””
The room became silent.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because he asked me not to.””
I froze.
“He asked you?””
Marcus nodded.
“Thomas believed staying away was the only way to keep you alive.””
I didn’t know what hurt more.
That my father hid the truth.
Or that another father had chosen to disappear.
Victor stepped closer.
“Lily, there is one thing you need to know.””
I looked at him.
“Your father never abandoned you.””
I swallowed.
“Which father?””
Nobody answered.
Because that was the truth.
I had spent my life believing I had lost one parent.
But the reality was worse.
I had lost two.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
Everyone stared.
I opened it.
A picture appeared.
A man standing outside a train station.
Older.
Tired.
But smiling.
Thomas.
Under the picture were four words.
*I’m coming home, Lily.*
My hands shook.
Marcus looked at the screen.
May you like
And whispered:
“He wasn’t supposed to come back.””
