Chapter 14: The Truth Amelia Carried
The police arrived minutes later.
Daniel was gone.
The hospital was surrounded.
But I barely noticed.
Because Amelia’s words stayed in my mind.
*There’s one thing I never told you.*
After everything.
After all the lies.
I didn’t know if I could survive another secret.
We returned to the mansion before sunrise.
Eli slept in my arms the entire drive.
Like he was afraid to let go.
I carried him upstairs myself.
I tucked him into bed.
And I stayed there.
Watching him breathe.
Because six years ago, I thought I lost my family.
Tonight, I realized I almost lost it again.
When I returned downstairs, Amelia was waiting.
Bianca sat across from her.
Grace stood near the window.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I said:
“Tell me.””
Amelia nodded.
She looked older than she had hours ago.
“When I found out Daniel changed the records, I thought he was trying to make you doubt Eli.””
I waited.
“But that wasn’t the first thing he did.””
“What was?””
She looked at Bianca.
“He tried to convince me that Victor was involved.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He showed me fake evidence.””
My heart sank.
“He wanted you to think I betrayed you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To separate us.””
Amelia looked down.
“Because together, we were stronger.””
The room went quiet.
“He knew if we trusted each other, he couldn’t control us.””
I looked at Bianca.
“And you?””
Bianca swallowed.
“I believed him.””
That honesty hurt.
“But not forever.””
She looked at Amelia.
“When I realized the truth, I tried to fix it.””
“By lying to me?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I thought if I stayed close to you, I could protect Eli.””
I shook my head.
“You became the person he feared.””
She looked away.
“I know.””
Grace spoke quietly.
“Why didn’t you tell Mr. Hayes?””
Bianca answered immediately.
“Because Daniel threatened Eli.””
Everyone went silent.
“What did he say?””
Bianca looked terrified.
“He said if Victor knew everything, Eli would disappear.””
My hands tightened.
“And you believed him?””
“I had seen what he was capable of.””
Amelia nodded.
“She’s telling the truth.””
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
A tear rolled down her face.
“Because I was trying to get back to you.””
The answer hurt.
“But you stayed away.””
“I was trying to stay alive.””
Silence.
I wanted to be angry.
But I also knew something.
The truth was never simple.
Not after six years.
A knock came from the front door.
Everyone froze.
Marcus appeared on the security monitor.
A package sat outside.
No person.
Just a box.
My heart sank.
Daniel.
I opened the door carefully.
Inside was a small envelope.
No name.
No address.
Just one sentence:
*YOU WON THE GAME, BUT YOU NEVER ASKED WHO STARTED IT.*
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A hospital photograph.
From the night Eli was born.
But something was wrong.
Standing in the background was a woman.
A woman I recognized.
My mother.
She had died two years before Eli was born.
But the photograph was real.
Impossible.
I turned it over.
On the back was a handwritten message.
*YOUR FAMILY’S SECRET DIDN’T BEGIN WITH DANIEL.*
My breathing stopped.
Amelia looked at the photo.
Her face changed.
“Victor…”
“What?””
She pointed.
“At the corner.””
I looked closer.
A hospital bracelet.
A name.
Not mine.
Not Amelia’s.
Not Daniel’s.
Another name.
A name that made my blood run cold.
May you like
Because it belonged to someone I trusted my entire life.
My father.
