Chapter 8: The Name They Tried to Erase
Marcus stood in the middle of the dark house, staring at the man who claimed to be his grandfather.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
The man whose existence had been hidden from him for his entire life.
The man who had just told him that even his name was a lie.
The rain outside grew louder.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because every person in that room knew something Marcus didn’t.
And for once, Marcus was done waiting.
“Say it.””
Thomas Reed looked at him.
“What?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Say what my name is.””
Thomas’s face tightened.
Elena looked away.
Richard’s expression became unreadable.
Victor remained completely silent.
Marcus pointed toward them.
“No more secrets.””
His voice shook.
“I want the truth.””
Thomas slowly nodded.
“You deserve that.””
He walked closer.
“My name is Thomas Reed.””
Marcus almost laughed.
“I know.””
“No.””
Thomas looked at him.
“You know the name everyone gave me.””
He paused.
“You don’t know who I was.””
Marcus watched him carefully.
“I was not only Richard’s father.””
Thomas glanced at Richard.
“I was the person who built the first foundation of the Reed empire.””
Richard looked uncomfortable.
“But I was also the person who made the biggest mistake of my life.””
Marcus waited.
Thomas took a deep breath.
“Trusting my son with too much power.””
Richard’s expression changed.
“Father.””
Thomas ignored him.
“Richard was brilliant. He was ambitious. He understood business better than anyone I knew.””
He looked at Marcus.
“But ambition without limits becomes something dangerous.””
Marcus looked at Richard.
“And you think he became dangerous?””
Thomas nodded slowly.
“I know he did.””
Richard stepped forward.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.””
Thomas looked at him.
“I know exactly what I’m talking about.””
The two men stared at each other.
Years of anger passed between them without a single word.
Marcus noticed.
This wasn’t a fight between enemies.
It was a fight between people who had once loved each other.
Thomas turned back to Marcus.
“When your mother discovered the truth about Richard’s operations, she came to me.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“You went to him?””
She nodded.
“I didn’t know who else to trust.””
Thomas continued.
“She brought me documents. Evidence.””
“About Victor?””
“Yes.””
“About my father?””
Thomas was silent.
That silence answered him.
Marcus looked at Richard.
“You knew.””
Richard said nothing.
Marcus shook his head.
“Of course you knew.””
Thomas continued.
“Elena wanted to expose everything.””
“But she didn’t,” Marcus said.
“No.””
Thomas looked down.
“Because she discovered something else.””
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“About me.””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
The room became quiet.
Marcus hated that moment.
The moment before another piece of his life was destroyed.
“What did she discover?””
Thomas looked at Elena.
She looked like she had been carrying the answer for decades.
Finally, she spoke.
“Your real father.””
Marcus looked at Victor.
Then back at her.
“You already told me.””
“No.””
Elena shook her head.
“I told you Victor was your biological father.””
She swallowed.
“But that was only part of the truth.””
Marcus frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Thomas answered.
“It means Victor was not the only person connected to your birth.””
Marcus felt a chill.
“What?””
Elena walked toward the table.
She picked up the old folder.
“When I was pregnant with you, I discovered there were people interested in your genetics.””
Marcus stared.
“Why?””
“Because your father…”
She stopped.
Then corrected herself.
“Because Victor’s family had a history of medical research.””
Victor looked away.
Marcus noticed.
“You knew about this.””
Victor nodded.
“Yes.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
Victor’s face tightened.
“I was trying to protect you.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.””
The words hurt everyone in the room.
Because they were true.
Elena continued.
“When you were born, doctors discovered something unusual.””
Marcus looked at her.
“The genetic marker.””
“Yes.””
“What does it mean?””
Nobody answered immediately.
Thomas finally spoke.
“It means you have a rare inheritance.””
Marcus frowned.
“An inheritance?””
“Not money.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Something else.””
He opened an old notebook.
Inside were pages filled with handwriting.
“Your grandfather, my father, spent years studying this.””
Marcus stared.
“Your father?””
Thomas nodded.
“He believed certain genetic traits could be passed through generations.””
Marcus shook his head.
“This sounds impossible.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Twenty years ago, I would have agreed.””
He placed the notebook down.
“But too many people became interested in you.””
Marcus looked at Victor.
“And they wanted what?””
Thomas answered:
“Access.””
The word felt cold.
Marcus looked around the room.
“All these years…”
He struggled to speak.
“All of you knew I was being hunted?””
Richard finally spoke.
“I didn’t know the full extent.””
Marcus turned toward him.
“You knew enough.””
Richard looked away.
And that hurt more than an admission.
Because Marcus knew.
His father always knew more than he said.
Thomas continued.
“The night Elena disappeared, she was not running away.””
Marcus looked at her.
“She was moving you somewhere safe.””
“Where?””
Thomas looked at Richard.
Richard’s face changed.
“She took him to me.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Elena nodded.
“I had nowhere else to go.””
Marcus looked confused.
“You left me with my father.””
“No.””
Elena shook her head.
“I left you with Thomas.””
The room went silent.
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Thomas looked at him.
“For three months, you stayed with me.””
Marcus felt dizzy.
“I don’t remember.””
“You were too young.””
Thomas’s voice softened.
“You were only a baby.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“Then why did I grow up with Richard?””
Nobody answered.
Finally, Richard said:
“Because Thomas disappeared.””
Marcus turned.
“What happened?””
Thomas looked at Richard.
“You tell him.””
Richard’s face hardened.
“No.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Tell me.””
Richard looked at him.
For the first time, Marcus saw regret.
“He found out I was planning to leave the company.””
Thomas laughed quietly.
“That’s not what happened.””
Richard ignored him.
“You found out I was planning to take control.””
Thomas stared.
“You mean you found out I was planning to stop you.””
Marcus looked between them.
“What happened?””
Thomas answered.
“Richard tried to have me removed.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Richard immediately responded.
“That’s not true.””
Thomas looked at him.
“You threatened me.””
“I warned you.””
“You threatened my life.””
The room became tense.
Marcus looked at his father.
“Did you?””
Richard looked away.
And that was enough.
Marcus stepped back.
The man who raised him.
The man he trusted.
The man who taught him right from wrong.
Had spent his life surrounded by things he refused to explain.
Thomas looked at Marcus.
“After that night, Elena and I made a decision.””
“What decision?””
“To let Richard believe you were his.””
Marcus stared.
“Why?””
“Because Richard loved you.””
The answer shocked him.
Thomas continued.
“And because despite everything, we believed he would never hurt his own son.””
Marcus looked at Richard.
“Was that true?””
Richard’s eyes were full of pain.
“Yes.””
The answer came quickly.
Marcus noticed.
“You loved me.””
Richard nodded.
“More than anything.””
“Then why?””
Richard closed his eyes.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Richard looked at Victor.
Then at Thomas.
Then at Marcus.
“Of losing you.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You lost me anyway.””
The words hit Richard harder than any accusation.
Nobody spoke.
Then Thomas suddenly looked toward the window.
His expression changed.
“What is it?””
Elena asked.
Thomas walked closer.
The rain had stopped.
But outside, several black vehicles were parked along the road.
Marcus felt a chill.
“How long have they been there?””
Victor looked out.
His face turned serious.
“Not long.””
Richard moved toward the door.
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“What?””
Richard locked the door.
“We need to leave.””
“Why?””
Richard looked at Marcus.
“Because now that Thomas is here, they know the truth is exposed.””
Thomas picked up the old notebook.
“They’re not here for me.””
Everyone looked at him.
Thomas stared at Marcus.
“They’re here for him.””
A loud knock came from the front door.
Everyone froze.
Then another.
Stronger.
A voice came from outside.
“Marcus Reed.””
Marcus felt his blood run cold.
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
The door shook.
The person outside spoke again.
“Open the door.””
Richard whispered:
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Who is it?””
Richard’s face turned pale.
Then he said the name that made everyone silent.
“Your mother’s brother.””
Marcus frowned.
“My uncle?””
Richard nodded.
“He was the first person to know about your birth.””
The knocking continued.
Then the voice outside changed.
Not angry.
Not threatening.
Almost sad.
“Marcus…”
A pause.
“I know you’re in there.””
The door trembled.
“And I know they told you lies.””
Marcus stared.
“Who is he?””
Thomas looked at him.
“The man who started all of this.””
The door cracked.
May you like
And the stranger outside whispered:
“Because I’m the one who made sure you survived.””
