Chapter 12: The Last Night Raymond Saw Me
The words didn’t make sense.
They couldn’t.
I stood in the rain staring at Victor, waiting for him to correct himself.
To laugh.
To admit it was another lie.
But he didn’t.
He just stood there.
Like he had been carrying that sentence for years.
“My father thought I betrayed him?””
Victor nodded.
The anger came before the pain.
“No.””
My voice was low.
“No, that’s not possible.””
Victor looked at me.
“You were young.””
“I was his son.””
“Yes.””
“And he knew me.””
Victor’s eyes softened.
“He did.””
“Then he would have known.””
The rain ran down my face.
“He would have known I would never do that.””
Victor looked away.
“That’s why it destroyed him.””
The shop behind me went silent.
Even Marcus.
Even Evelyn.
Everyone was listening.
I stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Victor took a breath.
“The night Raymond disappeared, he discovered someone had accessed the contract.””
“Who?””
Victor looked at Marcus.
Then at me.
“You.””
My chest tightened.
“What?””
“I didn’t say you did it.””
“Then why say my name?””
“Because your father found evidence that someone used your identity.””
I shook my head.
“I don’t understand.””
Victor nodded.
“Raymond didn’t either.””
He looked toward the shop.
“He saw your name connected to the transaction.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“My name?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Victor looked at the contract.
“Someone created documents showing you had approved the transfer.””
I stared.
“But I didn’t.””
“I know.””
“Did my father know?””
Victor’s silence answered.
Then he said:
“Not at first.””
The pain hit harder.
My father.
The one person who should have believed me.
Had questioned me.
“He thought I betrayed him.””
Victor nodded.
“For one night.””
“One night?””
“Yes.””
He looked at me.
“Because before he could confront you, he discovered the truth.””
I stepped forward.
“What truth?””
Victor’s voice became quieter.
“That someone had stolen your identity.””
I froze.
“Who?””
Nobody answered.
Then the shop phone rang.
Everyone turned.
The old landline.
The one sitting on my father’s desk.
Nobody touched it.
It rang again.
And again.
Daniel whispered:
“That phone hasn’t worked in years.””
The fourth ring came.
I walked inside.
Everyone watched.
I picked up the receiver.
“Hello?””
Static.
Then a voice.
A voice I knew.
A voice I had spent decades wishing I could hear again.
“Bear.””
I stopped breathing.
The entire world disappeared.
“Dad?””
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Only his voice.
Older.
Weaker.
But real.
“Bear, listen to me.””
My hand shook.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“I don’t have much time.””
Tears burned my eyes.
“Dad, where have you been?””
Another pause.
“I tried to come back.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn’t you?””
Silence.
Then the words I never expected.
“Because I thought you were the reason I lost everything.””
My heart broke.
“Dad…”
“But I was wrong.””
The line crackled.
“I found out too late.””
I gripped the phone.
“Found out what?””
His breathing changed.
Like someone was nearby.
“Bear, you need to leave that shop.””
I looked around.
“Why?””
“Because the person who betrayed me is there.””
Everyone froze.
I looked at the people around me.
My father continued.
“And they are closer to you than you think.””
The line went silent.
“Dad?””
Nothing.
“Dad!””
Then his final words came through.
Barely a whisper.
“Don’t trust the person holding the photograph.””
The call ended.
I slowly lowered the phone.
Everyone looked at me.
Evelyn held the old photograph.
Daniel stood near the desk.
Marcus looked terrified.
And Ava—
Ava was crying.
Because she knew.
I looked at her.
“What?””
She shook her head.
“Bear…”
“What?””
Her voice trembled.
“The photograph…”
She looked at Evelyn’s hands.
Then at me.
“It’s missing someone.””
I stared.
“What do you mean?””
Ava pointed.
“The original photograph had four people.””
My blood went cold.
“Who’s the fourth?””
Nobody answered.
Until Marcus looked at Evelyn.
And whispered:
“Your father.””
Ava shook her head.
“No.””
She looked directly at me.
“The fourth person wasn’t Raymond.””
May you like
A pause.
“It was you.””
