Chapter 9: The Last Recording
The living room door slammed shut.
Ethan spun around.
Nobody had touched it.
“Mom, stay behind me.””
Gloria stood frozen beside the sofa.
Sophia backed toward the coffee table.
Daniel grabbed the folder.
“Where's the back exit?””
Ethan stared at him.
“There isn't one.””
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“Then we're trapped.””
A sharp crack came from the monitor.
The screen went black.
Then the camera feed returned.
The hallway appeared empty.
Ethan stared.
“Where are they?””
Daniel shook his head.
“They don't need to come in.””
“What does that mean?””
Daniel pointed at the monitor.
“Look.””
A small red icon blinked in the corner.
“Someone has control of the security system.””
Sophia whispered, “Marcus.””
“No,” Daniel said.
Ethan looked at him.
“You're sure?””
“Marcus doesn't have access anymore.””
“Then who does?””
Daniel looked at Gloria.
She stared back.
“No.””
Ethan caught the exchange.
“What?””
Daniel said, “Ask her.””
Gloria shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
“I don't.””
Ethan's voice rose.
“Enough!””
He slammed his hand against the coffee table.
Everyone fell silent.
“I have spent my whole life hearing pieces of this story.””
He looked at Gloria.
“Then Dad.””
Then Sophia.
“Then Daniel.””
“I want the truth now.””
Gloria nodded slowly.
“You deserve it.””
She walked toward the fireplace.
She reached behind the largest family photograph.
Her fingers found a hidden switch.
A panel opened.
Inside was a small recorder.
Ethan stared.
“How long have you had that?””
“Twelve years.””
“Why didn't you destroy it?””
“Because I couldn't.””
She placed it on the table.
Daniel stared at it.
“That contains the original conversation.””
“What conversation?””
“The night Daniel disappeared.””
Ethan looked at the recorder.
“Play it.””
Gloria pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then a younger Gloria's voice.
“Please, I only need one night.””
A man's voice answered.
Marcus.
“You know what happens if you involve them.””
Gloria said, “I have no choice.””
“You always have a choice.””
“I have Ethan.””
“So do I.””
“You'll lose him if you stay.””
Marcus went quiet.
Then Gloria's younger voice said, “Give me the trust.””
Ethan's face tightened.
Marcus replied, “You don't know what you're asking.””
“I know exactly.””
“You'll become responsible for everything.””
“I'll take responsibility.””
“You'll have to lie to him.””
“I'll lie.””
“You'll have to let him hate me.””
“I'll do it.””
Ethan stepped away from the table.
The recording continued.
Marcus whispered, “And if Daniel comes back?””
Gloria said, “He won't.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Ethan looked at him.
“You heard that.””
Daniel nodded.
“I did.””
The recording continued.
A door slammed.
Someone shouted.
Then Daniel's younger voice screamed, “Gloria!””
The recording ended.
Silence.
Ethan looked at his mother.
“You knew.””
“I knew they were coming.””
“You sent them.””
“I thought I could stop it.””
“You let them take him.””
“Yes.””
Daniel's eyes were wet.
“But you didn't know they had another plan.””
Gloria looked at him.
“What plan?””
Daniel turned to Ethan.
“They weren't trying to kill me.””
Ethan frowned.
“Then what?””
“They wanted me to disappear.””
“Why?””
“Because I was the only person who knew where the money came from.””
Ethan stared.
“What money?””
Daniel opened the folder.
“The money Marcus stole wasn't his.””
He removed several pages.
“It belonged to a charity.””
Gloria's face changed.
Ethan looked at her.
“What charity?””
Daniel answered.
“One your grandfather started.””
Ethan blinked.
“My grandfather?””
“Yes.””
Daniel placed the documents on the table.
“The trust wasn't created twelve years ago.””
Ethan looked at the date.
His eyes widened.
“This says twenty-eight years ago.””
Daniel nodded.
“Your grandfather created it before he died.””
“For me?””
“No.””
Daniel pointed to another line.
“For your mother.””
Ethan looked at Gloria.
“Then why is my name on it?””
Gloria whispered, “Because I transferred it.””
“When?””
“The year you turned eighteen.””
“Why?””
“To keep it away from your father.””
Daniel said, “And that's the part Marcus never knew.””
Ethan looked confused.
“What?””
Gloria wiped her tears.
“Your father thought he was stealing money from Daniel.””
Daniel shook his head.
“He was stealing it from Gloria.””
Ethan stared.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel's voice dropped.
“The money was yours.””
Ethan looked at the documents.
“No.””
“Your grandfather left it to your mother. Your mother transferred it into your name. Marcus discovered it and tried to take control.””
“And Sophia?””
Daniel looked toward her.
“She was hired to make Ethan sign it back.””
Sophia shook her head.
“I couldn't.””
Daniel nodded.
“So someone else forged his signature.””
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Daniel reached into the folder.
He pulled out a photocopy.
At the bottom were two signatures.
One belonged to Ethan.
The other belonged to the person who had authorized the transfer.
Ethan stared.
The signature was unmistakable.
His mother's.
But beneath it was another line.
*WITNESS: SOPHIA CARTER.*
Sophia covered her mouth.
“I never witnessed that.””
Ethan turned toward her.
“Then someone forged your signature too.””
Sophia nodded.
“I told you.””
Daniel looked at the security monitor.
The red icon was still blinking.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
“Good.””
Everyone froze.
Marcus.
“You finally found the right document.””
Ethan stepped toward the monitor.
“Dad?””
Marcus answered.
“Yes.””
“Are you inside this house?””
“No.””
“Then where are you?””
Marcus was silent for a moment.
“I'm watching.””
Ethan looked at the cameras.
“Why?””
“Because tonight you were supposed to learn who betrayed you.””
Ethan's voice hardened.
“My mother?””
“No.””
“Sophia?””
“No.””
“Daniel?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Marcus's voice became almost a whisper.
“The person who forged every signature.””
The monitor flickered.
A live video appeared.
Someone was sitting in the same living room.
But the camera angle showed only the back of the person's head.
Ethan stared.
The figure slowly turned.
May you like
And Ethan recognized the face.
It was his own.
