Chapter 10: The Name That Should Not Exist
I stared at the paper until the letters stopped looking like a name and started looking like a mistake.
A trick.
A cruel joke.
Because the person written at the bottom of my mother’s access record was impossible.
*Elijah Carter.*
My father’s younger brother.
A man I had never met.
A man Marcus had told me died before I was born.
I looked at him.
“Dad.””
He didn’t respond.
Not immediately.
His eyes stayed locked on the page.
Like if he stared long enough, the name would disappear.
“It can’t be him,” Marcus whispered.
Darius took the paper from my hand.
He read it carefully.
Then he looked at my father.
“You said he died.””
Marcus stood slowly.
“He did.””
Vanessa let out a nervous laugh.
“No.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked terrified.
“You’re wrong.””
Marcus’s face hardened.
“What did you say?””
Vanessa looked at the document.
Then at the empty hallway.
Then back at us.
“Elijah didn’t die.””
The room went completely silent.
I felt my heartbeat in my ears.
“Then why did Dad tell me he did?””
Nobody answered.
My father looked at Vanessa.
“Because that’s what I was told.””
The words shocked me.
“You mean you didn’t know?””
Marcus shook his head.
“I was twenty years old.””
His voice became distant.
“Eli disappeared.””
“Disappeared?””
“Yes.””
I looked at the paper.
“And nobody looked for him?””
Marcus’s face tightened.
“We did.””
Darius crossed his arms.
“For a while.””
My father looked at him.
“Don’t.””
“No.””
Darius stepped forward.
“Jordan deserves to know.””
The same sentence.
Again.
Everyone kept saying I deserved the truth.
But somehow the truth always arrived in pieces.
Darius continued.
“Your father and Elijah were close.””
Marcus looked away.
“Until we weren’t.””
“What happened?””
Marcus sat down.
For the first time, he looked tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
“Elijah made mistakes.””
“What kind of mistakes?””
My father didn’t answer.
Vanessa did.
“Money.””
The word landed heavily.
I looked at her.
“Money?””
She nodded.
“Eli was brilliant. Charming. Everyone trusted him.””
Darius added:
“And that was the problem.””
Marcus looked at the document.
“He knew every account.””
My stomach dropped.
“Every account?””
My father nodded.
“He helped set up some of the family finances.””
The room felt colder.
Someone with access.
Someone trusted.
Someone connected by blood.
The pattern was repeating.
Darius pointed at the signature records.
“Look at the dates.””
Marcus leaned closer.
Darius tapped the page.
“These withdrawals started months after Elijah disappeared.””
I frowned.
“So?””
Darius looked at me.
“So if Elijah was really gone, someone had access to his identity.””
My father stood.
“No.””
Darius looked at him.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
His voice was stronger now.
“Eli wouldn’t do this.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You still defend him?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That silence told me everything.
My father still loved him.
Even after everything.
I picked up the paper.
“Why would Mom write not to trust him?””
Marcus looked at the note.
His expression changed.
Because he knew.
He knew something.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Your mother found something.””
“What?””
“A message.””
I waited.
“From Elijah.””
My chest tightened.
“When?””
“Before she died.””
The room froze.
Darius stared at Marcus.
“You never told me that.””
Marcus looked away.
“Because I didn’t know what to believe.””
“What did the message say?”” I asked.
My father swallowed.
“She said she knew who was behind the missing money.””
“And?””
“She said Elijah wasn’t working alone.””
The words hit harder than anything before.
Not alone.
Another person.
Another secret.
Another betrayal.
Then Vanessa’s phone rang.
Everyone looked.
She ignored it.
It rang again.
Marcus held out his hand.
“Answer it.””
“No.””
“Answer it.””
She stared at him.
Then slowly picked up.
“Hello?””
Nobody spoke.
We only watched her face.
At first, she looked annoyed.
Then confused.
Then terrified.
She stood up.
“What?””
A pause.
“No, that’s not possible.””
Her hand started shaking.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Who is it?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
She slowly lowered the phone.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Elijah.””
