Chapter 5: The Secret Buried Under The Vale Name
The words remained on the screen long after the video disappeared.
*LOOK INSIDE YOUR OWN FAMILY.*
Nobody spoke.
The ballroom that had been filled with hundreds of voices earlier now felt like an abandoned building.
Adrian stood frozen.
He had spent his entire life protecting the Vale name.
The Vale name had been his inheritance.
His responsibility.
His identity.
But now it felt like a locked door.
And someone had just handed him the key.
“Play it again.””
His voice was quiet.
Nobody moved.
Adrian turned toward the technician standing near the sound system.
“Play the video again.””
The technician looked nervous.
“I can’t, sir.””
“Why?””
“The file deleted itself.””
Adrian stared.
“Files don’t delete themselves.””
The technician swallowed.
“This one did.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Adrian.””
“No.””
Adrian held up his hand.
“Not yet.””
He looked at the blank screen.
The image of Elena’s face was still burned into his mind.
Alive.
Terrified.
And somehow connected to his family.
His father.
His company.
His past.
Then he looked at Lily.
The little girl who had walked into a room full of strangers to save him.
The little girl whose mother was supposed to be dead.
“Where is she?””
Everyone looked at him.
Adrian’s eyes stayed on Marcus.
“Where is Elena?””
Marcus hesitated.
That was enough.
Adrian stepped forward.
“You know.””
Marcus looked away.
“I know where she was.””
“Was?””
Marcus sighed.
“Not anymore.””
The answer made Adrian’s chest tighten.
“What does that mean?””
“It means someone found her.””
Silence.
“When?””
Marcus looked toward the floor.
“Three days ago.””
Adrian’s expression changed.
Three days.
The same time Lily had appeared in his life.
The same time someone had tried to stop him from learning the truth.
“Who found her?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
Adrian grabbed the folder from his hand.
“Then I’ll find out myself.””
He opened the documents.
Most were financial records.
Property transfers.
Legal agreements.
Old company reports.
Then he saw something strange.
A page hidden between two files.
Not a contract.
Not a report.
A handwritten note.
The handwriting was Elena’s.
Adrian, if you are reading this, Marcus failed to keep me hidden.
Adrian stopped.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“She knew.””
Adrian continued.
I never wanted you involved. Your father tried to protect me because he discovered the truth too late.
Adrian looked up.
“My father protected her?””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
“But Elena said my father destroyed her life.””
“She believed that at first.””
“Why?””
Marcus looked toward the empty ballroom.
“Because your father was the face of the company.””
Adrian understood.
The public blamed the person at the top.
But behind the scenes?
There were always other hands.
He kept reading.
Your father discovered that the land acquisition was not about expansion. It was about destroying evidence.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
Evidence.
“Evidence of what?””
Marcus answered.
“The reason Elena was targeted.””
Victoria suddenly spoke.
“Because she stole company information.””
Everyone turned.
Adrian looked at her.
“You still want to defend this?””
“I’m telling you what happened.””
“No. You’re telling me your version.””
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“You think I’m the villain because it’s easier.””
Adrian stared.
“Isn’t it?””
The question hit her.
She looked away.
Marcus shook his head.
“Adrian, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Your father was not innocent.””
That surprised him.
Marcus continued.
“He made terrible decisions.””
Adrian said nothing.
“He covered things up. He protected the company. He protected his reputation.””
“Then why defend him?””
“I’m not.””
Marcus looked at the photograph of Elena.
“I’m saying he changed.””
Adrian looked at him.
“When?””
“The night he found out what happened to Elena.””
A memory surfaced.
His father.
Cold.
Distant.
The man who taught Adrian that emotions were weaknesses.
The man who rarely apologized.
The man who disappeared from family dinners and stayed in his office until midnight.
Adrian had always thought his father simply didn’t care.
But what if he had been carrying something?
Something unbearable.
“Where is my father’s archive?”” Adrian asked.
Marcus looked surprised.
“You believe me?””
“No.””
Adrian closed the folder.
“But I believe Lily.””
The little girl looked up.
For the first time that night, Adrian saw something different in her eyes.
Not fear.
Hope.
A small smile appeared.
Then disappeared quickly.
Rachel approached.
“There’s something else.””
Adrian looked at her.
“What?””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small envelope.
“I found this with Elena’s records.””
Adrian took it.
“Why didn’t you show me earlier?””
“Because I didn’t know if I could trust you.””
He looked at her.
“Why?””
Rachel glanced at Victoria.
“Because Elena didn’t trust anyone with the Vale name.””
Adrian opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A family photograph.
His father.
His mother.
A younger Adrian.
And another child.
Adrian stared.
He had never seen the child before.
“Who is that?””
Nobody answered.
His eyes moved to the back of the photograph.
A date.
A location.
And a name.
*Daniel Vale.*
His hand froze.
Daniel.
His father had never mentioned a Daniel.
Not once.
“Who is Daniel Vale?””
Marcus’s face changed.
A terrible realization.
“You don’t know.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Know what?””
Marcus slowly sat down.
“Your father had another son.””
The room went silent.
Adrian laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because his mind couldn’t process it.
“No.””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
“My father had another child?””
“Yes.””
“Where is he?””
Marcus looked at the photograph.
“That is the question everyone has been trying to answer.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“Adrian.””
He turned.
Her expression was different.
Almost sympathetic.
But he couldn’t trust it anymore.
“What?””
“I wanted to tell you.””
“When?””
She didn’t answer.
“When were you planning to tell me?””
Victoria looked down.
And Adrian knew.
She had known.
Maybe not everything.
But enough.
“You knew about Daniel.””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because your father made me promise.””
Adrian stared.
“My father trusted you with this?””
Victoria’s eyes filled with emotion.
“He knew what would happen if the truth came out.””
“What would happen?””
She looked at him.
“Your family would destroy itself.””
Before Adrian could respond, Lily suddenly grabbed his hand.
She was shaking.
She pointed toward the photograph.
Not Daniel.
Someone else.
Adrian followed her finger.
The child in the photograph.
The boy standing beside young Adrian.
There was something familiar about him.
Something impossible.
Lily pulled out her notebook.
She wrote quickly.
Then handed it to Adrian.
Three words.
*He is alive.*
Adrian looked at Marcus.
“Daniel?””
Marcus slowly nodded.
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Nobody answered.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
Again.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
A voice spoke.
A young man.
Calm.
Cold.
“Adrian Vale?””
“Yes.””
“You’re looking for Daniel.””
Adrian froze.
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then:
“The person who knows why your father hid me.””
Adrian gripped the phone.
“Where are you?””
The voice lowered.
“Ask your fiancée.””
His eyes moved to Victoria.
She had gone completely still.
The voice continued.
“Because she knows exactly where your brother is.””
The call ended.
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
The entire room watched him.
He looked at Victoria.
And this time, he didn’t ask a question.
He simply said:
“Tell me where my brother is.””
May you like
Victoria said nothing.
But the fear in her eyes answered before her words did.
