Chapter 14: The Truth That Destroyed the Family
We reached the medical facility at 6:30 the following morning.
The building stood on the outskirts of Chicago, surrounded by a tall iron fence and security cameras.
A sign beside the entrance read:
*LAKESHORE PRIVATE NEUROLOGICAL CENTER.*
Daniel Foster walked beside me, carrying a court order.
Patricia followed in a separate car.
My newly discovered brother, Daniel Hayes, had agreed to cooperate with the investigation and was already inside speaking to authorities.
Claire had been detained the previous evening.
But we still didn't know where Adrian was.
Or what Richard intended to do next.
At the reception desk, a nurse examined the court order.
“Mr. Hayes?””
“Yes.””
“Your brother is in room 214.””
I pushed through the double doors.
Ethan was sitting beside a window.
He looked thinner than I expected, with dark circles beneath his eyes. His hair was uncombed, and his hands trembled slightly as he lifted a glass of water.
When he saw me, he stood.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he smiled.
“Marcus.””
I approached him.
“Are you all right?””
He laughed quietly.
“That's a complicated question.””
I offered my hand.
He took it.
His grip was weak, but steady.
“I wish we'd met under different circumstances,” I said.
“Me too.””
We sat down.
Daniel Foster remained near the door.
Ethan looked at him.
“Is Claire arrested?””
“Yes.””
“Adrian?””
“Still missing.””
Ethan nodded.
“I thought so.””
I studied his face.
“How long have you been here?””
“Three years.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Three years?””
“They told everyone I was receiving specialized treatment. I wasn't allowed to leave the facility without authorization.””
“Why didn't you contact the police?””
He looked down.
“They controlled my phone, my bank accounts, and my medical records. Every time I complained, Dr. Harrison documented that I was experiencing delusions.””
I remembered the ledger.
The payments.
The false assessments.
“Did he treat you?””
Ethan nodded.
“He gave me medication that made me sleepy. Sometimes I couldn't remember entire days.””
I clenched my fists.
“Did you know about the accident involving me?””
“No. Not until Adrian contacted me.””
“What did he tell you?””
“That you were recovering and that Claire needed my signature.””
I leaned forward.
“Why did you sign?””
Ethan looked ashamed.
“Because she told me she would let me go home.””
I looked at Daniel Foster.
He lowered his eyes.
Ethan continued.
“She said if I signed the ownership agreement, everything would be settled. She promised to give me my inheritance and let me live independently.””
“And you believed her?””
“I wanted to.””
His voice cracked.
“I spent years believing I was sick. I thought I was the problem. Every time I questioned something, they showed me another medical report.””
He rubbed his face.
“Then I found a letter from my father.””
I looked at him.
“What letter?””
Ethan reached into the bedside drawer.
He removed a folded piece of paper.
The handwriting was my father's.
Ethan,
If you're reading this, I hope you have finally found a way to understand what has happened.
You are not sick. You are not broken. And you do not need anyone's permission to live your life.
I have failed you by allowing other people to control your future.
I am sorry.
One day, your brothers will know the truth. Until then, remember that you deserve to be free.
I lowered the letter.
My father had known.
He had known what Claire was doing.
And he had tried to protect Ethan.
But he had died before he could finish.
“Where did you find this?”” I asked.
“Inside an old book in my room. Adrian brought it to me.””
“Why would he do that?””
Ethan looked toward the window.
“Because Adrian wanted me to know Claire had lied.””
I frowned.
“Then why did he help her?””
“Because he thought she would give him the company.””
Ethan paused.
“Adrian has spent his entire life trying to prove that Father loved him. Claire knew exactly how to use that.””
I nodded slowly.
“Where is Adrian now?””
“I don't know.””
He hesitated.
“But I know where Richard keeps his records.””
Daniel Foster stepped closer.
“Where?””
Ethan looked at me.
“The old family estate.””
My mother's house.
I frowned.
“That's where we met Richard.””
Ethan shook his head.
“Not the main house. There's a second building behind it. An old guest cottage.””
“What is there?””
“An office. Richard used it whenever he visited Claire.””
I stood.
“Then we need to go there.””
Ethan caught my sleeve.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
I turned.
“Tell me.””
He lowered his voice.
“Richard wasn't just hiding financial records. He had a list of everyone who helped him.””
“Who?””
Ethan looked at the door.
“Doctors. Bankers. Lawyers. Police officers.””
He paused.
“And one of them is still working inside your company.””
By 10:45 a.m., we were back at the Hayes estate.
Police officers surrounded the main house.
Daniel Hayes joined us, carrying the original trust documents.
Patricia waited beside the entrance.
She looked worried.
“Marcus, I received a call from the company.””
“What happened?””
“Someone accessed the executive payroll system overnight.””
“Who?””
“An administrator account registered to Thomas Reed.””
I sighed.
“Of course.””
Patricia handed me a printed report.
“There's more. Thomas authorized a payment of $3.2 million to a company called Redstone Advisory.””
I looked at Daniel Foster.
“Richard?””
“Most likely.””
We entered the guest cottage.
The room smelled of old tobacco and damp wood.
A desk stood beneath the window.
Inside its drawers, we found several passports, financial records, and a collection of photographs.
One showed Richard standing beside Dr. Harrison.
Another showed Claire with Thomas Reed.
The final photograph made me stop.
It showed Vanessa.
She was standing beside Richard outside a hotel.
The date was six months before my accident.
I stared at the image.
“Daniel.””
He examined it.
“Looks like they knew each other long before the accident.””
Patricia picked up another document.
“Marcus, look.””
It was a handwritten payment schedule.
The first payment had been made to Raymond Cole.
The second went to Dr. Harrison.
The third went to Derrick.
And the final payment was listed under a name I recognized.
Vanessa Hayes.
I felt my stomach turn.
“She wasn't just helping Derrick.””
Daniel nodded.
“She was being paid.””
I looked at the amount.
$500,000.
The description beside it read:
For cooperation in the medical incapacity arrangement.
I closed my eyes.
My wife had accepted half a million dollars to help convince the world I would never recover.
Then my phone rang.
A private number.
I answered.
“Marcus.””
A familiar voice replied.
“It's Thomas.””
“What do you want?””
“I need to talk to you.””
“About the missing money?””
“About Richard.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Where are you?””
“Outside the company headquarters.””
“Stay there.””
Thomas lowered his voice.
“He knows I've been talking to the police.””
“Who?””
“Richard.””
A pause.
“Marcus, he's coming for you.””
The line went dead.
We returned to the office.
Thomas was waiting in the underground parking garage.
He looked exhausted.
His tie was loose, and his shirt was stained with coffee.
When he saw me, he immediately raised both hands.
“I'm not armed.””
I stopped several feet away.
“Start talking.””
Thomas swallowed.
“Richard contacted me last night. He wants the original ledger.””
“He already tried to get it.””
“He doesn't know whether the copy is complete.””
“Why would he trust you?””
“Because I worked for him before I worked for your father.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Thomas nodded.
“I was twenty-six when Richard hired me. He introduced me to Harold. He told me the company needed someone who understood finance.””
“And you helped him steal from us?””
Thomas looked down.
“At first, yes.””
My hands tightened.
“Then why did you stay?””
“Because I fell in love with the company. Your father trusted me. I wanted to fix what I'd done.””
I said nothing.
Thomas reached into his jacket.
He removed a small flash drive.
“This contains the complete transaction history. Every payment. Every account. Every person involved.””
I took it.
“Why give it to me now?””
“Because Richard is planning to leave the country.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Where?””
Thomas looked toward the entrance.
“Private airport. Tonight.””
I looked at him.
“Is Adrian with him?””
Thomas nodded.
“And someone else.””
“Who?””
Thomas swallowed.
“Vanessa.””
I closed my eyes.
She had been released on bail pending further investigation.
Apparently, she hadn't learned anything.
Thomas continued.
“Richard promised Vanessa a new identity and enough money to disappear.””
I looked at Daniel.
“We need to stop them.””
Daniel nodded.
But before we could move, the garage lights went out.
A vehicle engine started behind us.
Thomas screamed.
Then a black SUV accelerated toward the three of us.
I heard Daniel shout my name.
I jumped sideways.
The vehicle struck Thomas.
His body disappeared beneath the front of the SUV before it crashed into a concrete pillar.
The driver reversed.
Then sped away.
I rushed toward Thomas.
Blood was spreading across the concrete beneath his head.
“Thomas!””
His eyes opened briefly.
He grabbed my sleeve.
“Marcus…”
“Don't move. Help is coming.””
He struggled to speak.
“Your father…”
“What?””
“He didn't leave you the company because you were his favorite.””
I leaned closer.
Thomas coughed.
“He left it to you because you were the only one who didn't know the truth.””
His hand tightened around mine.
Then he whispered the final words.
“Richard isn't your uncle's old business partner.””
May you like
I froze.
“He's your biological father.””
