Chapter 11: What Daniel Saw
I stared at my son.
“Daniel, sweetheart, what do you mean?””
He clutched his toy airplane.
“Grandpa pushed Grandma.””
My father slowly turned toward him.
“Daniel, we discussed this.””
The boy shook his head.
“You said not to tell.””
I knelt.
“It's okay. You're safe.””
Daniel looked at my father.
Then at me.
“Grandma was crying. She said she didn't want to do it anymore.””
My mother covered her mouth.
I looked at her.
“What was he talking about?””
Eleanor shook her head.
“Marcus, please.””
My father struck the floor with his walking stick.
“Enough.””
Daniel flinched.
Nia immediately stepped between the boy and my father.
“Don't you dare frighten him.””
My father looked irritated.
“Remove that woman.””
Nobody moved.
Then David spoke.
“Mr. Carter, police officers are on their way. I strongly recommend you cooperate.””
My father laughed.
“Police? Do you think I have spent forty years building this family without understanding how institutions work?””
He reached into his jacket.
A small black remote appeared in his hand.
David froze.
“What is that?””
My father pressed a button.
Somewhere beneath the lodge, a mechanical sound echoed.
A heavy door slammed.
Then a security alarm began ringing.
My father smiled.
“The evidence room is sealed.””
I looked toward the hallway.
“What evidence room?””
“The one your little investigation was hoping to find.””
He turned to me.
“Everything about the children. The payments. The hospital records.
The original agreements. It's all down there.””
David took a cautious step forward.
“Then give us access.””
“No.””
My father looked toward Eleanor.
“Tell him why.””
My mother shook her head.
“Alexander, stop.””
He raised his voice.
“Tell him!””
Eleanor began crying.
“I didn't know it would go this far.””
I turned toward her.
“Didn't know what?””
She looked at Nia.
Then at me.
“I knew about the accident. I knew your father had arranged for the car to be tampered with. But I thought the intention was to frighten Nia into leaving you.””
I felt sick.
“Frighten her?””
“He wanted you to marry someone else. He wanted control of the company.””
“And the children?””
She lowered her eyes.
“He told me they would be safer separated.””
Nia stepped forward.
“You believed him?””
“I was afraid.””
“You had three years to tell the truth!””
“I know.””
“You let me work in a hotel kitchen while you raised my son!””
My mother began sobbing.
“I know!””
Nia slapped her.
The sound echoed through the room.
Eleanor stumbled backward.
My father raised his walking stick.
“Have you lost your mind?””
Nia turned toward him.
“You don't get to speak.””
For a moment, I thought he might strike her.
Instead, he pointed toward the staircase.
“Take the children upstairs.””
Eleanor didn't move.
“Eleanor!””
She looked at him.
Then something changed in her expression.
“No.””
My father stared.
“What did you say?””
“I said no.””
She stepped toward Daniel.
“Come here, sweetheart.””
Daniel hesitated.
Nia held out her arms.
“Come to Mommy.””
He slowly walked toward her.
Eleanor looked at me.
“Marcus, I need to tell you something.””
“Talk.””
“Your father wasn't the one who made the final decision about the accident.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He ordered Richard to sabotage the car. But someone else changed the instructions.””
My father stepped forward.
“Eleanor.””
She ignored him.
“The original plan was to make Nia believe you had died. Your father wanted her isolated and frightened. He wanted her to sign away her parental rights.””
Nia shook her head.
“But I never signed anything.””
“I know. You were unconscious.””
“Then who changed the plan?””
Eleanor looked at my father.
“Alexander wanted the crash to be fatal.””
My stomach turned.
I stared at him.
“You tried to kill my wife?””
He shrugged.
“She was a threat.””
Nia held Daniel tighter.
My father continued.
“You have no idea what that woman could have done to the company. Your grandfather's trust gave the first grandson control. Nia could have influenced you. She could have taken everything.””
I stared at him.
“So you tried to murder her for shares?””
He looked almost amused.
“Business is rarely personal.””
I stepped toward him.
“You destroyed my family.””
“I preserved it.””
Then Daniel spoke.
“Grandpa, why did you push Grandma?””
My father froze.
I turned.
“Daniel, what happened?””
The boy pointed toward my father.
“Grandma was holding a picture. Grandpa wanted it. They were shouting.””
My mother began shaking.
Daniel continued.
“Grandma said she was going to tell Daddy everything. Grandpa pushed her. She fell down the stairs.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“What picture?””
She began crying harder.
My father moved toward Daniel.
“That's enough.””
I blocked his path.
“Don't come near him.””
Daniel continued.
“Grandma didn't wake up.””
My heart hammered.
“Was that the night Grandma died?””
He nodded.
My mother slowly lifted her face.
“I wasn't dead, Marcus.””
I turned.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Three years ago, I was taken to hospital after the fall. Your father told everyone I had died.””
I stared at her.
“You're Eleanor.””
She shook her head.
“No. I'm the woman who has been standing beside you at every funeral, every holiday, every business meeting.””
She looked at the man beside the fireplace.
“The woman who died that night was my twin sister.””
The room fell silent.
I stared at my mother.
“My aunt?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Her name was Evelyn.””
I remembered an old family photograph.
Two identical women standing beside my father.
My mother had always told me the other woman had moved overseas.
I looked at the man holding the walking stick.
“You let me believe my mother was dead?””
He smiled.
“Evelyn was easier to control.””
Eleanor continued.
“After the accident, Alexander needed someone to maintain the appearance of a stable family. Evelyn agreed to impersonate me for a time.””
My mind struggled to keep up.
“And where were you?””
“In a private medical facility. He kept me sedated. When I recovered, he told me you had rejected me.””
I stared.
“Why didn't you contact me?””
“I tried.””
She pulled a small photograph from her coat.
It showed me standing beside Nia on our wedding day.
On the back was a message.
I am still your mother. Please don't believe everything he tells you.
My hands trembled.
“Why didn't I receive this?””
“Because he intercepted everything.””
My father laughed.
“You're making yourself sound innocent, Eleanor.””
She turned toward him.
“I was never innocent. But I am done protecting you.””
He lifted the remote again.
David suddenly moved.
He grabbed my father's wrist.
The remote fell.
I kicked it beneath the sofa.
My father struck David with his walking stick.
David stumbled.
I lunged forward and pushed my father against the fireplace.
“Where is the third child?””
His face twisted.
“You're still asking about that girl?””
“Where is she?””
He smiled.
“Ask your mother.””
I turned toward Eleanor.
She was staring at him in horror.
Then she whispered:
“Amelia isn't the third child.””
I felt my blood run cold.
“What?””
Eleanor looked at Nia.
“Amelia is Evelyn's daughter.””
The room seemed to disappear.
Nia shook her head.
“No.””
My father laughed.
“Now we're finally getting somewhere.””
Eleanor continued.
“Your aunt Evelyn had a baby before she died. A daughter. Alexander switched the records because he wanted the child to inherit something.””
I stared at the photographs.
Amelia's face.
The hospital documents.
The DNA report.
Everything was suddenly uncertain.
Then Eleanor said the words that changed the entire investigation.
“The third baby was never given to Sophia.””
“Where is she?”” Nia whispered.
My mother looked toward the locked basement door.
“She's been here all along.””
A loud bang came from beneath the floor.
Then a girl's voice called out.
“Grandma?””
I turned toward the basement.
May you like
Someone was alive down there.
And she had just called Eleanor by the name Daniel used.
