Chapter 10 - THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BIRTH
I stared at my mother.
“What did you say?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Your father isn't Richard.”
I looked at Gabriel.
He closed his eyes.
Daniel stepped back.
Elise lowered her head.
Everyone knew.
Everyone except me.
My mother whispered:
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“When you were safe.”
“I was never safe.”
“I know.”
“Who is my father?”
She looked at Gabriel.
Then at me.
“Michael.”
“Who is Michael?”
“Your father's closest friend.”
I frowned.
“I don't know anyone named Michael.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
My mother began crying.
“Richard raised you.”
“Because?”
“Because Michael was killed.”
I stared.
“Killed by who?”
“Victor.”
I couldn't breathe.
My mother continued.
“Michael discovered what Victor was doing.”
“And Dad?”
“Richard promised to protect you.”
“So he raised me.”
“Yes.”
I sat beside her.
Everything suddenly made sense.
My father's protectiveness.
His secrets.
His fear.
His refusal to discuss my birth.
But there was another question.
“Why did you marry Richard?”
My mother looked away.
“I loved Michael.”
I felt tears fill my eyes.
“Then why?”
“Because Michael died before you were born.”
“Richard knew?”
“Yes.”
“And Gabriel?”
“He helped us disappear.”
I looked at my uncle.
“You knew my whole life.”
“Yes.”
I felt anger rising.
“You all lied to me.”
“We were afraid.”
“Of Victor?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is Victor still alive?”
My mother looked terrified.
“He shouldn't be.”
“What?”
“Your father believed Victor died twelve years ago.”
“But he didn't.”
“No.”
She squeezed my hand.
“He changed his name.”
“To what?”
She whispered:
“Carmen's husband.”
I froze.
“Carmen is married?”
“Was.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
I stared.
My mother continued.
“He used the name Anthony Carter.”
I couldn't breathe.
Carmen hadn't simply been working for Victor.
She had been married to him.
Daniel was their son.
I turned toward Daniel.
He looked devastated.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Your father?”
“My father died when I was young.”
“Carmen's husband.”
“Yes.”
I looked at Elise.
She nodded.
“This is why Daniel was recruited.”
“To get close to me.”
“Yes.”
I looked at Daniel.
“So Carmen used her own son.”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
I couldn't speak.
Then my mother whispered:
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Michael didn't die.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He survived.”
I stared.
“Where is he?”
“We don't know.”
“Mom.”
“He disappeared.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I felt tears fall.
Another person.
Another secret.
Another lie.
Then the hospital lights flickered.
A nurse ran into the room.
“Security alert.”
“What happened?”
“Someone entered the restricted floor.”
Gabriel immediately stood.
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
Then the hallway lights went out.
A shadow moved outside the room.
Daniel stepped in front of me.
Elise locked the door.
Someone tried the handle.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A voice came through the door.
“It's me.”
My blood froze.
My father's voice.
“Richard?”
Gabriel looked at me.
“Don't open it.”
The voice came again.
“Sofia, it's Dad.”
I started crying.
I wanted to open the door.
But Gabriel held me back.
Then another voice spoke from the hallway.
A woman's voice.
Carmen.
“You really should have trusted your uncle.”
The door shook.
Someone was trying to force it open.
Gabriel looked at me.
“There's another exit.”
We moved toward the emergency stairwell.
My mother was still unconscious.
Daniel helped carry her.
We escaped through the stairs.
Behind us, the hospital alarm began screaming.
We reached the parking garage.
A vehicle was waiting.
My father stepped out.
Alive.
Real.
He looked at me.
“Sofia.”
I ran toward him.
He caught me.
I cried against his chest.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you lie?”
“Because I had to.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
He pulled away.
“This time, you need to listen.”
“What?”
He looked toward the hospital.
“Carmen isn't after your inheritance anymore.”
“Then what does she want?”
My father looked at me.
“You.”
I froze.
“Why?”
“Because you're the last person who knows where Michael hid the original ledger.”
I shook my head.
“I don't know.”
My father whispered:
“You do.”
“What?”
He touched the silver bracelet on my wrist.
“You've had the key with you your entire life.”
I stared at the bracelet.
The same bracelet he had given me.
The same bracelet that recorded Carmen's attack.
I pressed the small stone.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a tiny memory chip.
My father looked at it.
Then his expression changed.
“It's here.”
“What?”
“The original ledger.”
I stared.
My father's voice dropped.
“And Carmen knows it.”
Suddenly, headlights appeared across the parking garage.
Several vehicles entered.
Carmen stepped out of the first one.
She wasn't alone.
Beside her stood Victor.
And behind them was Daniel's father.
Alive.
My father looked at me.
“Run.”
But I couldn't.
Because for the first time, all the people who had been hiding from me were standing in the same place.
And Carmen smiled.
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“Now,” she said, “we can finally finish what your father started twenty-five years ago.”
Mình viết tiếp liền Chapter 11 → Chapter 15, nối đúng từ cảnh đối đầu trong bãi đỗ xe và đi đến kết thúc câu chuyện.
