Chapter 6: The Man in My Father's Grave
I couldn't speak.
For eight months, I had visited my father's grave every Sunday.
I had placed fresh flowers beside his headstone. I had spoken to him about the business, about Lily, and about the grief I couldn't seem to escape.
I had stood at his funeral and watched the coffin lowered into the ground.
And now Victoria was telling me that the man inside it wasn't my father.
“Prove it,” I said.
Victoria reached into the metal case and pulled out a folded document.
It was a death certificate.
My father's name was printed across the top.
But the signature belonged to a doctor I had never heard of.
I took the paper.
“Who is this doctor?””
“Someone Richard paid,” Victoria replied.
I stared at her.
“You expect me to believe that my father disappeared, someone else was buried in his place, and nobody noticed?””
Victoria nodded.
“Your father arranged everything. He needed to disappear before Richard discovered how much evidence he had collected.””
Ethan laughed nervously.
“That's ridiculous.””
Victoria turned toward him.
“Is it?””
She reached into her handbag and pulled out another photograph.
This one showed our father standing outside a small coastal house.
He looked older, thinner, but unmistakably alive.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where did you get that?””
“From the man who took it.””
“Who?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Instead, she looked toward the greenhouse door.
A vehicle engine sounded outside.
Headlights swept across the glass roof.
My daughter looked up.
“Daddy, is that Grandpa?””
I turned toward her.
“Sweetheart, stay where you are.””
The headlights went dark.
A car door slammed.
Then someone knocked three times against the greenhouse entrance.
One.
Two.
Three.
My blood ran cold.
Elina used to knock like that.
I looked at Victoria.
“Who is it?””
She whispered, “The man who started all of this.””
The door opened.
An elderly man stepped inside, leaning heavily on a wooden cane.
His hair had turned almost completely white. His face was thinner, and a long scar ran from his left temple toward his cheek.
But his eyes were familiar.
I had seen those eyes my entire life.
“Dad?””
The man stopped.
For several seconds, he simply stared at me.
Then his face crumpled.
“Marcus.””
I couldn't move.
My father took one unsteady step forward.
“Son.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
He stopped.
“Please, let me explain.””
“No!””
My voice cracked.
“You let me bury you!””
He lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
“You let me stand at your funeral!””
“I had no choice.””
“You let me tell Lily her grandfather was dead!””
His eyes filled with tears.
“I know, Marcus.””
I moved toward him.
“Do you have any idea what that did to us?””
He nodded slowly.
“I do.””
“No, you don't!””
I pointed toward the photographs and documents.
“You disappeared. You let your family believe you were dead. Elina was imprisoned beneath my house.
My daughter was taken at gunpoint. And you expect me to listen to an explanation?””
My father looked at Lily.
“Is that my little granddaughter?””
Lily hid behind the chair.
I stepped in front of her.
“Don't come near her.””
He stopped immediately.
Then he turned toward Ethan.
“Your brother is right, Ethan. This has gone too far.””
Ethan raised his gun again.
“Don't you dare tell me what's right!””
My father closed his eyes.
“Put the gun down.””
“You ruined my life!””
“I know.””
“You gave Marcus everything!””
“I know.””
“You made me believe I was nothing!””
My father looked at him with an expression of unbearable sadness.
“I made a terrible mistake.””
Ethan's hand trembled.
I stared at my father.
“What mistake?””
He looked at me.
“Twenty-three years ago, I discovered that Richard Cole was using our business to steal money. I tried to expose him, but he threatened your mother.””
I frowned.
“Our mother died when we were children.””
My father nodded.
“She did. But before she died, she discovered something Richard had hidden from me.””
He paused.
“Richard had been stealing from our family for years. He was also using the company to fund illegal operations.””
Ethan shook his head.
“That's not what you told me.””
My father looked at him.
“Because I didn't know the whole truth until much later.””
He reached into his coat and removed a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of two newborn babies.
I recognized the hospital bracelet around one baby's wrist.
It had my surname.
My father looked between us.
“Marcus, Ethan, there is something neither of you knows.””
Ethan frowned.
“What now?””
My father took a deep breath.
“The reason Richard had so much control over our family was that he knew a secret about your birth.””
The greenhouse became silent.
I looked at Ethan.
Then at the photograph.
“What secret?””
My father swallowed.
“Ethan isn't your biological brother.””
Ethan went completely still.
My father continued.
“Richard Cole is his biological father.””
The words seemed to hang in the air.
Ethan's gun lowered.
“No.””
My father nodded.
“Your mother had an affair with Richard before Ethan was born. I knew the truth, but I raised him as my own son.””
Ethan shook his head violently.
“You're lying!””
“I wanted you to have a family.””
“You hated me!””
“I never hated you.””
“You gave Marcus the company because he was your real son!””
My father looked devastated.
“I gave Marcus the company because he had spent years building it. But I never intended to leave you with nothing.””
Ethan's face twisted.
“Then why did Richard tell me you were going to destroy me?””
My father looked sharply at him.
“Because Richard has been manipulating you.””
I turned toward Victoria.
“And you?””
She lowered her head.
“I knew Ethan was Richard's son. Richard promised me money and protection if I helped him recover the foundation accounts.””
“Why did you keep Elina alive?””
Victoria's eyes filled.
“Because she had the original transaction records. Richard needed them.””
My father shook his head.
“No. He needed something much more important.””
He reached into his pocket and removed a small USB drive.
“This contains the names of everyone involved in the operation. Politicians, bankers, company directors, and people who have been helping Richard for years.””
I stared at the drive.
“Why didn't you give this to the police?””
“Because Richard has people inside the police department.””
A sudden noise came from outside.
Tires screeched.
Then headlights flooded the greenhouse.
My father looked toward the windows.
His expression changed.
“He found us.””
Daniel rushed toward the door.
“Everyone get down!””
A gunshot shattered the glass.
Lily screamed.
I threw myself over my daughter as pieces of glass rained across the floor.
Another shot struck the wooden chest.
My father fell to one knee.
“Dad!””
I crawled toward him.
Blood was spreading across his shirt.
He grabbed my wrist.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
“Don't move. I'm calling an ambulance.””
“No time.””
He pressed the USB drive into my hand.
“Your wife knows where the real evidence is.””
I looked toward the door.
“Elina?””
My father nodded.
“She didn't just discover the accounts. She discovered what happened to your mother.””
My entire body went cold.
Before I could ask another question, a figure appeared outside the shattered greenhouse window.
A man wearing a dark coat.
He raised a gun.
And when he stepped into the light, I recognized the face from the photograph.
Richard Cole.
He looked directly at me.
Then he smiled.
“Hello, Marcus. It's been a long time.””
Behind me, my father whispered his final warning.
“Don't let him take Lily. She's the only one who knows where your mother is.””
I turned toward him.
“What?””
But before he could explain, the greenhouse lights went out.
May you like
And in the darkness, someone grabbed my daughter.
“Daddy!””
