Chapter 10: The Man Who Buried His Own Family
“Hello, son.””
Marcus couldn't move.
The elderly man standing in Daniel's doorway looked exactly like the father he had buried seven years earlier.
The same silver hair.
The same sharp jaw.
The same gold watch Marcus had given him on his sixtieth birthday.
But Marcus had watched his father's coffin lowered into the ground. He had stood beside his mother, holding her hand while she cried.
He had attended the funeral.
He had delivered the eulogy.
And now the dead man was standing in front of him.
“Dad?”” Marcus whispered.
The man smiled faintly.
“It's been a long time.””
Marcus took one step backward.
“No. You're dead.””
“Apparently, that's what everyone believes.””
Detective Harris immediately raised his weapon.
“Don't move!””
The elderly man looked at him without concern.
“My name is Richard Hale. I would appreciate it if you lowered that weapon.””
“Put your hands where I can see them,” Harris ordered.
Richard slowly raised both hands.
Daniel, still restrained by two officers, began laughing.
“Welcome home, Father.””
Marcus turned toward his brother.
“You knew?””
Daniel's laughter stopped.
“Of course I knew.””
“You knew Dad was alive?””
“Seven years ago, yes.””
Marcus felt something inside him break.
“You let me bury him.””
Daniel looked away.
“You buried an empty coffin.””
Marcus grabbed the edge of the table.
“Why?””
Richard answered instead.
“Because your mother had discovered the truth. I needed everyone to believe I was dead.””
Marcus looked at the man who had supposedly raised him.
“What truth?””
Richard walked toward the fireplace.
“Your mother discovered that I had been moving money out of the family business for years. She threatened to expose me. Daniel helped me arrange everything.””
Marcus stared.
“You killed her?””
Richard's expression didn't change.
“Your mother had a weak heart.””
“Don't.””
“She became emotional during an argument.””
“DON'T!””
Richard sighed.
“She collapsed. Daniel was there. We could have called an ambulance, but by then, she had already discovered the accounts. We made a decision.””
Marcus's eyes filled with tears.
“You let her die?””
Daniel lowered his head.
Richard continued as though he were discussing a business transaction.
“We staged my death shortly afterward. Your mother was gone, and there was no reason to remain in the public eye. Daniel handled the company while I operated through private accounts.””
Marcus could barely breathe.
His mother had died believing her husband had betrayed her.
And he had spent seven years believing he had lost both parents.
“Why did you come back?””
Richard looked at him.
“Because Daniel has become careless. He allowed your wife to discover the financial arrangements. He allowed Victoria to make mistakes. And now the police are involved.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You destroyed everything.””
Richard smiled.
“No, Marcus. I built everything.””
He pointed toward the family photographs.
“This mansion. The company. The fortune.
Your comfortable life. All of it came from decisions you were too innocent to understand.””
Marcus stepped toward him.
“You stole my wife. You stole my children. You stole my mother's life.””
Richard's smile disappeared.
“Your wife was never supposed to become part of this arrangement.””
“What arrangement?””
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Tell him.””
Daniel remained silent.
Richard's voice hardened.
“Tell him about the twins.””
Marcus turned.
“What about my twins?””
Richard slowly removed a folded document from his coat.
“Your father was never certain which child would inherit the family business. So I made sure both branches of the family remained under my control.””
Marcus stared at him.
Richard unfolded the paper.
“Your wife gave birth to two children. A boy and a girl. Noah and Lily.””
“Yes.””
“Daniel wanted the boy. Victoria wanted the girl. I wanted both children separated so neither could become a threat to the family's financial arrangements.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You're talking about babies.””
“I'm talking about heirs.””
Richard placed the document on the table.
It was an original hospital record.
Both children's names appeared beneath Elina's.
But there was something else.
A handwritten note in the margin.
Biological father: Marcus Hale.
Marcus stared at the words.
Richard continued.
“Daniel was never the father of either child. He simply wanted everyone to believe he was connected to the next generation of the Hale family.””
Marcus looked at his brother.
“Why did you let them tell me Lily wasn't mine?””
Daniel's face twisted.
“Because I hated you.””
The admission came quietly.
“You had everything. Father chose you to inherit the company. Mother loved you more.
You married Elina. You had the family I wanted.””
Marcus stared at him.
“So you stole my children?””
“I wanted something that belonged to you.””
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“But I never wanted them hurt.””
Marcus gave a bitter laugh.
“You let them grow up believing their mother was dead.””
Richard interrupted.
“Enough. We have more important matters.””
He reached inside his coat again.
Harris immediately shouted.
“Don't move!””
But Richard wasn't reaching for a weapon.
He pulled out a small remote control.
A red light blinked on its surface.
“Your wife is currently at an old property outside the city,” Richard said.
“And unless you cooperate, you may never see her again.””
Marcus's blood ran cold.
“Where is Elina?””
Richard pressed a button.
A screen mounted above the fireplace turned on.
The image showed a small room.
Elina was sitting on a chair, holding Lily tightly against her.
A second figure stood behind them.
Marcus recognized the face.
Thomas Reed.
The mysterious man who had received Victoria's payments.
Richard smiled.
“Your wife has been very difficult to manage.””
Marcus turned toward Detective Harris.
“Find that location.””
Harris was already speaking into his radio.
Richard pressed another button.
The screen went black.
“You have five minutes to decide, Marcus. Sign the ownership transfer, and your wife and daughter walk free.””
“And Noah?””
Richard shrugged.
“Daniel can keep him.””
Marcus looked at his father.
“You really believe I'll trade my family for a company?””
Richard's expression hardened.
“You always were sentimental.””
Then Marcus smiled.
For the first time that night, Richard looked uncertain.
“You made one mistake,” Marcus said.
Richard narrowed his eyes.
“What mistake?””
“You assumed I came here without understanding what you were doing.””
Marcus held up his phone.
The recording indicator was still running.
Every confession had been captured.
Daniel's threats.
Richard's admission about their mother.
The kidnapping.
The false death certificate.
Everything.
Richard lunged toward him.
Harris shouted.
The officers pulled Richard to the ground.
The remote control slipped from his hand and shattered against the marble floor.
Daniel began screaming.
“YOU IDIOT! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GET US OUT!””
Richard struggled against the officers.
“You ungrateful fool!””
The two men who had spent years controlling everyone around them were finally fighting each other.
Marcus didn't watch.
He ran outside.
Detective Harris followed.
“Mr. Hale, we have a possible location!””
Within minutes, police vehicles were racing toward an abandoned lakeside property.
Marcus sat in the passenger seat, clutching Elina's photograph.
He kept repeating the same sentence.
“Please be alive. Please be alive.””
When they reached the property, officers surrounded the building.
A metal door stood partially open.
Marcus ran inside before anyone could stop him.
“ELINA!””
A familiar voice answered.
“Marcus?””
He followed it down a narrow hallway.
At the end stood a small room.
Elina was holding Lily.
The little girl turned.
“DADDY!””
Marcus dropped to his knees.
Lily ran into his arms.
He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head.
Then he looked at Elina.
She was crying.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Marcus crossed the room and wrapped his arms around his wife.
“I found you,” he whispered.
Elina buried her face against his chest.
“You came.””
“I should have found you sooner.””
“No,” she whispered.
“You came when I needed you.””
Marcus held her for a long time.
Then Lily pulled on his sleeve.
“Daddy?””
He looked down.
“Yes, sweetheart?””
“Can we go get Noah?””
Marcus smiled through his tears.
“Yes. We're bringing your brother home.””
An officer entered the room.
“Mr. Hale, we found the boy. He's safe.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
His family was finally coming back together.
But as they walked outside, Elina stopped.
She looked toward the dark lake.
“Marcus?””
“What is it?””
“There's something else you need to know.””
He turned toward her.
“Not another secret.””
Elina shook her head.
“This one isn't about Daniel or your father.””
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Marcus's mother holding a newborn baby.
On the back was a date.
Seven years earlier.
The same year his mother supposedly died.
Marcus frowned.
“What's this?””
Elina looked directly into his eyes.
“Your mother knew Richard was alive. She had another child before she died.””
Marcus stared at the photograph.
A baby boy.
And beside the picture was a name.
*JAMES HALE.*
“Who is he?”” Marcus whispered.
Elina took his hand.
“Your younger brother.””
Marcus looked toward the police vehicles.
“Where is he?””
Elina swallowed.
“Richard knows.””
Before Marcus could ask another question, Detective Harris approached with his phone.
“Mr. Hale, we have a problem.””
Marcus turned.
“What now?””
“The old hospital records show that Richard Hale had another emergency contact registered under his name.””
“Who?””
Harris looked down at the screen.
Then he showed Marcus a recent photograph.
A young man stood outside a courthouse, wearing a dark suit.
He had Marcus's eyes.
And Richard's unmistakable smile.
“His name is James,” Harris said.
“And according to our records, he's been working inside Hale Industries for the past three years.””
Marcus stared at the photograph.
Three years.
His missing brother had been living under his roof without anyone knowing.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
Congratulations on finding your family, Marcus.
A second message followed.
But you still haven't found the person who ordered your mother's murder.
Marcus looked at Elina.
She was already crying.
And then, for the first time, she said the words he had been dreading.
“Marcus… your mother didn't die because Richard wanted the company.””
He swallowed.
“Then why?””
Elina looked at the photograph.
“Because she discovered which of her sons was responsible for your father's crimes.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Which son?””
Elina slowly lifted her eyes.
Then she whispered:
May you like
“James.””
*And somewhere inside Hale Industries, the youngest Hale brother was watching the entire family fall apart.*
