CHAPTER 13 — THE MAN BEHIND THE THREATS
Anna's words changed everything.
Rebecca was dying.
After twenty-eight years of secrets, lies, disappearances, forged documents, and people hunting us—
the woman at the center of it all was dying.
And she wanted to see us.
Both daughters.
Before midnight.
James didn't trust it.
Neither did I.
He kept his position between Anna and Emma.
“Where is Rebecca?”
Anna looked at him.
“I can't tell you.”
James's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, they will follow you.”
“Who?”
Anna shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Anna looked at me.
“Rebecca has spent twenty-eight years running.”
“From Victor?”
“From everyone.”
“Why?”
“Because the person behind the threats isn't Victor.”
My father whispered:
“Then who?”
Anna looked at him.
“You know.”
My father went pale.
“No.”
“You've always known.”
James stepped forward.
“Name him.”
Anna hesitated.
Then said:
“Thomas Walker.”
My grandfather.
I stared at her.
“He's dead.”
Anna shook her head.
“Officially.”
My blood went cold.
“What does that mean?”
“He faked his death.”
My father closed his eyes.
“Anna…”
She turned toward him.
“You lied to your daughter.”
My father whispered:
“I was protecting her.”
“You've been saying that for twenty-eight years.”
I looked at my father.
“Is Grandpa alive?”
He didn't answer.
James's voice became cold.
“Is he?”
My father finally nodded.
“Yes.”
My stomach dropped.
“Where?”
“We don't know.”
Anna laughed bitterly.
“You do.”
My father looked at her.
“Stop.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You owe her the truth.”
My father stared at me.
“Your grandfather controls the offshore accounts.”
“The two hundred million?”
“Yes.”
“And Victor works for him?”
“Yes.”
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is Elias?”
My father hesitated.
“Elias betrayed Thomas.”
I looked at Anna.
“That's why he was hunted.”
She nodded.
“Elias discovered what Thomas had done.”
“What did he discover?”
“That Thomas planned to eliminate Rebecca and both children.”
My heart stopped.
“Why?”
“Because Rebecca had the evidence.”
“And the twins?”
“Because one day you would inherit the trust.”
James asked:
“Why does Thomas need the trust?”
Anna looked at him.
“Because without it, his entire empire collapses.”
She handed James a document.
“Look.”
He read it.
His face changed.
“Debt.”
Anna nodded.
“Thomas borrowed against everything.”
“How much?”
“Billions.”
My father added:
“If the trust activates tonight, his creditors can seize his remaining assets.”
James looked at me.
“So that's the real deadline.”
Anna nodded.
“Midnight.”
“What happens if I don't sign?”
“Thomas loses everything.”
“And if I do?”
“He gets control.”
I looked at Emma.
“And what happens to her?”
Anna's face became cold.
“She becomes a hostage.”
Silence.
James folded the document.
“We're not going to Rebecca.”
Anna looked at him.
“You have to.”
“No.”
“She may be dying.”
“I know.”
“She is your wife's mother.”
“I know.”
“She wants to see her daughters.”
James looked at me.
“And I want my wife and daughter alive tomorrow.”
Anna didn't argue.
Instead, she asked:
“Do you know what happened to your wife's sister?”
I looked at her.
“She's here.”
Anna shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed toward herself.
“I am one of the twins.”
My heart stopped.
“Then who is the other?”
Anna looked at me.
“You.”
I stared at her.
“No.”
She nodded.
“Rebecca had two daughters.”
“You and me.”
“Yes.”
“But there was another woman in the hospital photograph.”
Anna's expression changed.
“That wasn't another daughter.”
“Then who?”
“My aunt.”
I froze.
The entire story suddenly became even more complicated.
James looked at the files.
“Then who is the woman in the hospital?”
Anna answered:
“Rebecca's sister.”
My father shook his head.
“Rebecca had no sister.”
Anna smiled sadly.
“That's what she wanted everyone to believe.”
I stared at my father.
He looked terrified.
Anna continued.
“Your grandmother didn't have four children.”
My father whispered:
“Don't.”
“She had five.”
The room went silent.
Rebecca wasn't the only secret child.
There was another.
A daughter whose existence had been erased before any of us were born.
And she had a son.
Thomas Walker.
My grandfather.
My stomach turned.
“You're saying Grandpa was…”
Anna nodded.
“Rebecca's half-brother.”
James stared.
“And that changes what?”
Anna looked at him.
“Everything.”
She opened another folder.
Inside were genealogy records.
My grandfather's biological mother was not Eleanor Walker.
It was a woman named Clara Hale.
Victor Hale's mother.
I stared.
“Wait.”
James read the documents.
“Thomas Walker was Victor Hale's uncle.”
Anna nodded.
My father whispered:
“They were family.”
My stomach dropped.
“Victor and Grandpa were related?”
“Yes.”
“And nobody knew?”
“Everyone who mattered knew.”
James suddenly understood.
“That's why Victor had access.”
Anna nodded.
“And why the trust was never safe.”
My father sat down.
“I tried to stop them.”
I looked at him.
“You worked with them.”
“I was forced.”
“You betrayed Rebecca.”
“I saved you.”
“By lying to me.”
“Yes.”
I turned away.
Tears burned my eyes.
James came beside me.
Anna watched us.
Then her expression changed.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Daniel isn't working for Thomas.”
James looked at her.
“Then who?”
Anna whispered:
“Elias.”
I froze.
“My biological father?”
“Yes.”
“Why would he threaten us?”
“He isn't threatening you.”
“Then who is?”
Anna looked toward the window.
“The man you saw at the railway station wasn't Daniel.”
I frowned.
“It was.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Daniel died six years ago.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Anna pointed to the photograph.
The man with the scar.
“That's not Daniel.”
“Who is he?”
Anna whispered:
“Thomas Walker.”
The room became silent.
My grandfather.
Alive.
Watching us.
Pretending to be his own grandson.
James immediately moved toward the window.
Outside, a black car sat across the street.
Its headlights were off.
A man stood beside it.
Gray hair.
Tall.
A scar across his temple.
James's hand tightened.
Anna whispered:
“He found us.”
The man outside raised his hand.
Not waving.
Showing three fingers.
Then two.
Then one.
My mother began crying.
“What does that mean?”
Anna looked at me.
“Rebecca's code.”
I stared at the man outside.
Anna whispered:
“It means…”
“He's coming for his family.”
The car disappeared down the street.
James turned toward me.
“We have less time than we thought.”
“How much?”
He checked his watch.
“Seven hours.”
I looked at Emma.
Then at Anna.
Then at my mother.
Finally, at my father.
For twenty-eight years, everyone had been protecting a secret.
Now the secret was coming for us.
May you like
And this time—
I wasn't running.
