Chapter 15: The Man Who Owned Everything
Daniel stared at the document.
Then at Michael.
Then back at the signature.
MICHAEL REED.
“No.”
Michael didn't move.
Daniel's voice became sharper.
“You told me you were my father's attorney.”
“I was.”
“You told me you helped Claire escape.”
“I did.”
“You told me you disappeared.”
“I did.”
Daniel held up the document.
“Then why does this say you own the Carter empire?”
Michael finally smiled.
“Because I never disappeared.”
Evelyn's men raised their weapons.
Arthur looked devastated.
“Michael…”
Michael turned toward him.
“You should have told your son the truth years ago.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“What truth?”
Michael walked toward him.
“The Carter fortune wasn't built by your father.”
Daniel looked at Arthur.
Arthur lowered his head.
“It was built by my grandfather,” Michael continued.
“Then stolen.”
Daniel frowned.
“Stolen from whom?”
Michael looked directly at him.
“My family.”
Silence.
“Twenty-three years ago, your father and Evelyn took control of my family's companies after my parents died.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“My parents died in an accident.”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“That's what they told you.”
Arthur finally spoke.
“Michael, enough.”
“No.”
Michael's voice thundered across the room.
“Your lies destroyed two families.”
He pointed toward Daniel.
“You destroyed his marriage.”
Then toward Evelyn.
“She destroyed Claire's life.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And you?”
Michael's expression softened.
“I spent twenty-three years collecting evidence.”
He held up the hard drive.
“This contains everything.”
Evelyn's face changed.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
She raised her hand.
One of the men stepped forward.
Daniel immediately moved between them.
“Touch him and you won't get it.”
Evelyn laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
She looked toward the hallway.
“Your children are running out of time.”
Daniel's blood ran cold.
“Where are they?”
“In the basement.”
Daniel looked at Michael.
Michael nodded.
“She's telling the truth.”
Daniel turned toward the stairs.
“Take me to them.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Of course.”
They moved through the mansion.
Down one staircase.
Then another.
The air became colder.
Finally, they reached a steel door.
Evelyn entered a code.
The door opened.
Daniel rushed inside.
“Emma!”
“Daddy!”
His daughter's voice broke through the darkness.
Daniel ran toward her.
Emma threw herself into his arms.
Ethan followed.
Daniel dropped to his knees and pulled both children against his chest.
For five years, he had missed every moment.
Every birthday.
Every first day of school.
Every nightmare.
Every fever.
And now he finally held them.
His children.
His family.
“I've got you,” he whispered.
“I've got you.”
Behind him, Victoria entered the room.
She was crying.
Claire was there too.
Her hands were free now.
Daniel looked at her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Claire whispered:
“I knew you'd come.”
Daniel crossed the room.
He stopped in front of her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Because I thought they'd kill you.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
Daniel reached for her hand.
“I should have trusted you too.”
Claire looked at the twins.
Then at Daniel.
“They're yours.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
A sudden explosion shook the basement.
BOOM!
The lights went out.
Emma screamed.
Daniel pulled both children close.
Michael shouted:
“Everybody down!”
Another explosion.
The steel door began to buckle.
Michael looked toward Daniel.
“She's destroying the building.”
“Evelyn?”
“No.”
Michael's face was grim.
“Arthur.”
Daniel froze.
His father was standing near the doorway.
Blood was running down his forehead.
He looked at his son.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What did you do?”
Arthur looked toward the ceiling.
“I triggered the emergency collapse.”
Michael's eyes widened.
“You'll bury everyone.”
Arthur shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Daniel.
“Only the vault.”
Daniel suddenly understood.
Arthur had finally chosen.
He was destroying the evidence rather than letting Evelyn take it.
But then Claire grabbed Daniel's arm.
“Wait.”
She pointed toward the wall.
“There.”
Behind a broken panel was a small metal box.
Michael rushed toward it.
Inside was a flash drive.
He stared at it.
“What is it?”
Claire whispered:
“The original evidence.”
Michael looked at Daniel.
“This is enough to expose all of them.”
Daniel took the drive.
Then a voice came through the darkness.
Evelyn.
“You really thought I'd let you leave?”
The basement doors slammed shut.
Gas began filling the room.
Emma began coughing.
Daniel pulled his jacket over her face.
“Michael!”
“I’m trying!”
Claire grabbed Ethan.
Victoria searched frantically for an exit.
Then Michael spotted a narrow emergency tunnel.
“There!”
Everyone ran.
Behind them, the vault began collapsing.
Stone crashed from the ceiling.
Daniel carried Emma.
Claire carried Ethan.
They reached the tunnel just as the room behind them disappeared beneath concrete.
For several seconds, there was only darkness.
Then they emerged outside.
Sirens filled the night.
Police cars surrounded the Carter mansion.
Daniel looked back.
Evelyn was being escorted away in handcuffs.
Arthur was sitting on the steps, staring at the ground.
Victoria stood beside him.
And Claire stood beside Daniel.
For the first time in five years, they were together.
But Michael wasn't smiling anymore.
He looked at the flash drive in Daniel's hand.
“There is one problem.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
Michael's expression was grim.
“This evidence doesn't just expose your mother.”
He paused.
“It exposes someone much more powerful.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
Michael looked toward the dark road.
“The person who ordered your parents' deaths.”
Daniel's heart stopped.
Because suddenly, the twenty-three-year-old mystery had become something much bigger.
And somewhere in the darkness, a black car was already speeding away.
Inside it sat a man Daniel had never seen before.
He looked at a photograph of Daniel, Claire, and the twins.
Then he smiled.
“Let the Carter family celebrate.”
May you like
He folded the photograph.
“They don't know who they're dealing with yet.”
