CHAPTER 13 — THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Alexander stared at the screen.
His father was alive.
Older, thinner, his hair almost completely gray—but there was no mistaking that face.
The face Alexander had seen in every family portrait.
The face he had mourned for twelve years.
And beside him sat Sofia.
“Daddy…”
Her voice trembled.
Alexander stepped toward the screen.
“Sofia, are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Did they hurt you?”
“No.”
Alexander exhaled.
Then his eyes locked onto his father.
“You.”
The older man smiled.
“Hello, Alexander.”
“You've been alive this entire time.”
“Yes.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I needed everyone to believe I was dead.”
Alexander's voice shook with rage.
“You let your own son grieve you.”
His father remained calm.
“Grief makes people careless.”
Elena stepped forward.
“You destroyed our family.”
His father's eyes moved toward her.
“You survived.”
“Because you failed.”
He smiled.
“You were always difficult to kill.”
Alexander turned sharply.
“You ordered her death.”
“No.”
His father leaned closer to the camera.
“I ordered her disappearance.”
Elena's face hardened.
“And the accident?”
“That was Veronica's idea.”
Alexander froze.
Veronica.
His wife.
The woman who had humiliated Sofia.
The woman who had pretended to be protecting the family.
His father continued.
“Veronica was supposed to frighten Elena into surrendering the trust.”
“She tried to kill her.”
“She became impatient.”
Alexander's fists clenched.
“And Richard?”
“Richard cleaned up her mistakes.”
“And you?”
“I watched.”
Alexander stared at him in disbelief.
“You watched my wife disappear.”
“I watched her choose to disappear.”
Elena laughed bitterly.
“You threatened my daughter.”
“I threatened the people who threatened her.”
Alexander looked at the screen.
“You're a monster.”
His father smiled.
“Perhaps.”
Then he looked at Sofia.
“But I am also her grandfather.”
Sofia stared at him.
“I don't know you.”
For the first time, the man's expression changed.
“You should.”
“No.”
Sofia's voice became stronger.
“My grandfather would never do this.”
The room went silent.
Alexander looked at his daughter.
She had tears in her eyes.
But she wasn't afraid anymore.
His father smiled faintly.
“You have your mother's courage.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you bring me the original trust.”
Alexander shook his head.
“You already know where it is.”
“Yes.”
“Then why do you need me?”
“Because only you can activate it.”
Alexander frowned.
His father held up a document.
“Your grandfather designed the trust so that it could only be accessed by his son.”
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“But Sofia is the beneficiary.”
“Correct.”
“Then why do you want it?”
His father smiled.
“Because the trust contains more than money.”
He turned a page.
“Political records.”
“Blackmail files.”
“Ownership contracts.”
“Evidence that could destroy half the people who helped build this country.”
Alexander stared at the screen.
His father continued:
“Your grandfather didn't build an empire.”
“He built leverage.”
Elena whispered,
“That was why I tried to expose him.”
Alexander turned toward her.
“And that's why they hunted you.”
“Yes.”
His father interrupted.
“You still don't understand the most important part.”
Alexander looked back at the screen.
“What?”
“The trust was never meant to protect Sofia from us.”
He paused.
“It was created to protect the world from what Sofia would inherit.”
Alexander frowned.
“What does that mean?”
His father smiled.
“Sofia doesn't inherit a fortune.”
He leaned toward the camera.
“She inherits control.”
Alexander's face went pale.
“Control of what?”
“Everything.”
Suddenly, the lights in the house flickered.
The screen went black.
A loud alarm began ringing.
Daniel rushed into the room.
“What happened?”
Alexander turned.
“They moved Sofia.”
Elena looked toward the hallway.
“No.”
A hidden door opened behind them.
A guard appeared.
“She's being transferred.”
Alexander ran.
They reached the basement just as a vehicle started outside.
Alexander burst through the rear doors.
A black SUV accelerated down the driveway.
“Sofia!”
He chased it.
Daniel jumped into another vehicle.
Elena followed.
The SUV turned onto the highway.
Alexander called every security unit.
“Block every exit!”
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
His father's voice came through.
“You're getting closer.”
Alexander shouted,
“Where is my daughter?”
“At the place where everything began.”
Alexander froze.
“What place?”
“The hospital.”
“What hospital?”
His father laughed softly.
“The hospital where Sofia was born.”
The call ended.
Alexander looked at Elena.
She had gone completely pale.
“No.”
“What?”
Elena whispered:
“That hospital doesn't exist anymore.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because it burned down the night Sofia was born.”
Alexander stared at her.
“What happened?”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Everyone inside died.”
Alexander's blood ran cold.
“Everyone?”
Elena nodded.
“Everyone except me.”
Alexander suddenly understood.
Sofia had been born there.
Elena had survived.
The hospital had burned.
And someone had spent twelve years making sure nobody could ever find the records.
Alexander stepped on the accelerator.
“We're going back.”
Elena looked at him.
“To the ruins?”
Alexander's expression hardened.
“To find out what happened the night my daughter was born.”
Behind them, the black SUV disappeared into the darkness.
And inside it, Sofia was staring at a photograph placed in her lap.
It showed her mother.
Her father.
And a newborn baby.
But the baby wasn't Sofia.
Sofia turned the photograph over.
A handwritten note was waiting on the back:
THE BABY YOU WERE TOLD ABOUT NEVER LEFT THE HOSPITAL.
Sofia's eyes widened.
May you like
Then another line appeared beneath it.
Because the child who came home with Elena was someone else.
