CHAPTER 8 — THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
Richard couldn't move.
For seventeen years, he had stared at his father's portrait and convinced himself that the past was buried.
Now the man standing in front of him was not a ghost.
Not a memory.
Not a photograph.
Edward Hawthorne was alive.
And he was smiling.
Richard's fingers tightened around the edge of the desk.
"Dad..."
Edward tilted his head.
"You look exactly like your mother when you're frightened."
Richard's jaw clenched.
"You died."
Edward chuckled.
"No, Richard."
He took a slow step into the library.
"I disappeared."
Richard stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because dying is permanent."
Edward glanced toward the portrait.
"Disappearing gives a man options."
Richard looked toward the hallway.
"Where is Ethan?"
Edward's smile vanished.
"Always the child."
"Where is my son?"
Edward's eyes hardened.
"He's not your son."
Richard flinched.
"You knew."
"I knew everything."
"Then tell me who his father is."
Edward walked toward the fireplace.
"You've spent eight years asking the wrong question."
Richard followed him.
"What question should I ask?"
Edward turned.
"Why was Ethan born?"
Richard stared.
"What?"
"Not who his father is."
Edward pointed toward the documents.
"Why he was created in the first place."
Richard shook his head.
"He's a child."
"He's an inheritance."
"No."
Edward's voice became colder.
"He's the last living link to everything I built."
Richard stepped closer.
"You destroyed your own family for money."
Edward laughed.
"Money?"
He looked genuinely amused.
"You still think this was about money."
"Then what was it about?"
"Control."
Richard's face hardened.
"Of what?"
"Everything."
Three hours earlier, Detective Reed had entered the Mariner warehouse.
Thomas Reeder stood surrounded by officers.
His hands were cuffed.
Claire sat on the floor against a wooden crate.
She was shaking.
Reed approached her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Where's the card?"
Claire didn't answer.
Reed crouched.
"Claire, we need it."
"I know."
"Then give it to me."
She slowly reached inside her coat.
Before she could remove it, the warehouse lights exploded.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Someone shouted.
"DOWN!"
Gunshots cracked through the building.
The officers scattered.
Claire dropped flat.
Reed grabbed her and pulled her behind a steel container.
"Stay down!"
Thomas was gone.
His handcuffs lay open on the floor.
Reed stared.
"How did he—?"
Then he noticed the officer standing beside the exit.
The officer's uniform was soaked in blood.
He wasn't moving.
Reed's eyes widened.
"Nobody leaves!"
But the back door slammed.
Footsteps disappeared into the rain.
Claire looked at Reed.
"He's coming for Ethan."
Reed stood.
"Where is Samuel?"
"With him."
Reed's expression changed.
"Call him."
Claire pulled out her phone.
The screen was cracked.
No signal.
Then a message appeared.
HE ALREADY HAS HIM.
Claire's blood ran cold.
"No."
At Samuel's apartment, Ethan stood alone in the living room.
The lights were off.
Samuel was nowhere to be seen.
The boy looked toward the hallway.
"Sam?"
No answer.
He walked slowly toward the kitchen.
A chair was overturned.
A glass lay shattered on the floor.
Then Ethan noticed something.
Blood.
A small trail leading toward the front door.
His breathing quickened.
"Sam?"
He grabbed the phone.
Before he could dial, the screen lit up.
A video call.
Ethan hesitated.
Then answered.
A man's face appeared.
Thomas Reeder.
"Hello, Ethan."
The boy stepped backward.
"Where's Sam?"
Thomas smiled.
"Safe."
"Where is he?"
"With someone who wants to meet you."
Ethan shook his head.
"I want my mom."
"You will."
"When?"
"When you give me the pendant."
Ethan looked down.
The chain was still around his neck.
The pendant was gone.
Thomas noticed.
"Where is it?"
Ethan said nothing.
Thomas's expression changed.
"You don't have it."
Ethan shook his head.
"Who took it?"
The boy remained silent.
Thomas leaned toward the camera.
"Listen carefully."
His voice became soft.
"If you want Samuel to live, you must tell me where the recording is."
Ethan stared at him.
"I don't know."
Thomas smiled.
"Yes, you do."
Then a second face appeared beside him.
Ethan stopped breathing.
Richard.
His father.
But Richard looked frightened.
"Dad?"
Richard stared into the camera.
"Ethan..."
Thomas turned toward him.
"Tell him."
Richard shook his head.
"No."
Thomas placed a hand on his shoulder.
Richard's face tightened.
"Ethan, listen to me."
The boy leaned closer.
"Dad?"
"Don't tell him anything."
Thomas smiled.
"Wrong answer."
The video ended.
Ethan stood alone in the dark.
Then someone behind him whispered:
"Good boy."
Ethan turned.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Claire.
His mother.
Ethan ran toward her.
"Mom!"
Claire dropped to her knees and wrapped both arms around him.
She held him so tightly he could barely breathe.
"I've got you."
Ethan cried into her shoulder.
"I thought they took you."
"I came back."
"You promised."
"I know."
"You left me."
Claire closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Ethan pulled away.
"Why?"
Claire looked at him.
"Because I was trying to keep you alive."
At the Hawthorne estate, Edward poured himself a drink.
Richard watched him.
"You took Ethan."
Edward looked at him.
"No."
"Then where is he?"
"With Claire."
Richard froze.
"Claire?"
Edward smiled.
"She finally stopped running."
Richard stepped forward.
"What did you do to her?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
Edward placed the glass down.
"Richard, you've always had one problem."
"What?"
"You believe people are loyal because they love you."
Richard stared.
Edward continued.
"People are loyal because they are afraid."
Richard shook his head.
"Not Claire."
"Especially Claire."
"She protected Ethan."
"Exactly."
Edward walked toward the desk.
"That's why she was useful."
Richard stared.
"Useful for what?"
Edward opened a drawer.
Inside was an old cassette tape.
Richard recognized it.
"The recording."
Edward smiled.
"The first."
Richard's face changed.
"You had it?"
"For years."
"Then why let me find the copy?"
"Because I needed you to believe you were uncovering the truth."
Richard stared at him.
"What was the real purpose?"
Edward leaned forward.
"To bring everyone back."
"Who?"
"Victor."
"Jonathan."
"Claire."
"Samuel."
"Everyone who escaped."
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"And me?"
Edward smiled.
"Especially you."
Claire sat beside Ethan in Samuel's apartment.
She held his hands.
"Listen to me."
Ethan nodded.
"You're going to hear things tonight that may frighten you."
"About Dad?"
"About everyone."
"Is Dad bad?"
Claire hesitated.
"No."
"Then why did he leave?"
"Because he was trying to protect you."
Ethan looked confused.
"From Grandpa?"
Claire froze.
"Who told you that?"
"I saw him."
"When?"
"Before."
"Where?"
"In the mansion."
Claire's expression changed.
"What did he say?"
"He said I belonged to him."
Claire closed her eyes.
Edward had found Ethan.
That meant the final stage had begun.
She reached inside her coat and pulled out the blue memory card.
Ethan stared.
"Is that the recording?"
"Yes."
"Can we listen?"
Claire hesitated.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because once you hear it..."
She looked at him.
"...everything changes."
At 12:26 A.M., Samuel woke up.
His wrists were tied.
He was sitting in a dark room.
A single light hung above him.
Across the table sat Thomas Reeder.
Samuel looked around.
"Where's Ethan?"
Thomas smiled.
"Safe."
"Where?"
"With his mother."
Samuel's eyes widened.
"Claire?"
Thomas nodded.
"She's back."
Samuel leaned forward.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because you remember."
"Remember what?"
"The night Ethan was born."
Samuel's face tightened.
"I told you."
"You remembered part of it."
"What do you want?"
"The rest."
Samuel shook his head.
"I don't know."
Thomas opened a file.
Inside was an old hospital photograph.
Samuel stared.
It was the hallway.
Eight years earlier.
He was there.
He could see himself standing near the nursery.
Thomas pointed.
"You were carrying something."
Samuel stared harder.
A small envelope.
His memory returned.
He had been holding a sealed document.
Claire had handed it to him.
She had whispered:
"Never give this to Richard."
Samuel closed his eyes.
"I remember."
"What was inside?"
"I don't know."
Thomas leaned forward.
"You delivered it."
"To whom?"
Thomas smiled.
"That's what I want you to remember."
Samuel's mind raced.
The hospital.
The rain.
Claire.
A baby crying.
Richard.
Victor.
Edward.
Then—
Another man.
A doctor.
Samuel suddenly remembered.
"Dr. Mason."
Thomas's expression changed.
"What?"
"Dr. Mason."
"Who is he?"
"The doctor who delivered Ethan."
Thomas stared.
"What about him?"
"He wasn't supposed to be there."
"Why?"
Samuel whispered:
"Because he was working for Edward."
At the hospital archives, Detective Reed searched through old records.
Laura stood beside him.
"Found anything?"
"Maybe."
He opened a scanned document.
"Ethan's delivery record."
Laura leaned closer.
"The doctor is missing."
"What?"
"Dr. Aaron Mason."
She frowned.
"Where is he?"
"His license was revoked eight years ago."
"Why?"
Reed turned the screen.
"Fraud."
Laura read the report.
"Illegal genetic testing."
Her eyes widened.
"Genetic testing?"
Reed nodded.
"On newborns."
Laura stared.
"How many?"
"Thirty-seven."
"Why?"
"We don't know."
She looked at the file.
"What happened to Mason?"
"He disappeared."
"When?"
"Three days after Ethan was born."
Laura whispered:
"Another dead man."
Reed shook his head.
"No."
"What?"
"He wasn't declared dead."
"Then where is he?"
Reed looked at her.
"We found him."
Laura's heart jumped.
"Where?"
"Private clinic in Vermont."
"When?"
"Tonight."
Richard stood in the library with Edward.
"You manipulated the DNA."
Edward didn't deny it.
"Yes."
"You made me believe Ethan was Victor's."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Victor was the only person you hated enough to blame."
Richard's eyes filled with anger.
"You destroyed my marriage."
"No."
Edward looked at him coldly.
"Your fear destroyed your marriage."
Richard stepped forward.
"You threatened Claire."
"She knew too much."
"What did she know?"
Edward paused.
"She discovered Ethan's real father."
Richard stared.
"Who?"
Edward smiled.
"You'll find out."
Richard clenched his fists.
"Tell me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because the truth is more useful when it hurts."
Edward walked toward the door.
Richard followed.
"Where are you going?"
"To see my grandson."
Richard grabbed his arm.
Edward stopped.
"Don't."
Richard's voice shook.
"Stay away from Ethan."
Edward looked at him.
"You still don't understand."
"What?"
"Your son is the only person who can legally destroy everything I built."
Richard froze.
"How?"
"Because of the trust."
"What trust?"
Edward smiled.
"The original Hawthorne Trust."
Richard's face changed.
"That's impossible."
"Your mother created it before I married her."
Richard stared.
"What did she put inside it?"
Edward leaned closer.
"Everything."
At 1:03 A.M., Ethan and Claire heard footsteps outside the apartment.
Claire immediately stood.
She pushed Ethan behind the couch.
"Stay here."
"Mom?"
"Don't move."
The door handle turned.
Claire reached for a kitchen knife.
The door opened.
Samuel stumbled inside.
Claire gasped.
"Samuel!"
He fell against the wall.
Claire rushed to him.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm okay."
"Where were you?"
"Taken."
"By Thomas?"
Samuel nodded.
"He's working for Edward."
Claire froze.
"I know."
Samuel looked at Ethan.
"The recording."
Claire nodded.
"You have it?"
"No."
"What?"
"They took the pendant."
Ethan stepped forward.
"But the recording isn't in the pendant."
Everyone stopped.
Samuel stared.
"What did you say?"
Ethan touched his shirt.
"Mom put it somewhere else."
Claire's face went pale.
"Ethan..."
The boy reached into the lining of his jacket.
He pulled out a tiny memory card.
Samuel stared.
"You had it the whole time?"
Ethan nodded.
"Mom gave it to me."
Claire closed her eyes.
She remembered.
The night Ethan disappeared from the hospital nursery.
She had hidden the card in his clothing.
She had forgotten.
Or perhaps she had been too afraid to remember.
Samuel took the card.
"Where's a computer?"
Claire pointed toward the table.
They inserted it.
The screen remained black.
Then a video appeared.
Claire recognized the room.
The Hawthorne estate.
Eight years earlier.
Edward sat behind a desk.
Richard stood beside him.
Victor stood near the window.
Claire entered carrying newborn Ethan.
The recording began.
Edward looked at the baby.
"Is it done?"
Richard nodded.
"The DNA report has been changed."
Claire's face went white.
Samuel stared.
The video continued.
Edward looked toward Victor.
"You understand your role."
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
Richard looked confused.
"Why does Victor need to be involved?"
Edward smiled.
"Because if the boy ever learns who his real father is, everything collapses."
Claire covered her mouth.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then Edward spoke the words that changed everything.
"The biological father is not Victor."
Richard's face went pale.
Victor lowered his eyes.
Edward continued:
"The biological father is..."
The screen suddenly went black.
Claire gasped.
"No."
Samuel looked at the card.
"The file is corrupted."
"Can you recover it?"
"Maybe."
Then a voice came from behind them.
"Don't bother."
Everyone turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
Richard.
He looked exhausted.
But he wasn't alone.
Behind him stood Edward.
Claire's face drained of color.
Ethan stepped backward.
"Grandpa."
Edward smiled.
"Hello, Ethan."
Richard stepped between them.
"Stay away from him."
Edward ignored him.
He looked at Ethan.
"You've had something that belongs to me."
Ethan held the memory card tightly.
"No."
Edward smiled.
"Then I'll take it."
Claire grabbed Ethan.
Samuel moved toward the door.
Richard raised his hand.
"Nobody move."
Edward looked at his son.
"You still think you can protect them."
Richard stared at him.
"I will."
Edward's expression became almost sympathetic.
"You've spent your entire life trying to be better than me."
Richard clenched his jaw.
"And now?"
Edward smiled.
"Now you'll finally become exactly like me."
Suddenly the apartment lights went out.
A gunshot exploded.
Claire screamed.
Ethan ducked.
Samuel grabbed him.
When the emergency lights flickered back on—
Edward was gone.
Richard was standing beside the broken window.
And blood was spreading across his shirt.
Claire stared at him.
"Richard..."
He looked down.
Then at Ethan.
"I didn't let him take the boy."
Samuel rushed toward him.
"You're bleeding."
Richard shook his head.
"Forget me."
He pointed toward Ethan.
"Get him out."
Claire looked toward the hallway.
"Where?"
Richard whispered:
"Boston."
Samuel frowned.
"Why Boston?"
Richard looked at the corrupted recording.
"Because that's where my father kept the original."
"The original what?"
Richard's eyes met Claire's.
"The original birth record."
Then he collapsed.
Claire caught him.
May you like
And from the floor, Richard whispered the final words before losing consciousness:
"Find Dr. Mason."
