CHAPTER 6 — THE GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS NEVER DEAD
The woman’s voice echoed through the abandoned mansion.
“I’m your grandmother.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
For twelve years, he believed he knew every member of his family.
His mother.
His father.
His stepfather.
And the grandmother he was told died before he was born.
But now…
A stranger stood in front of him.
Claiming to be the woman who had supposedly never existed.
Richard Parker looked like he had seen a ghost.
Because in a way…
He had.
“No.”
Richard stepped backward.
“You can’t be here.”
The woman smiled.
“Why?”
Her voice was calm.
“Because you buried me too?”
Ethan looked between them.
He was exhausted from discovering impossible truths.
Every answer created ten more questions.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked at him.
Her expression softened.
“Ethan…”
She said his name like she had known him forever.
“My name is Elizabeth Parker.”
A pause.
“I am your grandmother.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
Elizabeth’s eyes filled with sadness.
“I know.”
“Everyone told me you died.”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you alive?”
She looked at Richard.
“Because people like him needed me to disappear.”
Richard’s hand tightened.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
Elizabeth laughed quietly.
“No.”
She walked closer.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Her eyes moved to Ethan.
“I’m finally telling him the truth.”
Richard stepped forward.
“You don’t understand what will happen if he knows everything.”
Elizabeth looked at him.
“That is exactly why he needs to know.”
Ethan looked at Richard.
“You knew she was alive?”
Richard said nothing.
That was enough.
Ethan’s anger grew.
“All these years?”
Silence.
“You knew my grandmother was alive?”
Richard looked away.
Ethan felt something break inside.
Not because Richard lied.
He expected that.
Because everyone had lied.
But because he realized something.
His entire childhood had been surrounded by people who knew the truth.
And every single one of them chose silence.
Elizabeth walked toward the old study.
“This house belonged to your grandfather.”
Ethan followed slowly.
“Who was he?”
Elizabeth looked at the walls.
“His name was William Parker.”
She touched an old photograph.
“He built Blackwood Holdings.”
Ethan looked at the picture.
The same company.
The same name.
The same mystery.
“Why was everyone hiding it?”
Elizabeth’s expression became serious.
“Because your grandfather discovered something.”
“What?”
“That the company was never truly his.”
Richard interrupted.
“Enough.”
Everyone turned.
His voice had changed.
The fake calm was gone.
“You have no right.”
Elizabeth looked at him.
“No right?”
She laughed softly.
“You stole my family’s work.”
Richard’s face darkened.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know everything.”
A pause.
“I know what you did to Daniel.”
Ethan froze.
Richard’s expression changed.
“Daniel?”
Elizabeth looked at Ethan.
“Your father was the only person brave enough to uncover the truth.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What truth?”
Elizabeth looked at Richard.
“The truth that Richard Vale wasn’t just an employee.”
Richard remained silent.
“He was part of the original betrayal.”
The room became heavy.
Ethan looked at Richard.
“What does that mean?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath.
“Your grandfather created Blackwood Holdings with a partner.”
“Who?”
“A man named Thomas Blackwood.”
Ethan remembered the name.
The photograph.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
“Thomas Blackwood?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“Yes.”
She opened an old drawer.
Inside was a document.
“The company was supposed to belong to both families.”
Ethan read the papers.
Blackwood.
Parker.
Equal ownership.
But then something changed.
A signature.
A transfer.
A betrayal.
“Who changed it?”
Elizabeth looked at Richard.
“His family.”
Richard laughed.
A cold, empty laugh.
“You still tell the story like you’re innocent.”
Elizabeth looked at him.
“Are you saying I’m not?”
Richard stepped forward.
“Everyone in this room is guilty.”
Ethan stared.
“What?”
Richard pointed at the documents.
“Your grandfather built his empire by destroying people too.”
Elizabeth remained silent.
And that silence bothered Ethan.
Because for the first time…
He wondered if Richard was telling the truth.
Richard continued.
“You think I’m the villain because I tried to take what was mine.”
He looked at Ethan.
“But your family started this.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You tried to kill my mother.”
Richard’s expression changed.
For a moment…
Regret appeared.
Then disappeared.
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked Ethan.
“I did.”
Elizabeth looked at him with disgust.
“Why?”
Richard answered:
“Because Claire knew too much.”
Ethan looked at his mother’s name.
“What did she know?”
Richard looked at him.
“She discovered why Daniel really died.”
The room went silent.
Ethan’s heartbeat increased.
“My father…”
Richard nodded.
“Was not killed because of the company.”
“Then why?”
Richard looked at Elizabeth.
“Because he discovered what happened to your grandmother.”
Ethan turned.
Elizabeth lowered her eyes.
Twelve years earlier.
Daniel Parker discovered evidence that Elizabeth Parker was alive.
He found secret medical records.
Fake death certificates.
Hidden bank accounts.
He discovered someone had erased Elizabeth from history.
And the person responsible…
Was not Richard.
Not at first.
It was someone closer.
Someone inside the Parker family.
Present day.
Ethan looked at Elizabeth.
“Who?”
She didn’t answer.
Richard smiled slightly.
“Ask her.”
Ethan turned.
“Grandma?”
Elizabeth looked broken.
“I wanted to protect you.”
Ethan felt his chest tighten.
“Everyone says that.”
His voice became angry.
“Everyone says they’re protecting me.”
A pause.
“But nobody tells me anything.”
Elizabeth looked at him.
“You’re right.”
The answer surprised him.
“I failed you.”
Suddenly…
A loud sound came from downstairs.
Everyone froze.
A door closing.
Someone else was inside.
Richard immediately looked toward the hallway.
“That’s impossible.”
Elizabeth’s face changed.
“What?”
Richard whispered:
“He followed me.”
Ethan looked confused.
“Who?”
Richard didn’t answer.
The footsteps grew louder.
Slow.
Controlled.
A person entered the room.
Everyone turned.
And Ethan felt the world stop.
Because the man standing there…
Was impossible.
He looked older.
But Ethan recognized him from photographs.
From his mother’s memories.
From his father’s stories.
Daniel Parker.
His father.
Alive.
Ethan couldn’t move.
No words came out.
His father looked at him.
And tears filled his eyes.
“Ethan.”
The boy stepped backward.
“No.”
Daniel took a step forward.
“I know this is impossible.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You’re dead.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
Silence.
Then Daniel whispered:
“But I wasn’t supposed to be.”
Richard suddenly raised his weapon.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
His face was filled with fear.
Because there was one person who could destroy every lie.
Daniel Parker.
The man who knew the entire truth.
Richard pointed the gun.
“You should have stayed buried.”
Daniel looked at him.
And said:
“You tried to bury the wrong family.”
The gunshot exploded through the mansion.
Ethan screamed.
Elizabeth grabbed him.
The lights went out.
Again.
And when they returned…
Daniel was gone.
Richard was gone.
Only one thing remained on the floor.
A blood-stained envelope.
With Ethan’s name written on it.
Ethan picked it up.
His hands shook.
Inside was a letter.
From his father.
The first line destroyed everything he believed:
“Ethan, if you are reading this, then Richard failed.”
A pause.
The next sentence:
“But there is something you must know.”
Ethan continued reading.
And his face turned pale.
Because his father had written:
May you like
“Your mother was never the person Richard wanted to kill.”
“You were.”
