Chapter 9: The Last Lie My Father Told
The empty space where Daniel had been standing felt louder than any confession.
I stared at the doorway.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
Just rain pouring outside and my father’s handwriting accusing the one person I had trusted more than anyone.
Daniel Cross.
My father’s closest advisor.
My business partner.
My friend.
The man who had spent the entire night telling me he was trying to protect me.
And now he was gone.
Vanessa stood beside me, frozen.
“Elijah…”
I didn’t answer.
My eyes stayed on the paper.
*If Robert finds this, it means the person I trusted most has already betrayed me.*
The words burned.
Not because they named Daniel.
Because they didn’t.
My father had been careful.
He never wrote names.
He never gave answers.
He gave warnings.
And I was beginning to understand why.
Because the person who betrayed him was someone he couldn’t face directly.
Someone he still loved.
Someone he was still trying to protect.
I folded the paper.
“Where did Daniel go?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
“You knew him.””
“So did you.””
“That isn’t an answer.””
She looked down.
“You’re right.””
The honesty caught me off guard.
She continued.
“I don’t know what Daniel is capable of.””
I looked at her.
“Do you expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
“Not anymore.””
For once, Vanessa wasn’t trying to convince me.
She wasn’t performing.
She wasn’t searching for the perfect words.
She looked like someone who had finally run out of ways to hide.
I walked toward the table.
The paper Robert left behind was different from the letter.
Older.
More fragile.
My father’s handwriting.
But something was missing.
The letter.
The one that started everything.
The one Robert wanted.
The one Vanessa feared.
The one my father had hidden for years.
“He took it.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because it contained the location.””
“The location of what?””
She hesitated.
I looked at her.
“Vanessa.””
She swallowed.
“The recording.””
I froze.
“What recording?””
“The one Robert mentioned.””
My heart sank.
“You knew about it.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because that was what I was looking for.””
The anger returned.
“You came into my life because of that recording.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“Yes.””
I turned away.
The pattern was exhausting.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had a secret.
Everyone believed the secret was justified.
But the damage was the same.
“You know what the worst part is?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“I don’t know anymore who I’m supposed to hate.””
Her expression softened.
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice cracked slightly.
“You chose to enter my life with a lie.””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“You made me question my own instincts.””
“Yes.””
“You hurt Maria.””
Her eyes closed.
“Yes.””
“Then don’t tell me you understand.””
The words hurt her.
Good.
Some part of me wanted them to.
Because I had spent years believing I was surrounded by people who loved me.
Now I wasn’t sure what love looked like anymore.
A sound came from upstairs.
Both of us turned.
Maria.
I ran toward the staircase.
“Maria?””
No answer.
I reached the guest room.
The door was open.
Again.
But this time, Maria was there.
Sitting on the floor.
Holding something in her hands.
She looked up when she saw me.
“Mr. Mercer.””
I rushed over.
“Are you hurt?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“What happened?””
Her eyes moved toward Vanessa.
Then back to me.
“I found this.””
She handed me a small metal box.
My breathing stopped.
I recognized it immediately.
My father’s initials were engraved on the top.
E.M.
“Where did you find it?””
“In the room.””
“What room?””
“The study.””
I frowned.
“But the study was searched.””
Maria shook her head.
“Not completely.””
She opened the box.
Inside was a small recording device.
Old.
But intact.
And beneath it was a note.
My father’s handwriting.
*For Elijah.*
My fingers trembled.
I picked up the device.
There was only one button.
Play.
I pressed it.
Static filled the room.
Then my father’s voice.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakably him.
“Elijah.””
I stopped breathing.
Hearing him again after twelve years felt impossible.
“If you are listening to this, then something has happened.””
A pause.
“I hope I am wrong.””
My eyes burned.
“I hope I am gone peacefully, and this recording remains unnecessary.””
I closed my eyes.
But his next words forced me to listen.
“However, if someone has led you here, then you need to understand something.””
Static.
Then:
“The person who betrayed me was not my enemy.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked confused.
My father continued.
“It was someone who believed they were protecting me.””
The room went still.
My grip tightened around the device.
“What?””
The recording continued.
“I spent years looking for the person manipulating the company. I thought it was Robert. I thought it was outside investors. I thought it was competitors.””
A pause.
“I was wrong.””
My heartbeat increased.
“Because the person making the decisions was someone who loved me.””
The room felt smaller.
My father’s voice lowered.
“I discovered the truth too late.””
Static.
Then:
“My wife knew.””
I froze.
My mother.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Maria whispered something I couldn’t hear.
The recording continued.
“Evelyn knew what was happening. She knew who was moving the money. She knew who was controlling Robert.””
My hands went cold.
My father knew.
My mother knew.
Everyone knew.
Except me.
“But my wife wasn’t the person who betrayed me.””
A long pause.
“She was protecting our son.””
I looked up.
Vanessa looked shocked.
My father continued.
“The person responsible was someone I trusted enough to give access to everything.””
The recording stopped.
Just stopped.
I stared at the device.
“No.””
I pressed the button.
Nothing.
The battery was dead.
“No.””
I shook it.
“Come on.””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Elijah.””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“My father was about to say who.””
She didn’t respond.
Because she knew.
The answer was close.
Too close.
Maria suddenly spoke.
“Mr. Mercer.””
I turned.
“Yes?””
“There’s something else.””
She looked terrified.
“What?””
“When I found the box…”
She hesitated.
“Someone was already there.””
My expression changed.
“Who?””
She looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
“Daniel.””
Silence.
Again.
Always Daniel.
I felt something break inside.
Not anger.
Not betrayal.
Something deeper.
Because a small part of me still wanted him to be innocent.
Even after everything.
“Where did he go?””
Maria shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
A photo.
Daniel standing in a parking garage.
Holding a folder.
The timestamp was one minute ago.
Under the photo was a message.
*You want the truth? Come alone.*
Then another message arrived.
*Ask Daniel why your father begged him not to confess.*
My hands tightened around the phone.
Vanessa saw my face.
“What is it?””
I didn’t answer.
Because something was wrong.
The message wasn’t a threat.
It was an invitation.
Whoever sent it wanted me to go.
Wanted me to find Daniel.
Wanted me to know something.
I grabbed my coat.
“Elijah.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“I need answers.””
“I’m coming with you.””
“No.””
The word came instantly.
Her face fell.
“I can help.””
“You’ve helped enough.””
She looked like I had slapped her.
But she nodded.
“I deserve that.””
I walked toward the door.
Maria stopped me.
“Mr. Mercer.””
I turned.
She held the recording device.
“Your father trusted you.””
I looked at her.
“He also trusted everyone else.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was gentle.
“He trusted you because you were the only person he believed would eventually ask the right questions.””
I didn’t know why those words mattered.
But they did.
I stepped outside.
The rain hit my face immediately.
The parking garage was twenty minutes away.
Twenty minutes to find Daniel.
Twenty minutes to discover whether my best friend betrayed my family.
Or whether someone was still trying to make me believe the wrong person was guilty.
When I arrived, the garage was almost empty.
Concrete.
Cold lights.
Echoing footsteps.
“Daniel?””
My voice traveled through the building.
No answer.
Then I saw him.
Standing near the far wall.
Holding the folder.
Looking older than he had an hour ago.
“Elijah.””
I walked toward him.
“Tell me the truth.””
Daniel looked down.
“I should have told you years ago.””
My chest tightened.
“Tell me what?””
He handed me the folder.
Inside was one final document.
A confession.
Signed.
Dated.
My father’s name at the bottom.
But the words above it made my blood freeze.
*I, Edward Mercer, confess that I was responsible for the death of my own company… and I did it to protect my son.*
I looked up.
“What is this?””
Daniel’s eyes filled with regret.
“The truth your father spent his life hiding.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
He took a breath.
“Because the person he was protecting you from…”
A shadow moved behind him.
May you like
Daniel’s expression changed.
“…is the person who raised you.””
