Chapter 5 - MY FATHER’S LAST SECRET

I spent the entire night going through my father’s old files.

Every memory felt different.

Every conversation had a hidden meaning.

The man I thought I knew suddenly became a mystery.

At sunrise, I found something hidden inside his old desk.

A small envelope.

My name was written on it.

For Vincent. Open only when you know the truth.

My hands trembled.

I opened it.

Inside was a letter.

My father’s handwriting.

My son,

If you are reading this, then Arthur’s lies have finally been exposed.

I stopped breathing.

He knew.

My father knew.

The letter continued.

I was told your mother was sick. I believed the doctors. I believed Arthur. I was wrong.

My eyes burned.

For years, I blamed my father for giving up.

But he had been fooled too.

The letter continued.

Your mother discovered Arthur’s crimes. She tried to expose him. When Arthur realized he could lose everything, he destroyed her reputation.

I turned the page.

The next sentence made my heart race.

I helped your mother escape, but I could not go with her.

I had to protect you.

I dropped the letter.

My father had protected me.

But from what?

Then I read the final lines.

Arthur knew I helped her. He gave me a choice.

Leave my son with him and stay silent…

or watch Vincent become his next victim.

I felt sick.

My father wasn’t weak.

He was trapped.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

Arthur.

I answered immediately.

“Where are you?”

His voice was cold.

“You found the letter.”

I froze.

“How did you know?”

A quiet laugh.

“Because I knew your father would leave it.”

My anger exploded.

“You destroyed my family.”

“No, Vincent.”

His voice became harder.

“Your mother destroyed everything when she started asking questions.”

I gripped the phone.

“Where is she?”

Silence.

Then:

“Still alive.”

My heart stopped.

“You know where she is?”

“Yes.”

The word was calm.

Too calm.

“Then tell me.”

Arthur laughed softly.

“You really think you can walk into my life, open an old box, and take everything from me?”

I looked around the empty room.

“You already lost.”

“No.”

His voice dropped.

“Because you still don’t know the worst part.”

I froze.

“What worst part?”

Arthur paused.

Then whispered:

“Your mother wasn’t the only person I locked away.”

The call ended.

I stood there frozen.

A terrible thought entered my mind.

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If Arthur had hidden my mother…

Who else had he destroyed?