CHAPTER 12: THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
Arthur Vance ran faster than he had ever run in his life.
The scream from upstairs had cut through him like a knife.
Not fear for his company.
Not fear for his money.
Only one thought filled his mind.
Benjamin.
“BENJAMIN!”
Arthur rushed into the bedroom.
His heart nearly stopped.
The room was empty.
The window was open.
The curtains moved slowly in the cold night air.
For a few seconds, Arthur couldn’t process what he was seeing.
Then he noticed something on the bed.
Benjamin’s favorite toy.
And beside it…
A small piece of paper.
Arthur grabbed it.
His hands trembled as he read the message.
"You were looking for the truth. Now come find your son."
Below the words was a symbol.
The same symbol that had appeared on the hacked computer.
Thomas entered the room behind him.
When he saw the paper, his face changed.
“No…”
Arthur turned.
“You know this symbol.”
Thomas looked away.
“Thomas.”
The man remained silent.
Arthur grabbed his arm.
“I said no more secrets.”
Thomas finally looked at him.
“That symbol belonged to a group called The Circle.”
David frowned.
“The Circle?”
Thomas nodded.
“A private organization made up of powerful people. Investors. Lawyers. Executives.”
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“And they controlled my family?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Thomas looked at him.
“Because your family’s wealth was never just money.”
Arthur frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Thomas took a deep breath.
“Your father built something bigger than Vance Holdings.”
Arthur waited.
“A private investment network.”
David looked shocked.
“That information was never public.”
Thomas nodded.
“Because it wasn’t supposed to be.”
Arthur stared.
“And my father was part of this?”
“Yes.”
The answer hit Arthur hard.
His entire life, he believed his father built an honest empire.
Now he wondered how much he had never known.
“Why would they target Benjamin?”
Thomas looked at him.
“Because your son is the last person standing between them and complete control.”
Arthur’s face changed.
“The trust fund.”
Thomas nodded.
“The trust fund wasn’t just money.”
Arthur looked confused.
“What else?”
“It contains legal ownership rights connected to the original Vance network.”
David quickly checked the documents.
“That’s why they wanted access.”
Thomas nodded.
“They needed Benjamin’s inheritance rights.”
Arthur looked at the empty room.
“And Elena knew?”
Thomas hesitated.
“She knew part of it.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“Everyone knew something except me.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Arthur…”
He turned.
For the first time, his anger showed.
“No.”
His voice broke.
“I spent years believing I was protecting my family.”
He looked around.
“But everyone was protecting secrets from me.”
Nobody answered.
Because nobody could deny it.
At that moment, Elena walked into the room.
She looked at the empty bed.
Then she immediately understood.
“Where is Benjamin?”
Arthur looked at her.
“Someone took him.”
The color drained from her face.
“No.”
For the first time, Arthur saw genuine fear in Elena’s eyes.
Not fear of losing money.
Fear of losing her son.
“Elena.”
She looked at him.
“Tell me everything you know.”
She hesitated.
Arthur stepped closer.
“This is not about us anymore.”
His voice softened.
“This is about Benjamin.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Then she finally broke.
“When I first met the people behind The Circle, I thought they were helping me.”
Arthur said nothing.
“They promised they could protect Benjamin.”
Claire looked angry.
“You trusted them?”
Elena nodded.
“I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
Elena looked at Arthur.
“Of losing him.”
Arthur understood.
She had been manipulated by fear.
But that did not erase what she did.
“What did they want?”
Elena wiped her tears.
“They wanted access to the trust fund.”
“And when you refused?”
“They threatened me.”
Arthur frowned.
“With what?”
Elena looked down.
“With the truth about Benjamin’s biological father.”
The room went silent.
Arthur looked at Thomas.
Then Claire.
Elena continued.
“They told me if I didn’t cooperate, Arthur would learn everything.”
Arthur’s voice became quiet.
“And you thought lying would protect us.”
“Yes.”
A painful silence followed.
Then Arthur said:
“You should have trusted me.”
Elena looked at him.
“I know.”
Suddenly, Arthur’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
He answered.
“Where is my son?”
A voice laughed softly.
“Still putting Benjamin first.”
Arthur recognized the voice.
The person behind everything.
“Who are you?”
The voice remained calm.
“You’ve known me your whole life.”
Arthur felt a chill.
“What?”
“You just never knew what I was capable of.”
Arthur looked around.
Everyone listened.
“Show yourself.”
The person laughed.
“Not yet.”
Arthur clenched his fist.
“If you hurt my son—”
“You misunderstand.”
The voice interrupted.
“I don’t want to hurt Benjamin.”
A pause.
“I want him to inherit what belongs to him.”
Arthur’s expression changed.
“What are you talking about?”
The person answered:
“I want Benjamin to become the owner of everything your father built.”
Thomas suddenly stepped back.
His face turned pale.
Because he recognized the voice.
Arthur noticed.
“You know who this is.”
Thomas whispered:
“Yes.”
Arthur looked at him.
“Who?”
Thomas closed his eyes.
Then said the name.
A name nobody expected.
A name that changed everything.
“Richard Vance.”
Arthur froze.
His grandfather’s name.
The founder of the Vance empire.
A man who had died fifteen years ago.
Thomas looked terrified.
“That’s impossible.”
The voice on the phone laughed.
“Nothing is impossible, Arthur.”
The call ended.
Arthur stood in silence.
Because now he understood.
The enemy was not just someone from his past.
It was someone connected to the beginning of everything.
And somewhere out there…
May you like
Benjamin was with the person who knew every secret of the Vance family.
TO BE CONTINUED…
