CHAPTER 8: THE MAN BEHIND THE LIES
Arthur Vance stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring at the man he thought he would never see again.
Thomas Bennett.
The man who had disappeared.
The man who had been blamed for stealing from Arthur’s company.
The man whose name was now connected to the biggest secret of Arthur’s life.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then Arthur’s anger exploded.
“You have some nerve coming into my house.”
Thomas didn’t react.
He simply looked at Arthur with tired eyes.
“I knew you would say that.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“You ruined my company. You disappeared. You let everyone believe you were dead.”
Thomas gave a bitter smile.
“And you believed them.”
The words hit Arthur hard.
Because there was truth in them.
Eight years ago, Arthur had trusted the evidence placed in front of him.
Bank records.
Missing money.
A disappearing employee.
Everything pointed toward Thomas.
But now, after everything he had discovered, Arthur wasn’t sure what was real anymore.
“What do you want?”
Thomas looked at the folder in his hand.
“I want you to know the truth.”
Arthur laughed coldly.
“Everyone in this house keeps saying that.”
He pointed toward Elena.
“My wife lied.”
He pointed toward Thomas.
“You disappeared.”
He looked at Maria.
“Everyone has secrets.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
Then he looked upstairs.
“And the person who suffered the most because of those secrets was Benjamin.”
Arthur’s expression changed.
“Where is my son?”
Thomas slowly placed the folder on the table.
“He’s safe.”
“I didn’t ask if he was safe.”
Arthur’s voice became dangerous.
“I asked where he is.”
Thomas looked at him.
“You still protect him.”
Arthur stared.
“Of course I do.”
Thomas nodded.
“That’s exactly why I knew I had to come back.”
Arthur frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Thomas opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
And old records.
He pushed them across the table.
“Eight years ago, Elena and I discovered something.”
Arthur looked at Elena.
She immediately looked away.
His chest tightened.
“You knew.”
Elena whispered:
“Arthur…”
“No.”
He raised his hand.
“Not another excuse.”
Thomas continued.
“Benjamin was born with a secret.”
Arthur looked down at the papers.
“The DNA test.”
Thomas nodded.
“But that was only part of it.”
Arthur looked up.
“What else?”
Thomas took a deep breath.
“The day Benjamin was born, someone tried to change the hospital records.”
Arthur froze.
“What?”
Maria stepped closer.
“Change them?”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
He looked at Arthur.
“Someone wanted to erase Benjamin’s real identity.”
Arthur looked at Elena.
“Why?”
Thomas’s face became serious.
“Because Benjamin was the key.”
“The key to what?”
Thomas leaned forward.
“Your entire fortune.”
The room went silent.
Arthur felt anger rising again.
“You’re telling me my son was used in some kind of plan?”
“Yes.”
“By who?”
Thomas looked directly at Elena.
Arthur slowly turned.
Elena’s face went pale.
“No…”
Arthur’s voice dropped.
“Say it.”
Thomas answered.
“By the people who wanted control of Vance Holdings.”
Arthur shook his head.
“Elena?”
She immediately defended herself.
“No. I never wanted that.”
Thomas looked at her.
“But you helped them.”
Elena became silent.
Arthur stared at her.
“Who?”
Thomas pulled out another document.
“A group of investors who believed your company should never belong to you alone.”
Arthur read the names.
Then stopped.
One name made his blood run cold.
His own brother.
Michael Vance.
Arthur stepped back.
“No.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
The betrayal became even deeper.
“My brother?”
Thomas looked at him.
“He was the one who started the plan.”
Arthur’s mind raced.
Michael.
The person who had stood beside him.
The person who had comforted him when Thomas disappeared.
The person who claimed to support the family.
All this time…
He had been watching.
Planning.
Waiting.
Arthur looked at Elena.
“Did you know?”
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“I found out too late.”
Thomas laughed quietly.
“That’s not true.”
Elena looked at him.
“You’re lying.”
Thomas shook his head.
“You knew enough to help them.”
Arthur felt like he was watching his entire marriage collapse in front of him.
Then suddenly…
A phone rang.
Everyone looked toward the table.
It was Arthur’s phone.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A familiar voice came through.
A voice that made him freeze.
“Dad?”
Arthur’s face changed.
“Benjamin?”
The boy sounded scared.
“Dad, I’m sorry…”
Arthur stood immediately.
“Where are you?”
A pause.
Then Benjamin whispered:
“Someone brought me here.”
Arthur’s heart stopped.
“Who?”
Silence.
Then the boy said:
“Uncle Michael.”
Arthur’s grip tightened around the phone.
Everyone saw the fear in his eyes.
Thomas stood up.
“It has begun.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What has begun?”
Thomas stared toward the darkness outside.
“The final move.”
Arthur’s voice became cold.
“If he touches my son…”
Thomas interrupted.
“Then you need to understand something.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What?”
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Michael doesn’t want your money anymore.”
A pause.
“He wants your entire life destroyed.”
Arthur ended the call.
And for the first time that night…
Everyone in the room had the same fear.
Benjamin was no longer just part of a family secret.
May you like
He was the target.
TO BE CONTINUED…
