Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
For a moment, everyone on the patio forgot how to breathe.
Because the impossible was standing right in front of them.
Michael Cross.
The man whose funeral Daniel had attended eight years ago.
The man whose death had haunted his family.
The man everyone believed was gone forever.
Was alive.
Daniel stared at him like his mind refused to accept what his eyes were seeing.
“No…”
His voice cracked.
“No, this isn’t possible.”
Michael gave a sad smile.
“I know.”
Daniel took a step back.
“You died.”
Michael looked down.
“I wanted everyone to believe that.”
The words hit harder than anyone expected.
Daniel’s face changed from shock to anger.
“You wanted us to believe you were dead?”
Michael nodded.
“Yes.”
“Do you have any idea what that did to me?”
Daniel’s voice grew louder.
“What that did to our family?”
Michael looked at his brother.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
Daniel pointed toward him.
“I buried you.”
The pain in his voice silenced everyone.
“I stood beside your grave.”
Michael lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Michael looked at Vanessa.
And everyone understood.
This wasn’t about hiding from death.
It was about hiding from someone.
Vanessa took a step back.
“Daniel, don’t listen to him.”
Michael looked at her.
“You’re still pretending?”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Michael laughed quietly.
“I spent eight years collecting evidence.”
He reached inside his jacket.
Daniel immediately reacted.
“Wait.”
Everyone tensed.
But Michael pulled out a small folder.
Not a weapon.
Documents.
“I didn’t come here to hurt anyone.”
He handed the folder to Daniel.
“I came back because the truth was finally safe to reveal.”
Daniel opened it.
The first page made his expression change.
“What is this?”
“Financial records.”
Michael looked around.
“Cross Industries was being drained from the inside.”
Daniel flipped through the papers.
Hundreds of transactions.
Fake companies.
Hidden accounts.
His hands started shaking.
“How much?”
Michael’s voice became cold.
“Over forty million dollars.”
The guests gasped.
Daniel looked up.
“Who?”
Michael didn’t answer immediately.
He didn’t need to.
Everyone already knew.
Vanessa’s face became pale.
“That’s a lie.”
Michael turned toward her.
“No, Vanessa.”
Her name sounded like an accusation.
“That’s the truth you spent eight years trying to bury.”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Is this true?”
She looked around.
Searching for an escape.
“Daniel, you’re really going to believe him?”
Michael stepped forward.
“You pushed that stroller today because you were afraid.”
Vanessa froze.
“What?”
“You saw Amelia.”
Michael looked at Mia.
“You knew she was alive.”
Amelia looked shocked.
Michael continued.
“You knew if she remembered everything, you would lose.”
Daniel looked at Amelia.
“Remember everything?”
Michael turned to her.
“I’m sorry.”
Those words frightened her.
“Sorry for what?”
Michael looked at her with sadness.
“For what they did to your memory.”
The patio became silent.
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Michael took a breath.
“Amelia didn’t just lose her memory because of the accident.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Then why?”
Michael looked at Vanessa.
“Because someone wanted her to forget.”
Amelia’s face went pale.
“No…”
She shook her head.
“No, that’s not possible.”
Michael walked closer.
“You remember waking up in the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“You remember the doctors telling you the crash damaged your memory?”
“Yes.”
Michael looked at Daniel.
“That wasn’t the whole truth.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
Michael’s voice became quiet.
“Someone paid the hospital to change her records.”
Amelia felt dizzy.
“Who?”
Nobody answered.
But everyone looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa suddenly exploded.
“Enough!”
Her voice echoed across the patio.
“You’re all acting like I’m the villain.”
She pointed at Michael.
“You disappeared!”
Then at Amelia.
“You lied about who you were!”
Then at Daniel.
“You never asked questions until now!”
She was losing control.
And everyone could see it.
“You want the truth?”
Vanessa laughed.
“Fine.”
She looked directly at Daniel.
“The night Michael disappeared…”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“What about it?”
Vanessa smiled.
“He wasn’t running from me.”
Michael’s expression changed.
Vanessa continued.
“He was running from you.”
The patio went silent.
Daniel stared at her.
“What did you say?”
Michael’s face became serious.
“Don’t listen to her.”
But Vanessa was already enjoying the chaos.
“You think your brother was innocent?”
She walked closer.
“You think he was investigating me?”
She shook her head.
“He found out something about you, Daniel.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Michael stepped forward.
“Vanessa, stop.”
But she kept going.
“He found out what happened to your father.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
Everyone noticed.
Because that name carried pain.
“My father?”
Vanessa smiled.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked at Michael.
“What is she talking about?”
Michael didn’t answer.
And that scared Daniel more than anything.
“Michael.”
His voice became quiet.
“What happened?”
Michael looked at his brother.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.”
Daniel’s heart sank.
“Find out what?”
Michael took a deep breath.
Then said the words nobody expected.
“Your father’s death wasn’t an accident.”
The world seemed to stop.
Daniel stared.
“My father died twenty years ago.”
“Yes.”
Michael nodded.
“And someone in this family knows the truth.”
Daniel looked around.
At Vanessa.
At Michael.
At Amelia.
Then his eyes landed on the only person who suddenly looked terrified.
Vanessa.
Because she knew.
The truth about the Cross family was much darker than anyone imagined.
And the person who started everything…
was not Amelia.
It was someone Daniel had trusted his entire life.
Michael stepped closer and whispered:
“Your father was murdered.”
Before Daniel could respond, the lights around the mansion suddenly went out.
The entire property fell into darkness.
A scream came from inside the house.
Then another.
And when the emergency lights turned on…
someone was missing.
May you like
Amelia.
TO BE CONTINUED...
