Chapter 13 - THE FINAL PIECE OF THE LIE
The gunshot echoed through the hotel.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody even breathed.
The kind of silence that followed was worse than the sound itself.
Then people started screaming.
Security rushed through the hallway.
Guests ran toward the exits.
The perfect engagement celebration had become a crime scene.
And in the middle of it all...
Marcus Vale was gone.
I stared at the envelope on the floor.
My name was written across the front.
FAY LAWSON.
My hands felt numb.
"Don't touch it."
Griffin's voice stopped me.
Security carefully picked it up.
They opened it using gloves.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Three sentences.
That was all.
But those three sentences changed everything.
Fay, if you are reading this, I failed.
Trust Griffin. Not Adrian.
The truth is hidden where your mother left it.
Everyone looked at each other.
Adrian's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.
"That's impossible."
Griffin looked at him.
"What is?"
Adrian stared at the note.
"Marcus knew."
"Knew what?"
Adrian didn't answer.
I stepped forward.
"No more secrets."
My voice was shaking.
"But I am done standing here while everyone decides what parts of my life I get to know."
I looked at Griffin.
"I deserve the truth."
Griffin nodded slowly.
"You do."
He turned toward Adrian.
"And so do I."
Adrian looked away.
For years, he had been the man everyone blamed.
The missing son.
The angry brother.
The enemy.
But now...
even he looked confused.
Security searched the hotel.
They found no sign of Marcus.
No blood.
No weapon.
Nothing.
Like he had disappeared.
But before leaving, he had left us one clue.
A location.
An old building outside the city.
The place where Hales International started.
Griffin looked at the address.
"My father's old office."
Adrian became tense.
"You can't go there."
Griffin looked at him.
"Why?"
Adrian hesitated.
Then said:
"Because that's where everything began."
Two hours later, we arrived at the abandoned building.
The old Hales headquarters.
The place where Griffin's father built his empire.
Dust covered everything.
The walls were cracked.
But behind one hidden panel in the office, we found something.
A small metal box.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
Letters.
And one old recording.
My mother's handwriting was on the top.
For Fay.
My hands shook as I opened it.
The first letter was dated twenty-two years ago.
I read the first line.
And my heart broke.
"My daughter, if you are reading this, then I am no longer able to protect you."
I couldn't continue.
Griffin quietly took the letter.
His expression changed as he read.
Then he whispered:
"Fay..."
I looked at him.
"What?"
He handed me the page.
And I saw the sentence.
"Griffin Hales is not your enemy. He is the only person your father trusted to keep you safe."
I looked up.
Confused.
"What does that mean?"
Then the old recording started playing.
My mother's voice filled the room.
"If you're hearing this, then the people who tried to erase the truth have finally failed."
A pause.
"Fay, you were never hidden because you were unwanted."
My eyes filled with tears.
"You were hidden because someone wanted you dead."
The room went cold.
Griffin looked at Adrian.
Adrian looked away.
Then my mother's final words played.
"The person who betrayed us is not the person you think."
The recording stopped.
Everyone was silent.
Then another sound came from the doorway.
A slow clap.
Everyone turned.
Marcus Vale stood there.
Alive.
May you like
Holding a gun.
And smiling.
