Chapter 10 - THE TRUTH BURIED UNDER FIFTEEN YEARS

I didn’t tell Hannah about Richard’s call.

Not immediately.

A father’s first instinct is to protect his child.

Even when that child is an adult.

Even when she has already protected him more times than he deserves.

I waited until morning.

Then I drove to the location Richard sent me.

An old construction site on the edge of town.

A place that looked forgotten.

Broken concrete.

Rusting equipment.

Tall grass growing through cracks in the ground.

The kind of place where secrets disappear.

I parked my car.

I checked my phone.

One message.

YOU CAME ALONE.

I looked around.

“I did.”

A voice came from behind me.

“You always were predictable, Jonathan.”

I turned.

Richard Blake stepped out from behind an old building.

Fifteen years had changed him.

His hair was gray.

His face was thinner.

But his eyes were exactly the same.

Cold.

Calculating.

Full of resentment.

“Why?”

That was the only question I could ask.

Richard smiled.

“Still looking for simple answers.”

“You destroyed my family.”

His smile disappeared.

“No.”

He walked closer.

“You destroyed mine.”

I clenched my fists.

“You disappeared after stealing from the company.”

His jaw tightened.

“Because you made sure everyone believed that story.”

“I saw the records.”

“You saw what Martin wanted you to see.”

The words hit me.

“Martin?”

Richard laughed.

“Your loyal friend.”

I stared at him.

“Don’t bring him into this.”

“Why?”

Richard stepped closer.

“Because he was there too.”

My heart sank.

“What are you talking about?”

Richard reached into his coat.

He pulled out an old envelope.

“This belonged to Elizabeth.”

My wife’s name.

Hearing it from him felt like someone opening an old wound.

I grabbed the envelope.

Inside was a letter.

My hands trembled.

The handwriting was hers.

Jonathan,

If you are reading this, something happened before I could tell you.

I stopped.

My vision blurred.

Richard watched me.

“She knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That Florence wasn’t the first person trying to take your company.”

I looked up.

“What?”

Richard’s expression changed.

“She discovered someone inside Prescott Homes was moving money.”

My heart started beating faster.

“Who?”

Richard didn’t answer.

Instead, he said:

“Read the letter.”

---

I read every word.

Elizabeth had discovered financial records hidden inside the company.

Large transfers.

Fake accounts.

Missing money.

And the person who approved them…

was someone I trusted.

The bottom of the page contained only one sentence.

I’m afraid the person closest to Jonathan is the person hurting him.

I lowered the letter.

“Who?”

Richard stared at me.

“You still don’t understand.”

“Tell me.”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“The person who betrayed you first…”

A pause.

“Was Martin.”

The world stopped.

“No.”

Richard smiled sadly.

“You really don’t want to believe that.”

---

I returned to the office three hours later.

Hannah immediately knew something was wrong.

“Dad?”

I placed the letter on the table.

She read it.

Her face changed.

“Mom wrote this?”

I nodded.

Martin arrived thirty minutes later.

The moment he saw the letter…

he froze.

That reaction told me everything.

“Martin.”

He slowly looked at me.

“You found it.”

Not confusion.

Not surprise.

Fear.

“What did you do?”

He sat down.

“I can explain.”

I laughed.

“I’m tired of explanations.”

His eyes filled with regret.

“I never wanted this.”

“Wanted what?”

I pointed at the letter.

“My wife warning me about you.”

Martin closed his eyes.

Then whispered:

“I made one mistake.”

“No.”

My voice became cold.

“You made choices.”

He looked at me.

And said the words I never expected.

“Jonathan…”

“Your wife didn’t die because of an accident.”

Silence.

Hannah covered her mouth.

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“What did you say?”