Chapter 11 - THE LAST LIE OF ROBERT BLACKWOOD
Serena survived surgery.
Barely.
Doctors placed her under guard in the hospital.
Charles survived too.
Evelyn was arrested before sunrise.
The lake house burned nearly to the ground.
Victor sat beside Damian in a private hospital room while Ethan slept in the chair nearby.
“What did she mean?”
Damian looked exhausted.
“About Mom?”
“Yes.”
“You told me Dad ordered the crash.”
“That’s what Charles’s records suggested.”
“Serena said he didn’t.”
Damian stared at the ceiling.
“Serena lies.”
“She also came back and saved Ethan.”
“That doesn’t erase what she did.”
“I know.”
Victor stood.
“But she believed she was dying.”
“People lie while dying too.”
Victor looked toward his son.
“I need the truth.”
Damian nodded.
“Then talk to Charles.”
Federal investigators had already begun interrogating him.
Victor’s lawyers arranged access under supervision.
Charles sat handcuffed to a hospital bed.
His leg was wrapped.
He smiled when Victor entered.
“The golden son.”
Victor pulled up a chair.
“Who ordered my mother’s death?”
Charles looked amused.
“You spent decades believing accidents happen.”
“Answer me.”
“Why?”
Victor leaned closer.
“Because if you cooperate, I won’t oppose protective custody.”
Charles laughed.
“You think I fear prison?”
“No.”
Victor smiled without warmth.
“I think you fear Evelyn.”
Charles’s smile faded.
Victor knew he had him.
“Who ordered the crash?”
Charles looked away.
“Your mother.”
Victor stared.
“What?”
“Isabelle ordered the car sabotage.”
Victor almost stood.
“Her own car?”
“No.”
Charles smiled faintly.
“Your father’s.”
Victor froze.
Charles continued.
“She discovered Robert had been stealing from her trust.”
“She wanted evidence.”
“She planned to disable his car on a rural road.”
“Strand him long enough for investigators to search his office.”
Victor’s voice was barely audible.
“Then why was she driving it?”
“Robert switched cars that morning.”
Victor felt nauseated.
“He knew?”
“No.”
“Random chance.”
Victor stared.
“My mother died because of her own plan?”
Charles shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
Victor waited.
“Evelyn discovered the sabotage.”
“And?”
“She could have warned Isabelle.”
“She didn’t.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“So Evelyn let her die.”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
“He discovered the truth later.”
“What did he do?”
Charles laughed quietly.
“He buried it.”
“Why?”
“Because Isabelle had left evidence tying him to fraud.”
“A public investigation would have destroyed him.”
Victor leaned back.
Every adult in his childhood had been lying.
His father.
Evelyn.
Charles.
Maybe even his mother.
“What about Damian?”
Charles’s expression changed.
“Robert framed him.”
“I know.”
“Do you know why?”
“Because Damian found the transfers.”
“Partly.”
Charles stared directly at Victor.
“Damian also discovered you were not Robert Blackwood’s biological son.”
Victor stopped breathing.
“No.”
Charles smiled.
“There it is.”
Victor stood.
“You’re lying.”
“Ask Martha.”
Victor left without another word.
He found Martha in the hospital family lounge.
She took one look at his face and knew.
“Who told you?”
“Charles.”
Martha sat down.
Victor remained standing.
“Is it true?”
Her silence hurt more than the answer.
“Martha.”
“Yes.”
Victor laughed once.
Empty.
“Who was my father?”
Martha’s eyes filled.
“Your mother never told me.”
“Did Robert know?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before you were born.”
“And he raised me anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he loved Isabelle.”
Victor looked away.
That did not fit the monster he had learned his father was.
Martha continued.
“People are complicated, Victor.”
“Your father did terrible things.”
“But he loved you.”
Victor rubbed his jaw.
“And Damian?”
“Robert’s biological son.”
Victor sat.
“So the son he framed was actually his.”
Martha nodded.
“And the son he gave everything to wasn’t.”
“Yes.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“Perfect.”
Martha took his hand.
“There’s more.”
Victor looked at her.
“Of course there is.”
“Your mother knew someone was watching her before she died.”
“She left one recording.”
“Where?”
“I gave it to Damian.”
Victor turned.
“When?”
“Nine years ago.”
Victor left the room.
He found Damian standing in the hallway.
“You had Mom’s recording.”
Damian went still.
“Who told you?”
“Martha.”
Victor stepped closer.
“You knew I wasn’t Robert’s son?”
Damian stared at him.
May you like
“Yes.”
Victor punched him.
