CHAPTER 10: THE FATHER WHO NEVER LEFT
The man standing outside the Graves estate was impossible.
At least, that was what Nathaniel had believed for twenty years.
Because everyone knew the story.
The official story.
Victor Graves was dead.
A powerful businessman.
A ruthless father.
A man who built the foundation of the Graves empire before disappearing in a mysterious accident.
Nathaniel had spent half his life trying to escape his father’s shadow.
Trying to become a different man.
A better man.
But now…
That shadow was standing outside the house.
Alive.
Waiting.
“Dad…”
Nathaniel whispered the word like it physically hurt.
I looked at him.
The strongest man I had ever seen looked completely broken.
Clara stood beside him.
Her face was cold.
“He never died.”
Nathaniel turned toward her.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed.
“How long?”
“Almost my entire life.”
The answer destroyed something inside him.
“You knew my father was alive?”
Clara didn’t look away.
“I knew the man who destroyed my childhood was still watching.”
Outside, the black vehicles surrounded the estate.
The guards were nervous.
For the first time since I met them…
They looked scared.
Nathaniel noticed.
“Call for backup.”
One guard checked his phone.
Then shook his head.
“No signal.”
Nathaniel looked toward the windows.
“They blocked communications.”
Clara gave a bitter smile.
“Of course they did.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You knew this would happen.”
“I knew he would come eventually.”
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
Clara’s eyes became colder.
“Because I needed you to see the truth yourself.”
Nathaniel stared at his daughter.
A daughter who had grown up without him.
A daughter who had learned to survive without needing anyone.
And suddenly he understood.
Clara didn’t hate him because she was cruel.
She hated him because she had been alone.
A loud knock echoed through the mansion.
Everyone froze.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then the front door opened.
No one touched it.
It opened because someone outside had the code.
The man walked inside slowly.
Older.
Gray hair.
Expensive black coat.
A cane in his hand.
But his eyes…
His eyes were exactly like Nathaniel’s.
Cold.
Sharp.
Calculating.
Victor Graves looked around the room.
Then smiled.
“My family.”
Nobody answered.
His eyes landed on Nathaniel.
“You grew up.”
Nathaniel stared at him.
“You’re dead.”
Victor smiled.
“People only die when they stop being useful.”
I hated him immediately.
I didn’t know why.
I had never met him before.
But something about him felt wrong.
Like standing near a storm.
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“You took Clara.”
Victor looked at his granddaughter.
“I protected her.”
Clara laughed.
A quiet, painful laugh.
“Protected me?”
Victor looked at her.
“You are alive because of me.”
“I survived because of myself.”
For a moment…
Victor looked almost proud.
“That attitude is why you are my favorite.”
Nathaniel’s face darkened.
“She is not a weapon.”
Victor turned.
“Still pretending you are different from me?”
The words hit harder than an insult.
“You built an empire.”
Nathaniel answered:
“To protect people.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“You built it because you wanted power.”
Nathaniel said nothing.
Because a small part of him feared the truth.
Victor walked around the room.
Looking at everyone.
Emily.
Clara.
Me.
Then he stopped.
His eyes locked onto mine.
There was no surprise.
No confusion.
Only recognition.
“So…”
He whispered.
“Daniel’s daughter.”
My stomach tightened.
Nathaniel immediately moved between us.
“Don’t look at her.”
Victor smiled.
“You still protect what you love.”
A pause.
“That was always your weakness.”
Nathaniel’s voice became dangerous.
“Stay away from her.”
Victor ignored him.
He looked at me.
“Do you know why you are important, Ruby?”
I didn’t answer.
“Because your father found something that belonged to me.”
I looked confused.
“Daniel?”
Victor nodded.
“He stole something from me.”
“What?”
Victor smiled.
“The truth.”
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed.
“What did Daniel discover?”
Victor looked at him.
“Everything.”
The room became silent.
“Your grandfather built the Black Viper.”
Nathaniel already knew.
“But Daniel discovered something worse.”
Victor walked closer.
“He discovered that the Graves empire was never built by money.”
He tapped his cane.
“It was built by secrets.”
Victor pointed toward me.
“Daniel hid the evidence before he died.”
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“Where?”
Victor smiled.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
He looked at me.
“Because only one person knows.”
My heart started beating faster.
“Who?”
Victor answered:
“Ruby.”
Everyone looked at me.
I shook my head.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“You don’t remember.”
My mother immediately stepped forward.
“Don’t.”
Victor ignored her.
“The night Daniel disappeared, he gave you something.”
My head started hurting.
Again.
The memory.
The same memory I couldn’t reach.
Rain.
Darkness.
A man screaming.
A little girl crying.
A hand placing something in mine.
A voice whispering:
“Ruby, never let them find this.”
I grabbed my head.
“No…”
Nathaniel rushed toward me.
“Ruby?”
I looked at him.
“I remember something.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
I closed my eyes.
“A box.”
My mother gasped.
“A small wooden box.”
Victor smiled.
“Yes.”
My heart raced.
“He gave me a box.”
Nathaniel looked at Victor.
“What was inside?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t know.”
Victor laughed softly.
“Because you were too young.”
Suddenly, an explosion shook the mansion.
The windows shattered.
Everyone fell.
Smoke filled the room.
The guards shouted.
“Attack!”
Chaos erupted.
Nathaniel grabbed me.
Clara grabbed Emily.
Victor disappeared into the smoke.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
A voice we all recognized.
Sebastian.
“You wasted too much time searching for answers.”
Nathaniel looked around.
“Sebastian.”
The voice laughed.
“Now you will lose everything.”
The lights flickered.
Then every screen in the mansion turned on.
A video appeared.
A young Daniel Carter.
Alive.
Speaking directly into the camera.
Nathaniel froze.
Because the man in the video was holding something.
A file.
And behind him…
Was Victor Graves.
Daniel looked into the camera.
“If you are watching this…”
He paused.
“Then I failed.”
Nathaniel couldn’t breathe.
Daniel continued:
“The person who betrayed us was never outside the family.”
The video shook.
A voice shouted in the background.
Then Daniel looked terrified.
“Ruby…”
My heart stopped.
“He will come for you.”
The screen went black.
Then one final message appeared.
Written in red letters.
THE TRUTH IS HIDDEN WHERE THE FAMILY BEGAN.
Nathaniel stared at the words.
Clara whispered:
“The old Graves mansion.”
Nathaniel looked around.
“We’re already here.”
Clara slowly shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed upstairs.
“Not this mansion.”
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then where?”
Clara looked at Nathaniel.
“The house where your family started.”
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TO BE CONTINUED…
CHAPTER 11: THE HOUSE THAT BURIED THE FIRST SECRET
