Chapter 12 - THE FINAL GAME BEGINS
Robert Carter walked through the warehouse like he owned it.
Maybe he did.
That was the terrifying part.
For years, Claire had imagined the person behind everything as someone obvious.
A criminal.
A violent man.
A monster.
But Robert wasn’t any of those things.
He was calm.
Polite.
Almost gentle.
And that made him worse.
“You look just like your father,” Robert said.
Claire stared.
“Don’t talk about him.”
Robert smiled.
“Still angry.”
“You destroyed his life.”
Robert shook his head.
“No.”
He walked toward the documents.
“Your father destroyed himself.”
Michael stepped forward.
“You’re lying.”
Robert looked at him.
“You were always loyal.”
A small smile.
“That was your problem.”
Michael’s face hardened.
“You threatened Ethan.”
Robert laughed.
“Threatened?”
He looked around.
“I offered him a solution.”
Claire’s eyes narrowed.
“What solution?”
Robert looked at her.
“To stop fighting.”
The room became silent.
“You could have had everything,” Robert said.
“You were family.”
Claire’s voice was full of disgust.
“You wanted his company.”
“I wanted what he built.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You wanted control.”
Robert smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Claire stared.
“You and Damian planned everything.”
Robert nodded.
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked her.
No denial.
No excuses.
Just the truth.
“You killed my father.”
Robert’s expression changed slightly.
“Careful.”
“You did.”
“He made his choices.”
Claire clenched her fists.
“You ruined my family.”
Robert looked almost disappointed.
“Your family was already broken.”
Michael quietly moved his hand toward his phone.
Robert noticed.
“You’re recording?”
Michael froze.
Robert smiled.
“Good.”
He pulled out his own phone.
“Because I recorded everything too.”
Claire looked confused.
Robert pressed a button.
A video appeared.
Her father.
Alive.
Sitting in his office.
Angry.
The recording played.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing, Robert.”
Her father’s voice filled the warehouse.
“You are destroying everything our family built.”
Robert’s younger voice answered:
“No, Ethan.”
The video continued.
“I’m saving it.”
Claire watched.
Her father looked exhausted.
Broken.
Then Robert said something that made her heart stop.
“You know the truth.”
Her father looked up.
“What truth?”
Robert smiled.
“The truth about Claire.”
The video ended.
Claire looked at Robert.
“What truth?”
Robert said nothing.
That silence terrified her.
“What did my father know about me?”
Robert smiled.
“Ask your mother.”
Claire turned.
Her mother wasn’t there.
She had disappeared.
Michael looked around.
“She was here seconds ago.”
Claire’s heart dropped.
“No.”
Robert smiled.
“Your mother has spent eleven years running.”
He stepped closer.
“But now she has nowhere left to hide.”
Claire looked at the door.
And suddenly her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A weak voice whispered:
“Claire…”
Her mother.
“Mom?”
“Listen to me.”
Her breathing was shaky.
“Don’t trust Robert.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I know.”
“No.”
Her mother sounded terrified.
“You don’t understand.”
A pause.
“Your father didn’t hide your inheritance from Damian.”
Claire froze.
“Then who?”
Her mother whispered:
“He hid it from you.”
Silence.
Claire felt her heart stop.
“What?”
Before her mother could explain, the call ended.
Robert looked at her.
And smiled.
“Now you’re finally asking the right question.”
Claire stared.
“What did my father hide from me?”
Robert walked toward the exit.
“The truth about who you really are.”
And as he disappeared into the darkness, Claire realized something terrifying.
The battle against Damian was never the real fight.
May you like
It was only the beginning.
TO BE CONTINUED…
