Chapter 14 - THE FINAL BETRAYAL
The next morning, Ethan called an emergency meeting at Blackwood Enterprises.
Every executive was there.
Everyone who had worked beside him for years.
Everyone was a possible suspect.
The room was silent.
Ethan placed the evidence on the table.
“No one leaves until we know the truth.”
The executives exchanged nervous looks.
Then one person stood.
“Ethan, this is ridiculous.”
Ethan looked up.
His expression changed.
Because the voice belonged to someone he trusted.
His uncle.
Thomas Blackwood.
The man who had helped run the company since Ethan was young.
“You?”
Thomas sighed.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t find out this way.”
Margaret covered her mouth.
“Thomas…”
He looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan stared.
“How long?”
Thomas didn’t answer.
“How long have you been helping Victoria?”
A long silence.
Then:
“Eight years.”
The room exploded.
Ethan stepped back.
Eight years.
The entire relationship.
The entire plan.
Everything.
Thomas had been there.
Watching.
Helping.
“You killed my father.”
Ethan’s voice was quiet.
Thomas looked away.
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Thomas sat down.
“Your father found out.”
“About Victoria?”
“Yes.”
Thomas looked exhausted.
“Richard Sinclair promised me control of the company.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You betrayed your own family.”
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“Your father always chose you.”
The words revealed the truth.
Jealousy.
Greed.
Years of resentment.
Thomas had destroyed everything because he believed the empire should have been his.
Then Elena noticed something.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Victoria said someone inside the company was helping her.”
Thomas looked nervous.
“That’s me.”
“No.”
Elena pointed at the documents.
“She said the person helping her still has power.”
Thomas frowned.
“What are you saying?”
Elena looked at Ethan.
“Thomas was working with her.”
A pause.
“But he wasn’t the only one.”
The room went silent.
Ethan looked confused.
“How do you know?”
Elena opened the final file from the hidden room.
Inside was a payment record.
Millions transferred.
The sender wasn’t Thomas.
It was someone else.
Someone whose name made everyone freeze.
Daniel Hayes.
Daniel stepped back.
“No.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Daniel?”
“I didn’t do this.”
Elena stared at the evidence.
The payment records.
The dates.
The signatures.
Everything pointed to him.
Daniel’s face changed.
“They framed me.”
Nobody moved.
Then the lights went out.
The entire building went dark.
A second later, every screen in the room turned on.
Victoria appeared.
Live.
Smiling.
“Congratulations.”
Everyone stared.
“You found the first traitor.”
Ethan stepped toward the screen.
“Where are you?”
Victoria laughed.
“You still think this is about finding people.”
A pause.
“It’s about understanding the game.”
Then she looked directly into the camera.
“Elena.”
Elena froze.
“You wanted the truth.”
Victoria smiled.
“Now you’re going to get all of it.”
The screen changed.
A video appeared.
A hospital room.
Ethan’s father.
Charles Blackwood.
Alive.
The room went silent.
Because Charles wasn’t dying.
He was being held.
And standing beside his hospital bed…
May you like
Was Ethan’s mother.
Margaret.
