Chapter 11 - THE GHOST FROM THE PAST
Nobody spoke.
The name on the screen stared back at us.
Michael Carter.
My father’s name.
My hands went numb.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“That’s impossible.”
Daniel closed his laptop slowly.
“Emily…”
“My father is dead.”
The words came out like a whisper.
Everyone looked at me.
Daniel took a deep breath.
“I know.”
“Then explain this.”
He looked down.
“I can’t.”
That answer terrified me.
Because Daniel was always the person with answers.
But now he looked just as confused as I was.
“My father’s account was used?”
Daniel nodded.
“Someone used his identity.”
I stared at the screen.
Someone was pretending to be my father.
Someone had access to information only my father should have known.
“Why?”
Nobody answered.
Then my phone rang.
The unknown number.
Everyone froze.
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
“Answer it.”
I pressed the speaker button.
“Hello?”
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a voice spoke.
A calm voice.
A familiar voice.
“You always were more stubborn than your father expected.”
My heart stopped.
Because I recognized that voice.
“Who is this?”
A small laugh came through the phone.
“You really don’t know?”
I couldn’t breathe.
The voice continued.
“Your father spent years protecting you from me.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who are you?”
The person ignored him.
“Emily, your father lied to you.”
My eyes filled with anger.
“My father never lied to me.”
The voice became colder.
“Everyone lies eventually.”
Then the call ended.
I stood there frozen.
Daniel looked worried.
“You know that voice?”
I slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
I swallowed.
Someone I never thought I would hear again.
“Someone from my father’s past.”
The room became silent.
“Who?”
I looked at everyone.
Then I said the name.
“Victor Hale.”
Daniel’s face changed instantly.
“No.”
“What?”
He looked terrified.
“Emily, that man died years ago.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then why does he sound alive?”
Nobody had an answer.
But then Daniel noticed something.
A small red light blinking near the bookshelf.
He walked toward it.
He reached behind a decoration.
And pulled out a tiny camera.
Everyone gasped.
Someone had been watching us.
Recording us.
For how long?
I didn’t know.
But one thing was clear.
The person behind everything wasn’t just trying to steal my money.
They wanted control.
May you like
And they had been closer than anyone realized.
TO BE CONTINUED...
