Chapter 14 - THE LAST PERSON THEY EXPECTED
Nobody spoke.
The name on the screen remained visible.
Marcus stared at it.
Unable to accept what he was seeing.
Claire noticed.
“Dad?”
Marcus didn’t answer.
Daniel looked at him.
“Who is it?”
Marcus slowly stepped backward.
Because saying the name out loud would make it real.
The person behind everything…
was Nathaniel Reed.
Marcus’s older brother.
The man who had raised him after their father died.
The man who had helped him build his first company.
The man Marcus had trusted more than anyone alive.
Claire looked confused.
“Your brother?”
Marcus nodded slowly.
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“He couldn’t.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I thought the same thing.”
Marcus turned.
“You knew?”
Daniel nodded.
“I found evidence.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Daniel looked away.
“Because I knew what it would do to you.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“What?”
“You thought protecting me meant letting me believe a lie?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
Because he knew Marcus was right.
For years, Marcus had believed his family was different.
Better.
Cleaner.
But the truth was finally visible.
His own brother had been standing behind the curtain.
Pulling every string.
Marcus looked at Claire.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire shook her head.
“Dad.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I brought you into this world believing I could protect you.”
A pause.
“But I never realized the people closest to us were the danger.”
Claire grabbed his hand.
“You came.”
Marcus looked at her.
“That’s what matters.”
Daniel suddenly looked toward the entrance.
“Wait.”
Everyone turned.
Outside the conservatory…
a car had stopped.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
Calm expression.
Nathaniel Reed.
Marcus froze.
The doors opened.
Nathaniel walked inside.
And smiled.
“Marcus.”
Nobody moved.
Nathaniel looked around the room.
At Vivienne.
At Preston.
At Sheriff Pike.
Then finally at Claire.
“I see you found the truth.”
Marcus stared.
“You.”
Nathaniel sighed.
“I hoped it would not happen this way.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“You destroyed lives.”
Nathaniel remained calm.
“No.”
“I protected an empire.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You protected criminals.”
Nathaniel smiled sadly.
“That is the difference between us.”
“What difference?”
Nathaniel looked at him.
“You still believe the world is supposed to be fair.”
A pause.
“I learned that power decides what becomes truth.”
Claire stepped forward.
“You knew what happened to me.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“Yes.”
That answer shocked everyone.
Marcus’s face changed.
“You knew?”
Nathaniel nodded.
“I knew Preston was dangerous.”
Marcus’s voice became dangerous.
“Then why did you do nothing?”
Nathaniel looked at Claire.
“Because I needed the Beaumont family exposed.”
Everyone froze.
Claire looked confused.
“What?”
Nathaniel continued.
“I knew they were corrupt.”
“I knew they were hiding something.”
“But I needed proof.”
Marcus stared.
“You used my daughter.”
Nathaniel’s expression changed slightly.
For the first time…
a small sign of regret appeared.
“Yes.”
That single word made Marcus furious.
He stepped forward.
“You used my daughter as bait.”
Nathaniel said nothing.
Marcus’s voice became colder.
“You are no better than them.”
The room went silent.
Because Nathaniel knew.
He had crossed the line.
Then suddenly…
Sheriff Pike’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
A pause.
“No.”
Everyone looked at him.
Pike lowered the phone.
“They found us.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
Pike looked terrified.
“The Circle.”
A silence followed.
Then Nathaniel whispered:
“They were never supposed to come here.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?”
Nathaniel looked toward the doors.
“Because they know everything.”
The lights went out.
May you like
And the Beaumont estate disappeared into darkness.
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