Chapter 9 - THE PRICE OF SILENCE
The room felt colder than ever.
Gabriel stared at the document.
His father’s signature.
The proof that destroyed everything he believed.
Richard looked older than he had ever looked.
“Say something.”
Gabriel’s voice was quiet.
Richard swallowed.
“I made a deal.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Even after fifteen years…
Hearing him admit it still hurt.
“A deal with who?”
Richard looked at Evelyn.
“She knew about the company’s problems.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Continue.”
Richard looked ashamed.
“She offered to help.”
Gabriel frowned.
“Help?”
Richard nodded.
“She wanted control.”
“And you gave it to her?”
“No.”
Richard’s voice cracked.
“I tried to stop her.”
Evelyn laughed.
“You tried too late.”
Gabriel looked between them.
“So everyone was fighting for power.”
He looked at Elena.
“And my mother paid the price.”
Nobody disagreed.
That was the truth.
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Everyone looked around.
It was Elena’s phone.
But she didn’t recognize the number.
Gabriel answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“You’re asking the wrong questions.”
Gabriel froze.
“Who is this?”
“The person who knows why Elena disappeared.”
Everyone listened.
The voice continued.
“You found Evelyn.”
A pause.
“But you haven’t found the real person behind everything.”
Gabriel’s face changed.
“What are you talking about?”
A quiet laugh.
“Evelyn wanted revenge.”
The voice lowered.
“But someone else wanted the Whitmore empire.”
Elena stepped closer.
“Who?”
The caller answered:
“The person sitting closest to you.”
Everyone looked around.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
Then the line went dead.
The room became filled with fear.
Because now nobody trusted anyone.
Gabriel looked at Richard.
Then Thomas.
Then Margaret.
Then Evelyn.
Then Valeria.
Someone among them was still hiding the biggest secret.
Suddenly, Valeria spoke.
“I know who it is.”
Everyone turned.
Gabriel stared at her.
“You do?”
Valeria nodded.
Her face was pale.
“I saw something fifteen years ago.”
Sophia looked shocked.
“Valeria.”
But she continued.
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“I’m tired of protecting lies.”
She looked at Elena.
“I know who really caused the accident.”
The entire room froze.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Who?”
Valeria looked toward the hallway.
Her eyes filled with fear.
Then she whispered:
“The person who ordered it…”
A pause.
“The person who has been controlling this family from the beginning…”
Everyone waited.
Valeria finally said the name.
“Your grandfather.”
Silence.
Because Gabriel’s grandfather had been dead for ten years.
And yet…
Someone had been following his orders.
Someone had continued his plan.
Someone had been hiding in the shadows.
Then the mansion lights went out again.
A scream echoed from upstairs.
When the emergency lights returned…
Valeria was gone.
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And on the floor was a single message written in red ink.
THE NEXT PERSON TO DISAPPEAR WILL BE ELENA.
