Chapter 14 - THE FINAL BETRAYAL
The search lasted twenty minutes.
Then thirty.
Nothing.
Thomas disappeared like he had never existed.
Just like before.
Laura stood in the middle of the hidden room, exhausted.
“How does someone vanish after twenty years?”
Nobody answered.
Because everyone knew.
Thomas Bennett had been planning this longer than they had been alive.
Mark looked at Rebecca.
“You knew.”
She looked away.
“You knew he was alive.”
Rebecca didn’t respond.
That was enough.
Mark’s anger exploded.
“How many more secrets are there?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“You were protecting the lie.”
Rebecca looked hurt.
But she didn’t argue.
Because she knew he was right.
Then Claire noticed something.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
“The drive.”
“What about it?”
“Thomas took the wrong one.”
Mark frowned.
“What?”
Claire pointed at the empty box.
“There were two devices.”
Everyone rushed back.
Hidden underneath the box was a second drive.
Small.
Black.
Marked with one word.
FOR LAURA.
Laura froze.
“Me?”
Mark handed it to her.
“Your father left this for you.”
Her hands shook as she connected it.
A video appeared.
Their father.
But this time, he looked different.
Not afraid.
Not tired.
Peaceful.
“Laura.”
She covered her mouth.
“If you’re watching this, it means you found the truth.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
The words broke her.
“I spent my life trying to protect you from the darkness in our family.”
He paused.
“But I made a mistake.”
The video showed old documents.
Photos.
Evidence.
“Thomas wasn’t the only person responsible.”
Everyone looked at each other.
Her father continued.
“There was someone who helped him.”
Laura’s heart sank.
“No…”
The video continued.
“I wanted to believe this person changed.”
A pause.
“But some people don’t change.”
The screen showed a photograph.
A recent photograph.
Taken inside the Bennett house.
The person standing beside Thomas was someone they all recognized.
Someone who had been helping them.
Someone who had earned their trust.
Laura dropped the device.
Because the person in the photo was…
Mark.
Nobody spoke.
Mark stared at the screen.
“No.”
Evelyn stepped back.
“Mark…”
“I didn’t do this.”
Laura looked at her brother.
The brother she had defended.
The brother she had hated.
The brother she no longer understood.
Mark shook his head.
“Dad knew.”
A tear rolled down his face.
“He knew someone would frame me.”
Then his phone rang.
Everyone froze.
The screen showed one name.
Thomas.
Mark answered.
Nobody breathed.
Thomas’s voice came through.
“Did you enjoy the video?”
Mark’s face turned pale.
“You set me up.”
Thomas laughed.
“No, Mark.”
A pause.
“Your father did.”
Mark looked at the others.
Thomas continued:
“Because your father knew the truth.”
“What truth?”
Thomas whispered:
“That you were never his son.”
The call ended.
Nobody moved.
Nobody knew what to believe anymore.
Then Laura looked at Mark.
May you like
And whispered:
“Who are you?”
