CHAP 11: THE LOST SON OF BLACKWOOD
CHAP 11: THE LOST SON OF BLACKWOOD
The screen went black.
But Lucas Blackwood’s final words remained.
"The person who destroyed your life was your father."
The sentence stayed inside Ethan’s mind like a wound that refused to close.
For seven years…
he blamed Victor.
He blamed Alexander.
He blamed himself.
But now…
another possibility appeared.
His father.
Edward Blackwood.
The man whose portrait hung in the center of the family mansion.
The man whose name represented honor.
The man Ethan spent his entire life trying to make proud.
Could he really have been the reason everything happened?
Nobody spoke.
The underground facility was silent.
Even Alexander Voss had nothing to say.
And that frightened Ethan more than anything.
Because Alexander always had an answer.
A manipulation.
A plan.
A hidden move.
But now…
he looked almost defeated.
Ethan turned toward him.
“You knew about Lucas.”
Alexander looked away.
“Answer me.”
“Yes.”
The word was quiet.
But it carried weight.
Ethan stepped closer.
“How long?”
“Since before the fire.”
The anger in Ethan’s eyes grew.
“You knew I had a brother?”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was alive?”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was involved?”
Alexander looked at him.
“I knew he was the reason everything started.”
Ethan clenched his fists.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Alexander gave a bitter smile.
“Because you were never ready.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“Ready?”
He pointed toward the ruined facility.
“My wife was kidnapped.”
“My daughter was stolen.”
“My entire life was destroyed.”
“And you thought I wasn’t ready?”
Alexander remained silent.
Because for once…
he had no defense.
Amelia walked toward Ethan.
“Ethan.”
He looked at her.
“There is something you need to understand.”
“What?”
“Lucas was different.”
“How?”
She hesitated.
“He wasn’t like Alexander.”
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“It makes him more dangerous.”
Ethan frowned.
“Explain.”
“When I was imprisoned…”
Amelia closed her eyes.
“I saw Alexander afraid of only one person.”
A pause.
“Lucas.”
Everyone became quiet.
Alexander looked away.
Because it was true.
Seven years earlier.
Before the hospital fire.
Before Amelia disappeared.
There was another secret meeting.
A meeting between Edward Blackwood and Lucas.
Edward had discovered the truth.
Project Origin was no longer a system.
It had become an empire.
Lucas believed the Blackwood family was destined to rule.
Not lead.
Rule.
He believed ordinary people were incapable of making decisions.
He believed powerful families should control everything.
Edward rejected him.
And that created the final betrayal.
Lucas disappeared.
Everyone thought he was gone.
But he was waiting.
Learning.
Building.
Preparing.
Daniel suddenly interrupted.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Everyone turned.
He was looking at the recovered files.
“There is something strange.”
“What?”
“The original Project Origin documents…”
He moved through the data.
“They don’t mention Ethan.”
Everyone looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“They mention another subject.”
Daniel enlarged the file.
A name appeared.
SUBJECT ONE: LUCAS BLACKWOOD
SUBJECT TWO: ETHAN BLACKWOOD
Silence.
Ethan stared.
“Subject?”
Alexander spoke quietly.
“Your father didn’t just have two sons.”
A pause.
“He tested them.”
Ethan felt sick.
“My father…”
Alexander nodded.
“He wanted to know which son could carry the future.”
Amelia looked horrified.
“He treated his own children like experiments.”
Alexander looked at the floor.
“Yes.”
For the first time…
Ethan saw something unexpected.
Regret.
Not from a hero.
Not from a good man.
But from someone who finally understood the damage he caused.
Suddenly, Ava walked toward the computer.
She studied the files.
“There is another problem.”
Ethan looked at her.
“What?”
She pointed.
“Lucas is not trying to destroy Blackwood Corporation.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what is he doing?”
Ava looked at the screen.
“He wants Project Origin.”
Everyone froze.
Because they understood.
The company was never the true prize.
The technology.
The information.
The control.
That was what mattered.
Lucas did not want money.
He wanted the ability to predict and manipulate the future.
Then another message appeared.
From Lucas.
"Ethan, I know you are watching."
The screen activated.
Lucas appeared again.
This time, closer.
Calm.
Confident.
Almost friendly.
“Brother.”
Ethan stared.
“I am not your brother.”
Lucas smiled.
“That is exactly what Father wanted you to believe.”
Ethan said nothing.
Lucas continued.
“You spent your life thinking you were the chosen son.”
A pause.
“You were wrong.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“I was born first.”
“My blood was meant to inherit everything.”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“So this is about inheritance?”
Lucas smiled.
“No.”
A pause.
“This is about correction.”
The screen showed old footage.
Edward Blackwood holding two newborn babies.
One was Ethan.
The other was Lucas.
Edward looked younger.
Happy.
Then the footage changed.
A meeting.
Edward arguing with someone.
Lucas standing nearby.
Listening.
The voice recording played.
Edward said:
“Children are not tools.”
Another voice answered:
“They are the future.”
Ethan recognized the voice.
Helena Voss.
The recording continued.
Helena said:
“One son will be compassionate.”
“One son will be powerful.”
“Let them compete.”
Edward refused.
But Lucas heard everything.
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“Do you understand now?”
“You were the experiment.”
A pause.
“I was the solution.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
Lucas smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
A woman.
Holding a baby.
Ethan froze.
Because he knew her.
It was Amelia.
But the date…
was impossible.
It was taken before the hospital fire.
Lucas continued:
“Your wife knew the truth.”
Amelia’s face turned pale.
“No…”
Ethan looked at her.
“What is he talking about?”
Amelia looked terrified.
“I…”
She stopped.
Because she remembered.
A secret she buried seven years ago.
Lucas smiled.
“She never told you.”
Ethan’s voice became quiet.
“Tell me.”
Amelia closed her eyes.
“I found out something before the fire.”
“What?”
She looked at him.
“Your father had another child.”
A pause.
“But not Lucas.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan felt the world shift again.
“Then who?”
Amelia looked at the screen.
At Lucas.
Then whispered:
“Another Blackwood.”
Lucas smiled.
“Exactly.”
The room went silent.
Because the Blackwood family tree…
had more branches than anyone knew.
Lucas leaned closer.
“And that person…”
“Is the reason your family was destroyed.”
The screen turned off.
Ethan stood frozen.
Two daughters had returned.
A brother had appeared.
And now…
another hidden member of the Blackwood bloodline was waiting in the shadows.
Ava looked at Ethan.
“Dad…”
Lily held his hand.
“Are we going to find them?”
Ethan looked at his daughters.
Then toward the darkness ahead.
“Yes.”
His voice became cold.
“But this time…”
“We are not searching for the truth.”
A pause.
“The truth is coming for us.”
Far away…
inside an unknown location…
a woman watched the broadcast.
She turned off the screen.
On the table in front of her were three photographs.
Ethan.
Lucas.
And a newborn baby.
She touched the third photograph.
Then whispered:
May you like
“After twenty-five years…”
“The final Blackwood heir has awakened.”
