CHAP 10: THE FATHER'S FINAL SECRET
CHAP 10: THE FATHER'S FINAL SECRET
The name remained on the screen.
EDWARD BLACKWOOD.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone in that room knew what that name meant.
Edward Blackwood.
The legendary founder of the Blackwood empire.
The man who built one of the most powerful corporations in the world.
The man Ethan spent his entire childhood trying to understand.
His father.
A man who appeared perfect in public.
A genius.
A leader.
A visionary.
But behind the image of success…
there was another truth.
A secret hidden for twenty-five years.
A secret called:
PROJECT ORIGIN.
Ethan stared at the screen.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
Almost like he was refusing to believe reality.
“My father had nothing to do with this.”
Daniel looked at the data.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
“Find another explanation.”
“Ethan…”
Amelia touched his arm.
But he pulled away slightly.
Not because he was angry at her.
Because he was trying to hold together everything he believed.
His father had always been complicated.
Cold.
Demanding.
But Ethan never believed he was a monster.
Not like Alexander.
Not like Helena.
Edward Blackwood was the man who taught him discipline.
The man who taught him business.
The man who told him:
"A Blackwood never runs from responsibility."
Now Ethan wondered…
what responsibility had his father been hiding?
Alexander stared at the screen.
For the first time since entering the Blackwood Tower…
he looked completely lost.
“You didn’t know.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Alexander looked at him.
“Your father never told you.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“What do you know?”
Alexander laughed quietly.
A bitter laugh.
“You really thought you inherited an empire.”
A pause.
“But you inherited a battlefield.”
Ethan grabbed his jacket.
“Talk.”
Alexander looked toward the screen.
“Project Origin was the beginning.”
“The beginning of what?”
“The beginning of everything.”
Twenty-five years earlier.
Before Blackwood Corporation became a global empire.
Before Eclipse Circle.
Before Alexander Voss became the man everyone feared.
There was a meeting.
A secret meeting.
Seven powerful families gathered in an underground room.
They believed the world was changing.
Technology.
Politics.
Economics.
Everything was becoming unpredictable.
They wanted control.
Not temporary control.
Permanent control.
So they created Project Origin.
A system designed to predict the future.
To identify powerful bloodlines.
To protect their influence.
But Edward Blackwood discovered something.
The project was not about protecting families.
It was about controlling them.
The children.
The heirs.
The next generation.
They were not seen as people.
They were seen as resources.
Edward wanted out.
And that decision created enemies.
Ethan listened silently.
“Then why didn’t he destroy it?”
Alexander looked at him.
“Because he couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he was one of the creators.”
The words hit harder than anything else.
Ethan closed his eyes.
His father.
The man he admired.
Was part of the darkness.
Suddenly, a hidden file unlocked.
The computer announced:
PROJECT ORIGIN ARCHIVE RESTORED.
A video appeared.
Old.
Damaged.
But clear enough.
Edward Blackwood sat in front of a camera.
Older.
Tired.
Nothing like the confident businessman Ethan remembered.
His father looked afraid.
The room became silent.
Edward began speaking.
“If you are watching this…”
He paused.
“Then something has gone terribly wrong.”
Ethan stepped closer.
His father's voice filled the room.
“I created Project Origin because I believed power needed protection.”
A pause.
“But I was wrong.”
Edward looked directly into the camera.
“The moment we began controlling people instead of helping them…”
His expression changed.
“We became the threat.”
Ethan felt something break inside.
Because this was the first time he saw his father admit weakness.
Edward continued.
“Helena Voss wanted perfection.”
“Alexander wanted control.”
“But I wanted my son to have a normal life.”
The room froze.
Ethan whispered:
“Me?”
Edward nodded in the recording.
“Yes, Ethan.”
“If you are watching this…”
“I failed you.”
A silence followed.
A silence filled with twenty-five years of unspoken words.
Edward continued.
“I erased your connection to Project Origin.”
“I hid every document.”
“I destroyed every record.”
“Because I wanted you away from this world.”
Ethan stared.
His father had protected him.
But too late.
The past always had a way of finding the people who ran from it.
Then Edward said something that changed everything.
“There was one person I could not stop.”
The video became distorted.
But his voice remained.
“Someone inside our family.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan frowned.
“Family?”
Alexander’s face changed.
“No…”
Edward continued.
“The person who betrayed Project Origin…”
A pause.
“Was not Helena.”
“Not Alexander.”
“It was someone closer.”
The screen glitched.
Then the final sentence appeared.
"Your brother is alive."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Ethan stopped breathing.
“My…”
He looked confused.
“I don’t have a brother.”
Alexander slowly looked away.
And that reaction told Ethan everything.
“You knew.”
Alexander said nothing.
“YOU KNEW?”
The anger in Ethan’s voice shook the room.
Alexander finally answered.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
A long pause.
Then:
“Lucas Blackwood.”
The name meant nothing.
But the pain on Amelia’s face meant everything.
Ethan noticed.
“You know that name?”
Amelia looked down.
“I heard it.”
“When?”
“During my captivity.”
She swallowed.
“Alexander talked about him.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What did he say?”
Amelia whispered:
“He said Lucas was the true heir.”
Ava suddenly spoke.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
She stared at the screen.
“The file…”
She pointed.
“It says Project Origin began twenty-five years ago.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Ava looked at Ethan.
“Then your brother…”
She paused.
“Was born before you?”
Ethan felt cold.
His family history was changing piece by piece.
A brother.
A hidden project.
A father’s secret.
A forgotten heir.
Suddenly, every screen changed again.
A new message appeared.
Not from Helena.
Not from Alexander.
From someone else.
A live video activated.
A man appeared.
Around Ethan’s age.
Dark hair.
Cold eyes.
A familiar face.
Not identical.
But close enough.
Everyone understood immediately.
The man looked into the camera.
And smiled.
“Hello, Ethan.”
A pause.
“I’m sorry we had to meet like this.”
Ethan stared.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled.
“My name is Lucas Blackwood.”
Silence.
The impossible became real.
“I am your older brother.”
Ethan could not speak.
Lucas continued:
“For seven years, you believed Victor stole your family.”
A pause.
“You were wrong.”
The screen zoomed closer.
Lucas looked directly at Ethan.
“The person who destroyed your life…”
A cold smile appeared.
“Was your father.”
Amelia gasped.
Lily grabbed Ethan’s hand.
Ava stepped forward.
And Alexander…
remained silent.
Because he knew.
The final enemy had arrived.
Not from outside.
Not from another family.
But from Ethan’s own blood.
Lucas Blackwood continued:
“And now…”
“I will take back what should have been mine.”
The screen went dark.
May you like
The countdown ended.
But the war had only started.
