Chapter 12: The Mother Who Was Never His Mother
Chapter 12: The Mother Who Was Never His Mother
The words echoed in Nathan’s mind.
“The woman you trusted your entire life.”
He stared at Eleanor.
The old woman remained calm, sipping her tea as if she had not just destroyed another piece of his reality.
Nathan slowly closed the file.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
But full of disbelief.
“No more games.”
Eleanor tilted her head.
“You think I’m playing?”
“Yes.”
Nathan stepped closer.
“You have spent your entire life manipulating people.”
A faint smile appeared on Eleanor’s face.
“And yet you still came here.”
That angered him because it was true.
He came because he needed answers.
Not because he trusted her.
“Who is my mother?”
Eleanor looked at the file.
“Read it.”
Nathan opened the first page again.
Medical records.
Birth records.
Old photographs.
Names.
Dates.
Everything carefully preserved.
Then he saw something.
A name.
A woman he had never heard before.
Isabella Reed.
Nathan frowned.
“Who is Isabella Reed?”
Eleanor watched him carefully.
“The woman who gave birth to you.”
Nathan’s heart tightened.
“But…”
He looked at the name.
“My mother is Evelyn Carter.”
Eleanor smiled slightly.
“No.”
The answer was simple.
Cold.
Impossible.
Nathan shook his head.
“She raised me.”
“Yes.”
“She loved me.”
“Yes.”
“Then what are you saying?”
Eleanor leaned forward.
“I’m saying Evelyn Carter was your guardian.”
Nathan stared.
Not mother.
Guardian.
The difference felt like a knife.
“Where is Isabella?”
Eleanor looked away.
“She died.”
Nathan’s expression changed.
“When?”
“When you were young.”
“How?”
Silence.
That silence was enough.
Nathan’s hands tightened.
“You know.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
Eleanor looked directly at him.
“She was killed.”
The room became silent.
Nathan felt the air leave his lungs.
“By who?”
Eleanor did not answer immediately.
Instead, she pushed another document toward him.
“Read.”
Nathan looked down.
The report was old.
A police report.
A death investigation.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
The suspect name was hidden.
But there was a note.
A handwritten note.
“The person responsible must never be discovered.”
Nathan looked up.
“Who hid this?”
Eleanor smiled.
“Your father.”
Nathan froze.
“Michael?”
“Yes.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael protected me.”
Eleanor nodded.
“That is what makes him dangerous.”
Nathan frowned.
“What?”
“He made you believe he was protecting you.”
A pause.
“But he was also protecting himself.”
Nathan refused to accept it.
“You’re lying.”
Eleanor smiled.
“Maybe.”
She leaned back.
“But ask yourself something.”
“What?”
“If Michael was truly innocent…”
She pointed at the file.
“Why hide the death of your real mother?”
Nathan looked down.
And the question hurt.
Because he didn’t know.
Again.
Another secret.
Another missing piece.
He hated this feeling.
Like his entire life was a puzzle where everyone else had the picture except him.
“What happened to Isabella?”
Eleanor’s expression became serious.
“She discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That your grandfather’s empire was built on stolen blood.”
Nathan looked confused.
“Explain.”
Eleanor continued.
“Isabella was not just Thomas Reed’s wife.”
Nathan looked up.
“She was his partner.”
A pause.
“She knew every secret.”
Nathan slowly understood.
“She knew about the company.”
“Yes.”
“She knew about Eleanor.”
“Yes.”
“And she was killed because she could expose everything.”
Eleanor nodded.
Nathan looked away.
Another person had died because of the Carter family.
Another life destroyed by ambition.
But something still bothered him.
“If you knew all this…”
He looked at Eleanor.
“Why didn’t you reveal it?”
For the first time…
Eleanor’s expression changed.
A small crack appeared.
Regret.
Nathan noticed.
“You were afraid.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“No.”
“Then what?”
She was silent.
Then:
“I was protecting someone.”
Nathan frowned.
“Who?”
Eleanor looked at him.
“You.”
That answer surprised him.
“What?”
“You think I am the villain because everyone told you I was.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“Everyone?”
“Yes.”
She looked at the file.
“Michael.”
“Evelyn.”
“Richard.”
“Alexander.”
“All of them created a story.”
Nathan shook his head.
“So now you’re saying everyone is lying except you?”
Eleanor smiled.
“No.”
She stood.
“I’m saying everyone has a piece of the truth.”
She walked toward a shelf.
“There is one thing you haven’t asked.”
Nathan watched her.
“What?”
She pulled out a small box.
And placed it on the table.
“You never asked why Thomas Reed trusted Michael Carter.”
Nathan frowned.
“He was his friend.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“No.”
She opened the box.
Inside was a photograph.
A young Thomas Reed.
A young Michael Carter.
And a woman between them.
Nathan froze.
Because he recognized her.
The woman in the picture…
Was Isabella.
His mother.
But there was something impossible.
They were not standing like strangers.
They looked like family.
Nathan picked up the photograph.
“What is this?”
Eleanor answered quietly:
“The reason your entire life was changed.”
Nathan looked closer.
On the back of the photo was a handwritten sentence.
His mother’s handwriting.
“Thomas, Michael, and I promised we would protect Nathan.”
Nathan’s eyes widened.
“Michael knew my mother?”
“Yes.”
“He knew her before?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did everyone tell me she was gone?”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Because the truth was too dangerous.”
Nathan’s heart raced.
“Dangerous because of Alexander?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“No.”
A pause.
“Because of someone closer.”
Nathan stared.
“Who?”
Eleanor looked at the door.
Then whispered:
“The person who has been standing beside you since the beginning.”
Nathan slowly turned.
Nobody was there.
But Eleanor’s words stayed.
Standing beside him.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Someone who had never been suspected.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
From Ethan.
“Nathan, come back immediately.”
A second message followed.
“I found something about Daniel.”
Nathan called.
Ethan answered immediately.
His voice sounded urgent.
“Nathan.”
“What happened?”
A pause.
“Daniel woke up.”
Nathan waited.
“And he told us who ordered the entire plan.”
Nathan’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Who?”
Ethan’s voice became quiet.
“The person who has been controlling Alexander.”
Nathan froze.
“Who?”
Ethan answered:
“Your father.”
Nathan’s blood ran cold.
“Which father?”
Silence.
Then Ethan whispered:
“Michael Carter.”
The call ended.
Nathan stood frozen.
Because now the impossible question remained.
May you like
Was Michael Carter really his protector?
Or was he the greatest liar of them all?
