Chapter 7: Alexander Carter’s Final Move
Chapter 7: Alexander Carter’s Final Move
The screen went black.
But nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The image of Alexander Carter remained burned into everyone’s mind.
A man who had been gone for decades.
A man who had turned a family secret into a weapon.
A man who had planned every step while everyone else believed they were making their own choices.
Nathan looked around the room.
At Vanessa.
At his mother.
At Richard.
At Ethan.
Everyone had a connection to this nightmare.
Everyone had hidden something.
And somehow…
Alexander had known all of it.
“How is he alive?”
Nathan finally asked.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Richard looked at the floor.
“We thought he was dead.”
“You thought?”
Richard sighed.
“After the conflict with your father, Alexander disappeared.”
Ethan frowned.
“Disappeared?”
“Yes.”
Richard looked toward the dark screen.
“No one knew where he went.”
Nathan clenched his fists.
“But he was watching.”
Richard nodded.
“Waiting.”
The word felt heavy.
Waiting.
That meant Alexander didn’t just react.
He planned.
Every move.
Every person.
Every betrayal.
Nathan turned toward Vanessa.
“You met him.”
Vanessa looked away.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before I met Daniel.”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“So Daniel was part of his plan too.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Daniel was chosen because he was close to you.”
Ethan immediately looked angry.
“My friend…”
Vanessa gave a cold smile.
“He wasn’t your friend.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“Alexander found Daniel years ago.”
Nathan looked shocked.
“How?”
Vanessa answered:
“Daniel had financial problems.”
Ethan looked down.
The pain on his face was obvious.
He had trusted Daniel.
Believed in him.
Defended him.
And all along…
Daniel had been planted.
“He needed someone inside your life.”
Vanessa continued.
“And Daniel needed money.”
Ethan whispered:
“So he sold us.”
Nobody answered.
Because that was the truth.
Nathan walked toward the table.
The fake pregnancy device was still there.
A tiny object.
Almost meaningless.
But it had destroyed everything.
“What about my mother?”
Everyone looked at Evelyn.
She remained silent.
Nathan’s voice softened slightly.
“Was she part of Alexander’s plan too?”
Evelyn looked at her son.
“No.”
That answer surprised everyone.
Nathan frowned.
“Then why did you sign those documents?”
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was trying to stop him.”
The room became silent.
Nathan stared.
“What?”
Evelyn walked toward the table.
“I knew Alexander was coming back.”
Richard looked at her.
“You never told me.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at Nathan.
“Because Alexander was watching.”
Nathan felt confused.
“Watching?”
She nodded.
“He knew everyone close to me.”
She pointed at Vanessa.
“He found her.”
Then at Daniel’s photo.
“He found him.”
Then Richard.
“He found you.”
Finally, she looked at herself.
“And he knew I would do anything to protect my son.”
Nathan felt a strange pain.
After everything…
Was his mother really protecting him?
Evelyn continued.
“The documents I signed were not a transfer.”
Ethan looked surprised.
“Then what were they?”
“A trap.”
Everyone froze.
Evelyn explained:
“Alexander wanted me to believe I was helping him.”
She looked at Nathan.
“But I changed the documents.”
Nathan stared.
“You altered them?”
“Yes.”
Richard stepped forward.
“That’s why Alexander disappeared again.”
Nathan looked between them.
“Wait.”
He pointed toward the papers.
“So the plan to steal my company…”
“Was fake.”
Evelyn nodded.
“It was bait.”
Ethan understood.
“You wanted Alexander to reveal himself.”
“Yes.”
Nathan stared at his mother.
“But why didn’t you tell me?”
Evelyn looked devastated.
“Because if Alexander knew you were aware…”
She paused.
“He would have changed his plan.”
Nathan looked away.
He understood the logic.
But the pain remained.
“You still lied.”
Evelyn lowered her head.
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt more than excuses.
“I’m sorry.”
Nathan said nothing.
Because forgiveness was not something he could give yet.
Then Ethan suddenly noticed something.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at him.
“The video.”
He pointed toward the screen.
“Alexander said your father stole his life.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
“But what exactly happened?”
Nobody answered.
Ethan looked at Nathan.
“We’re still missing the biggest piece.”
Nathan looked at Richard.
“What happened between my father and Alexander?”
Richard was silent.
Then he walked toward the old cabinet in the corner.
He opened it.
Inside was a hidden compartment.
From it, he removed an old black box.
Nathan watched.
“What is that?”
Richard placed it on the table.
“Your father’s final message.”
Everyone froze.
“Final message?”
Richard nodded.
“Michael knew Alexander would come back one day.”
Nathan’s breathing slowed.
“My father recorded something?”
“Yes.”
Richard opened the box.
Inside was an old video tape.
A relic from another time.
He placed it into a small player.
The screen flickered.
Static filled the room.
Then…
A man appeared.
Michael Carter.
Nathan’s father.
Older.
Tired.
But smiling.
Nathan froze.
He had not seen his father’s face in years.
“Hello, Nathan.”
The voice alone nearly broke him.
Everyone became silent.
Michael continued:
“If you are watching this…”
He paused.
“It means Alexander has returned.”
Nathan stepped closer to the screen.
His father looked directly at him.
“I know you have questions.”
A pause.
“And I know the truth will hurt.”
Michael took a deep breath.
“But there is one thing you must understand.”
The video changed.
Showing old company records.
Old family photos.
Then Michael said:
“Alexander did not hate me because I took the company.”
Nathan watched.
“Alexander hated me because I discovered what he did.”
The room froze.
Richard looked shocked.
Even he seemed unaware of this part.
Michael continued:
“He betrayed our family.”
The screen showed a document.
“A betrayal so serious that I had no choice but to remove him.”
Nathan stared.
“What did he do?”
Then his father said the words that changed everything:
“Alexander was responsible for the death of your biological father.”
The video stopped.
The room went completely silent.
Nathan couldn’t breathe.
His biological father.
The man he never knew.
The man connected to his entire identity.
Dead because of Alexander.
But before anyone could process it…
The mansion’s security alarm suddenly activated.
A loud warning echoed through the halls.
Ethan looked outside.
His face changed.
“Everyone…”
Nathan turned.
“What?”
Ethan stared through the window.
Several black vehicles had stopped outside the mansion.
Men in suits were stepping out.
Richard’s expression became serious.
“He found us.”
Nathan looked at the approaching cars.
Then at the frozen video screen showing his father.
The past had returned.
May you like
And this time…
It was coming to their front door.
