Chapter 9: The Evidence That Was Never Meant To Be Found
The police lights painted the basement walls in flashes of red and blue.
For the second time in one day, Daniel Carter found himself surrounded.
For the second time, everyone was looking at him like he was the enemy.
The first time, he was accused of destroying his own company.
Now, he was accused of hiding the truth behind it.
The pattern was becoming clear.
Someone wasn't just trying to defeat Daniel.
Someone was trying to make sure nobody would ever believe him again.
"Step away from the computers."
The officer's voice echoed through the underground room.
Daniel slowly raised his hands.
But his eyes remained on the people around him.
Victor.
Laura.
Andrew.
Thomas.
David.
Every person connected to this nightmare was standing in one place.
And every person had secrets.
"Who called you?"
David asked.
The detective ignored him.
"We received information about illegal activity happening at this location."
Andrew laughed quietly.
"Of course you did."
The detective looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means someone wanted you here."
The officer stepped closer.
"You are not helping yourself."
Andrew looked around.
"Neither are you."
The detective frowned.
"What?"
Andrew pointed at the room.
"Look carefully."
Everyone became quiet.
"This place has been hidden for twenty years."
He pointed toward the servers.
"Someone maintained these systems."
He pointed toward the files.
"Someone protected these documents."
Then he looked at the detective.
"And someone wanted you to find them tonight."
The officer said nothing.
Because deep down...
He knew Andrew was right.
Daniel stood silently.
His mind was racing.
The biggest mistake people made was believing conspiracies were built by one person.
But Daniel was beginning to understand.
This wasn't one person.
It was a machine.
A machine built from secrets.
Money.
Fear.
And loyalty.
Everyone involved had a reason.
Victor wanted control.
Laura wanted recognition.
Mason wanted power.
Someone wanted Carter Technologies.
But there was still one missing piece.
The person who controlled them all.
"Thomas."
Everyone looked at Daniel.
His father raised his eyes.
"You know who is behind this."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
Thomas looked away.
And that reaction was enough.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Who?"
Silence.
"Who?"
Thomas closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
"Richard."
The name meant nothing to most people.
But Daniel froze.
Because he knew that name.
Richard Vale.
The first investor in Carter Technologies.
The man who helped transform a small company into a global empire.
The man who disappeared from public life ten years ago.
Everyone thought he retired.
But Daniel remembered something else.
Richard was the only person his father never trusted.
Twenty years earlier.
Young Daniel sat in the kitchen with his father.
Thomas was looking at documents spread across the table.
A sixteen-year-old Daniel didn't understand business.
He only understood that his father looked worried.
"Who is Richard Vale?"
Daniel asked.
Thomas immediately closed the folder.
"Nobody you need to know."
That answer stayed with Daniel.
Because fathers didn't hide things from their children unless those things were dangerous.
Years later, when Daniel took over Carter Technologies, he discovered Richard's name in the company's history.
But every record about him was incomplete.
Every mention disappeared after a certain point.
Like someone had erased him.
Back in the basement, Daniel looked at Thomas.
"Richard is alive?"
Thomas nodded.
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
Daniel stared.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Thomas looked exhausted.
"I haven't seen him in twenty years."
Andrew suddenly spoke.
"That's not true."
Everyone turned.
Thomas looked at him.
"What?"
Andrew walked toward the computer.
"I found something."
He opened a hidden file.
A video appeared.
The date was two months earlier.
The recording showed an office.
A man sitting behind a desk.
Older.
Gray hair.
But unmistakable.
Richard Vale.
Daniel watched.
His stomach tightened.
Because sitting across from Richard...
Was Detective Mason.
The same detective who investigated him.
The same detective who helped build the case.
The recording began.
Richard spoke first.
"Daniel Carter has become a problem."
Mason replied:
"He's too respected. The public believes him."
Richard smiled.
"Then change the story."
Mason hesitated.
"How?"
Richard leaned back.
"People don't need the truth."
"They need someone to blame."
The video continued.
"We create the evidence."
"We create the witnesses."
"We create the timeline."
Mason asked:
"And if he fights back?"
Richard smiled.
"Then we use his greatest weakness."
A pause.
"His family."
Daniel stopped breathing.
The room became silent.
Rachel's voice echoed in his memory.
Emily.
His daughter.
Everything connected.
The trial.
The phone.
The kidnapping.
All of it.
Richard Vale was behind everything.
Then the video changed.
A second file opened automatically.
A different recording.
A much older one.
Twenty years old.
Thomas appeared on screen.
Daniel looked confused.
"What is this?"
Andrew's face changed.
"I didn't open that."
The recording played.
Young Thomas Carter sat across from someone.
Richard.
But the conversation was not about money.
It was about Daniel.
Richard spoke:
"Your son is talented."
Thomas answered:
"He's not a tool."
Richard smiled.
"Everyone is a tool when they don't understand the game."
Thomas leaned forward.
"If you ever touch my son..."
Richard interrupted.
"Then what?"
Silence.
Then Richard said something that made Daniel's blood freeze.
"Your son will build exactly what I need."
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Daniel looked at his father.
"You knew?"
Thomas looked broken.
"I knew Richard saw you as part of his plan."
"And you still let me continue?"
Thomas's eyes filled with regret.
"I thought I could protect you."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
His voice cracked.
"You just kept me in the dark."
Suddenly, every screen in the basement turned black.
Then one message appeared.
White letters.
Simple.
Terrifying.
YOU FOUND THE PAST. NOW FIND THE FUTURE.
A countdown appeared.
10:00
9:59
9:58
Andrew moved quickly.
"What is that?"
Thomas looked at the screen.
His face changed.
"No."
Daniel turned.
"What?"
Thomas whispered:
"The backup server."
"What about it?"
Thomas looked at him.
"If the countdown reaches zero..."
He paused.
"The entire Carter Technologies system will be destroyed."
David frowned.
"Why would someone destroy their own company?"
Thomas looked at Daniel.
"Because the company is not the target."
The countdown continued.
7:32.
6:31.
5:30.
Daniel looked at the screens.
"Then what is?"
Thomas answered quietly:
"You."
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End of Chapter 9
(Chương tiếp theo: Chapter 10: The Last Secret Of Carter Technologies.)
