Chapter 5: The Secret Behind His Mother’s Death
Ethan stared at the photograph on his phone.
His hands were shaking.
Michael Bennett stood inside the Malibu mansion.
Alive.
Older.
But unmistakable.
And beside him sat Sophie.
His daughter.
Ethan's eyes locked onto the second message.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR MOTHER.
For twenty-five years, Ethan had believed his mother died protecting him.
Now that belief was collapsing.
Piece by piece.
Like glass under a hammer.
“What did he mean?” Ethan whispered.
Vanessa didn't answer.
Ethan turned toward her.
“What happened to my mother?”
Vanessa looked away.
“Tell me.”
“I can't.”
“You've been saying that all night.”
“I know.”
“You knew my father was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You met him.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Black Meridian.”
“Yes.”
“And now you're telling me you know something about my mother.”
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
Ethan's voice became dangerously quiet.
“What happened to her?”
Before Vanessa could answer, Victor stepped forward.
“Don't listen to her.”
Ethan turned.
“You're not helping.”
Victor's expression hardened.
“Your father wants you to believe Vanessa is the villain.”
“Isn't she?”
Victor looked at Vanessa.
“She has done terrible things.”
Vanessa flinched.
“But she isn't the worst person in this story.”
Ethan looked between them.
“Then who is?”
Victor said nothing.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Who?”
Victor's phone rang again.
He answered.
His face immediately changed.
“Where?”
A pause.
“Understood.”
He hung up.
“What happened?” Vanessa asked.
Victor looked at Ethan.
“Your daughter is gone.”
Ethan's heart stopped.
“What?”
“Michael moved her.”
“Where?”
Victor didn't answer.
Ethan grabbed him by the collar.
“WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?”
Victor didn't resist.
“He took her to the Bennett estate.”
“What estate?”
“Your childhood home.”
Ethan froze.
He hadn't been there in twenty-five years.
The house had supposedly been destroyed shortly after his father's death.
Victor continued.
“The place where your mother died.”
Ethan released him.
Vanessa whispered,
“Michael wants you there.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Then we're going.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Ethan, please.”
“If my daughter is there, I'm going.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You don't understand what happens when you enter that house.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I promised your mother.”
Ethan's eyes widened.
“You knew my mother personally?”
Vanessa nodded.
“She was the reason I survived.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“That's not exactly how I'd describe it.”
Vanessa glared at him.
“You weren't there.”
“I was.”
“You came later.”
“I saw what she did.”
“What did she do?” Ethan demanded.
Both became silent.
Ethan looked from one to the other.
“What did my mother do?”
Victor slowly lowered his weapon.
“She tried to kill Michael.”
Ethan stared at him.
“No.”
“She shot him.”
“No.”
“Three times.”
Ethan shook his head.
“My mother wasn't violent.”
Victor looked at him with pity.
“You only knew the version of her she wanted you to know.”
Vanessa whispered,
“Your mother discovered Black Meridian.”
Ethan swallowed.
“She tried to expose it.”
“Yes.”
“And Michael stopped her?”
“No.”
Vanessa looked toward the dark staircase.
“She joined him.”
Ethan's face went blank.
“What?”
“Your mother became one of Black Meridian's most important members.”
The words seemed impossible.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
Ethan backed away.
“No.”
Vanessa continued.
“She handled the accounts. She knew where the money went. She knew which politicians were involved. She knew which businessmen were being blackmailed.”
Ethan's voice cracked.
“And my father?”
“He handled operations.”
“And Daniel?”
“Daniel discovered the truth.”
“And you?”
Vanessa looked down.
“I was recruited after Daniel.”
Ethan stared at her.
“Then why did you marry me?”
Vanessa looked directly into his eyes.
“Because your father ordered me to.”
Silence.
Ethan couldn't breathe.
“My father ordered you to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted someone inside your life.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“To watch me.”
“Yes.”
“To manipulate me.”
“Yes.”
“To use me.”
Vanessa nodded.
Ethan laughed once.
It wasn't amusement.
It was disbelief.
“So our entire marriage…”
“Started as an assignment.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Every memory suddenly felt poisoned.
Their first meeting.
Their wedding.
Their honeymoon.
The night Vanessa had promised to love Sophie.
The day she had moved into his house.
Everything.
A performance.
Then Sophie.
His daughter.
The only innocent person in the entire nightmare.
Ethan opened his eyes.
“Did you ever love me?”
Vanessa stared at him.
For the first time that night, she didn't hesitate.
“Yes.”
Ethan's expression softened for half a second.
Then he remembered the bruises.
“What about Sophie?”
Vanessa's tears finally fell.
“I love her too.”
“Then why did she say you hurt her?”
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Did you hurt my daughter?”
Vanessa whispered,
“Yes.”
Ethan's face went cold.
“But not the way you think.”
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa looked at Victor.
He closed his eyes.
Then she said,
“Someone else was hurting her.”
Ethan froze.
“Who?”
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“I tried to stop him.”
“Who?”
“Michael.”
Ethan's blood turned cold.
“You're saying my father hurt Sophie?”
“Yes.”
Victor interrupted.
“That's not the whole truth.”
Ethan turned.
“Then give me the whole truth.”
Victor looked at Vanessa.
“She knows what happened.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
“You saw it.”
“I couldn't stop him.”
“You should have told Ethan.”
“I tried!”
“When?”
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“The night Sophie was born.”
Ethan's heart slammed against his ribs.
“What?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Your daughter wasn't supposed to survive.”
The room went silent.
Ethan couldn't speak.
Victor lowered his head.
Vanessa continued.
“Michael wanted Sophie gone.”
“Why?”
“Because she inherited something.”
“What?”
“A key.”
Ethan frowned.
“What key?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It's the truth.”
Victor suddenly looked toward the entrance.
“Someone is coming.”
Footsteps echoed through the hotel.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Victor raised his gun.
Vanessa stepped behind Ethan.
Then a man's voice filled the corridor.
“Enough.”
Ethan froze.
Michael.
He appeared at the end of the hallway.
He looked exactly like the photograph.
Silver hair.
Dark suit.
Cold eyes.
Ethan stared at the father he had buried twenty-five years ago.
Michael looked at him.
“My son.”
Ethan's fists tightened.
“Where is Sophie?”
Michael smiled.
“Safe.”
“Bring her to me.”
“Not yet.”
“Now.”
Michael's smile disappeared.
“You still have your mother's temper.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“Don't mention her.”
Michael looked at Vanessa.
“She told you everything?”
“Not everything.”
Michael sighed.
“Of course not.”
Ethan pointed toward him.
“You abandoned me.”
Michael didn't deny it.
“I did.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe my mother died in an accident.”
“Yes.”
“You ordered Vanessa to marry me.”
“Yes.”
Ethan's voice broke.
“Why?”
Michael stared at him.
“Because I needed an heir.”
Ethan went still.
“I had you.”
Michael's expression darkened.
“But you were never supposed to have a daughter.”
Ethan's heart stopped.
Michael continued.
“Sophie was a mistake.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“No.”
Michael looked at her.
“You disobeyed me.”
“I protected her.”
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
Ethan stared at Vanessa.
Then at Michael.
Suddenly, a terrible realization struck him.
“Where is Sophie?”
Michael smiled.
“At home.”
“What?”
“In your mansion.”
Ethan's phone buzzed.
A video appeared.
He opened it.
Sophie was sitting on the living room sofa.
Michael's mansion was nowhere in sight.
She looked frightened.
But alive.
Then the camera moved.
A hand entered the frame.
Someone placed an old wooden box beside Sophie.
Ethan recognized it immediately.
It had belonged to his mother.
He hadn't seen it since childhood.
Michael's voice came from behind the camera.
“Your mother left something for you.”
The box opened.
Inside was a stack of letters.
Photographs.
And one small metal key.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Michael spoke again.
“The truth about your family is inside.”
Then the video ended.
Ethan looked at Michael.
“What does the key open?”
Michael smiled.
“A room you were never supposed to enter.”
“Where?”
Michael turned toward Vanessa.
“Ask your wife.”
Ethan looked at Vanessa.
She was crying.
“You know.”
Vanessa nodded.
“The room is under the mansion.”
Ethan's expression changed.
“My house?”
“Yes.”
“What is inside?”
Vanessa whispered,
“The body of your mother.”
Ethan froze.
Victor looked away.
Michael smiled.
“Now you finally understand.”
Then every light in the abandoned hotel went out.
A gunshot exploded in the darkness.
Vanessa screamed.
And when the emergency lights flickered back on...
Michael was gone.
Victor was bleeding.
And Ethan's phone displayed one final message.
YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO FIND THE ROOM.
May you like
Below it was another line.
OR SOPHIE DIES.
