Chapter 8 - The Video from the DeadDaniel's face filled the screen.
He looked nothing like the man Michael remembered from old photographs.
His hair was gray.
His cheek was scarred.
And his eyes carried the exhaustion of someone who had spent years looking over his shoulder.
"If you're watching this," Daniel said, "Evelyn failed."
Michael felt his heartbeat in his throat.
Daniel continued.
"You think your mother hates Olivia."
"She doesn't."
"You think she wants your baby."
"She doesn't."
Michael leaned closer.
"Then what does she want?"
Daniel stared directly into the camera.
"Control."
The video continued.
"Eleven years ago, your father discovered that I had access to financial records connected to Bennett Medical Group."
Michael frowned.
"Your father was moving money."
"Large amounts."
"Money was disappearing through shell companies."
Michael stared at the screen.
"My father?"
Daniel nodded.
"I threatened to expose him."
Michael's hands went cold.
"He offered me money."
"I refused."
"Then he threatened my life."
The video flickered.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"I trusted Evelyn."
Michael's breath stopped.
"She warned me."
"She helped me disappear."
Michael looked at his mother.
She was sitting in the corner of the room.
She had been listening.
"Then why did she tell everyone I was dead?"
Daniel continued.
"Because your father wasn't the only person watching us."
Michael's eyes narrowed.
"Someone inside the company was working with him."
Daniel named no one.
Instead, he said:
"Your father died before I could expose the network."
Michael shook his head.
His father had died of a heart attack six years ago.
Everyone had said so.
But Daniel spoke again.
"I don't believe it was natural."
Michael stopped the video.
He looked at Evelyn.
"You knew."
She said nothing.
"You've known all these years."
She finally answered.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were his son."
Michael stared.
"Exactly."
Evelyn's voice broke.
"And that's why they would have used you."
"Who are they?"
She didn't answer.
Olivia suddenly looked toward the nursery.
"Michael."
He turned.
The baby monitor had turned itself on.
The screen showed Ethan's crib.
Empty.
Then a shadow passed across the camera.
Michael ran upstairs.
The nursery was empty.
The window was locked.
Ethan was in the crib.
Sleeping.
But beside him was something that hadn't been there before.
A tiny envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Michael stared at it.
It showed Daniel.
Evelyn.
And Michael's father.
Standing together.
In front of a maternity hospital.
On the back was written:
ONE OF YOU KNOWS WHY ETHAN WAS BORN.
Michael looked at Olivia.
Her face had gone pale.
"What does that mean?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
Then Evelyn spoke from behind them.
"I do."
Michael turned.
May you like
His mother whispered:
"Ethan was never supposed to be born."
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