Chapter 12 - The Boating AccidentThe truth came out in fragments.
Six years ago, Andrew had discovered the trafficking operation.
He confronted Sebastian.
Sebastian threatened Noah before Noah was even born.
Andrew panicked.
He created a plan.
A fake death.
He forged the boat records.
He arranged for the vessel to be found empty.
He disappeared.
But he needed help.
Our father helped him.
The signature in the ledger wasn't an order to kill Andrew.
It was permission for Andrew to disappear.
"Then why did you let us think you were dead?"
Andrew looked at me.
"Because Sebastian was watching you."
"What about Maria?"
"She helped me move Noah."
"And Vanessa?"
Andrew looked away.
"She was already working for Sebastian."
Vanessa interrupted.
"At first."
I looked at her.
"And then?"
"I was trapped."
She told us everything.
Sebastian had threatened her father.
He forced Vanessa into his network.
He ordered her to meet Andrew.
When she discovered Noah existed, Sebastian demanded she find him.
But she couldn't.
Because she had fallen in love with Alex.
I didn't know whether to believe her.
Then my mother called.
Her voice came through the speaker.
She was crying.
"Alexander..."
"Mom?"
Sebastian answered instead.
"Hello."
My blood went cold.
"Let her go."
"Bring the ledger."
"You already have it."
"I want both."
"What?"
"The old ledger and the mirror ledger."
I stared at the broken frame.
"You said it was never in the mirror."
"It wasn't."
"Then where?"
Sebastian laughed.
"Ask your mother."
He passed the phone.
My mother's voice was barely audible.
"Alex..."
"What did you hide?"
Silence.
Then:
"Your grandmother knew."
"What?"
"She knew what your father had done."
"What did he do?"
My father stepped forward.
"I didn't."
My mother screamed through the phone.
"You did!"
Silence.
Sebastian returned.
"Family secrets are beautiful, aren't they?"
The call ended.
I turned toward my father.
"What did you do?"
He looked at me.
"Your grandmother discovered Sebastian's operation."
"And?"
"She wanted to expose him."
"Why didn't she?"
"Because she realized one of her own children was involved."
"Who?"
He didn't answer.
Andrew stared at him.
Our father whispered:
"Your aunt."
I blinked.
"We don't have an aunt."
"You don't know you do."
Andrew's expression changed.
"That's impossible."
"Her name was Clara."
I remembered a photograph.
A woman torn from the family album.
The same silver bracelet.
The same hand from the photograph.
Vanessa suddenly whispered:
"Clara wasn't your aunt."
We looked at her.
"She was Sebastian's daughter."
I felt the room go cold.
"Then who is Clara?"
Vanessa looked toward the door.
"She's the person who raised Noah."
A floorboard creaked.
Noah stepped backward.
He was staring at someone in the hallway.
A woman stood there.
Older.
Elegant.
Wearing a silver bracelet.
She smiled.
"Hello, Noah."
May you like
The boy screamed.
"That's her."
