Chapter 8 - THE FATHER WHO NEVER DIEDThe room went silent.
Michael stared at Victoria.
“You're lying.”
Victoria shook her head.
“Rachel's father disappeared.”
“You said he died.”
“Rachel thought he did.”
Michael looked at Emily.
“Did you know?”
Emily slowly shook her head.
Victoria continued.
“His name is Daniel Hayes.”
Michael stiffened.
“Hayes?”
“Yes.”
“My father?”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Your grandfather.”
Michael stopped breathing.
The Hayes family had always spoken of Daniel Hayes as a distant legend.
A businessman who vanished after a corporate scandal.
He was supposedly dead.
But according to Victoria, he was alive.
And Rachel had found him.
Michael demanded:
“Where?”
Victoria smiled faintly.
“That's the part Rachel never told you.”
Lucas spoke.
“Mom did.”
Everyone turned.
Lucas swallowed.
“She said Grandpa was hiding where the trains sleep.”
Emily frowned.
“The old rail depot?”
Michael knew the place.
An abandoned maintenance yard on the edge of the city.
The police searched the area that night.
They found a small office.
Inside was a bed.
Medicine.
Photographs of Rachel.
And a wall covered with newspaper clippings.
But Daniel was gone.
One photograph caught Michael's attention.
Rachel standing beside an elderly man.
On the back was a date.
Two months before her death.
Michael stared.
“He was alive.”
Emily pointed to a file cabinet.
Inside was a handwritten journal.
The first entry began:
Rachel came to me because she discovered who stole the trust.
Michael turned the page.
She believes Victoria is only a messenger.
Next page.
The person behind Victoria has access to the police.
Next.
If Rachel dies, Sophie inherits everything.
Michael read faster.
Then one sentence stopped him.
The accident was arranged before Rachel ever got into the car.
He felt his hands go numb.
Another page.
Michael must never be told until Victoria is exposed.
Why?
The answer came on the next page.
Because Michael has already signed the document.
Michael stared.
“What document?”
Thomas suddenly appeared in the doorway.
Blood still stained his shirt.
Everyone turned.
Michael stepped toward him.
“I thought you were dead.”
Thomas gave a tired smile.
“Not tonight.”
Michael held up the journal.
“What document did I sign?”
Thomas looked at Victoria.
“You signed control of the company to a trust.”
“I never signed that.”
“You did.”
“Where?”
“After Rachel's funeral.”
Michael shook his head.
“I don't remember.”
Thomas's expression became grave.
“Because you were drugged.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
Michael turned toward her.
“You drugged me.”
She whispered:
“Yes.”
The officers moved closer.
Victoria raised her head.
“But I wasn't the one who ordered Rachel's death.”
Michael stared.
“Then who did?”
Victoria looked toward the hallway.
A figure stood there.
An elderly man in a dark coat.
Michael's breath caught.
The police reached for their weapons.
The man stepped into the light.
“Hello, Michael.”
Michael stared.
It was Daniel Hayes.
His grandfather.
The man the family had believed dead for twenty years.
Daniel looked at him and said:
“I killed no one.”
May you like
He paused.
“But I know who did.”
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