CHAPTER 10: THE TRUTH ABOUT VICTOR’S FATHER
The underground room became colder after Serena’s voice disappeared.
Not because of the temperature.
Because of the truth.
Victor Blackwood stood in the center of the hidden chamber, surrounded by the secrets his father had buried.
For years, he believed he knew who his father was.
A powerful man.
A respected leader.
A man who protected his family.
A man who built something Victor inherited.
But now every memory felt different.
Every lesson.
Every conversation.
Every moment.
All of it had another meaning.
His father was not just a victim.
He was a man with secrets.
And Victor needed to know what kind.
“What did she mean?”
His voice was quiet.
But everyone heard it.
Thomas looked down.
Adrian closed his eyes.
Lily watched Victor carefully.
“What did Serena mean when she said my father was a monster?”
Nobody answered.
Victor turned.
“I asked a question.”
Thomas finally spoke.
“Because parts of it are true.”
The words hit harder than expected.
Victor stared at him.
“You’re saying she’s right?”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
A pause.
“But your father was not the man you believed.”
Victor looked at the old files scattered across the table.
“Then who was he?”
Thomas walked toward one of the documents.
“Your father was a complicated man.”
Victor almost smiled.
“Everyone says that when they’re trying to excuse someone.”
Thomas accepted the accusation.
“Maybe.”
He touched the file.
“But complicated does not always mean evil.”
Victor said nothing.
Thomas continued.
“Your father inherited an empire built on fear.”
He looked at Victor.
“But he spent his life trying to change it.”
Victor frowned.
“Then why hide everything?”
“Because changing an empire from the inside creates enemies.”
Thomas pointed at the documents.
“Your father discovered that people around him were not loyal.”
Victor looked at Adrian.
Adrian lowered his eyes.
“He discovered corruption.”
Thomas nodded.
“He discovered that the Blackwood organization was connected to something much larger.”
“The Voss network.”
“Yes.”
Victor remembered Daniel Voss.
The mysterious name from the photograph.
“Who was Daniel Voss?”
Thomas took a breath.
“Daniel Voss was not a criminal.”
Victor looked surprised.
“Then what was he?”
“A businessman.”
A pause.
“A strategist.”
Thomas looked at the walls around them.
“He created connections between politicians, corporations, and powerful families.”
Victor understood.
Influence.
Control.
Power without needing to stand in the spotlight.
“And my grandfather?”
“Your grandfather used those connections.”
Thomas looked at Victor.
“He turned influence into an empire.”
Victor looked away.
“So my family built everything on lies.”
Thomas did not answer.
Because sometimes silence admitted what words could not.
Suddenly, a sound came from upstairs.
A door opening.
Everyone froze.
Victor immediately reached for his weapon.
“Someone is here.”
The group moved quickly.
They returned to the main floor.
The mansion looked empty.
But then they heard it.
A small voice.
“Daddy?”
Victor stopped.
Everything disappeared.
The documents.
The secrets.
The betrayal.
Only one thing mattered.
“Ethan.”
He ran toward the sound.
They found him in the living room.
Sitting on the couch.
Safe.
Unharmed.
And beside him…
Serena.
Victor froze.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Victor’s expression changed.
Not anger.
Something colder.
“You.”
Serena smiled.
“Hello, Victor.”
Lily immediately stepped forward.
“Stay away from him.”
Serena looked amused.
“Still protecting him?”
Lily’s eyes hardened.
“Yes.”
Serena laughed softly.
“You really don’t understand anything, do you?”
Victor stepped forward.
“Let my son go.”
Serena looked down at Ethan.
The little boy was holding a stuffed animal.
He looked scared.
But not injured.
Victor noticed.
She had not hurt him.
That confused him.
Because everything Serena had done suggested cruelty.
But now…
She was protecting him.
“Why?”
The question escaped Victor.
Serena looked at him.
“Why what?”
“Why take him?”
Serena’s smile faded.
“Because nobody else would listen.”
Victor stared.
“You kidnapped a child to make me listen?”
“No.”
Her voice became serious.
“I took Ethan because he is the only person you truly love.”
Victor’s expression darkened.
“You’re insane.”
“Maybe.”
A pause.
“But am I wrong?”
The words struck him.
Because Victor knew the answer.
His entire life was built around control.
Around power.
Around never showing weakness.
But Ethan had changed everything.
Serena continued.
“You think you are different from your father.”
Victor said nothing.
“You think because you love your son, you are better.”
She stepped closer.
“But look at what happened.”
Her eyes moved around the mansion.
“Your enemies came for him.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Because of people like you.”
Serena shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Because of people like your father.”
Silence.
Victor wanted to reject it.
But every secret he discovered made it harder.
“What happened to my mother?”
Serena’s expression changed.
Finally.
A real reaction.
Pain.
“You really don’t know.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
Serena looked toward Ethan.
Then back at Victor.
“Your mother discovered what your father was doing.”
Victor froze.
“What was he doing?”
Serena took a breath.
“He was building a way out.”
“A way out?”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“Your father wanted to destroy the empire he inherited.”
Victor stared.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does.”
Serena continued.
“He knew the Blackwood name was poisoning everyone connected to it.”
A pause.
“Your mother wanted to help him.”
Victor felt his chest tighten.
“Then why did she die?”
Serena’s face became serious.
“Because someone betrayed them.”
Victor looked around.
“Who?”
Serena looked directly at Adrian.
The entire room became silent.
Adrian’s face changed.
“No.”
Serena smiled.
“Yes.”
Victor turned slowly.
“Adrian?”
The old man looked devastated.
“I…”
Victor’s voice became colder.
“Tell me she’s lying.”
Adrian opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
That was enough.
Victor stepped back.
The pain on his face was visible now.
Not anger.
Betrayal.
Again.
“How many times?”
His voice shook slightly.
“How many times did you lie to me?”
Adrian looked broken.
“Victor…”
“No.”
Victor raised his hand.
“Don’t.”
Ethan looked at his father.
Even a child could feel the pain in the room.
Then Serena suddenly moved.
She pushed Ethan gently toward Victor.
Victor caught him immediately.
Everyone froze.
Serena stepped back.
“I never wanted to hurt him.”
Victor held Ethan close.
“Then why?”
Serena looked tired.
“Because I needed you to see the truth.”
Victor stared.
“You destroyed everything.”
Serena nodded.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“But maybe destruction was the only way you would finally look.”
Before Victor could respond, alarms suddenly exploded throughout the mansion.
Red lights flashed.
Security systems activated.
A guard’s voice came through the speakers.
“Sir!”
Victor answered.
“What?”
The voice trembled.
“We found someone inside the control room.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
A pause.
Then the guard answered:
“It’s your mother.”
The entire mansion went silent.
Victor stopped breathing.
“My mother?”
The guard continued.
“Sir…”
A pause.
“She’s alive.”
Victor looked at everyone.
Fifteen years of lies.
Fifteen years of grief.
Fifteen years believing he was alone.
And now the dead had returned.
His mother was alive.
But the question was no longer whether she survived.
The question was:
May you like
Why did she let him believe she was dead?
Hết Chapter 10. Mình sẽ tiếp tục Chapter 11: “The Mother Behind The Mask” ở phần tiếp theo.
