CHAPTER 8 The Man Who Died Twice
Nobody moved.
The phone remained in Corin’s hand.
The screen showed the call had ended.
But the voice stayed.
Like an echo trapped inside his head.
“Your father’s attorney died six weeks ago.”
Corin slowly looked up.
Across the room stood Thomas Hayes.
The same man who had sat beside him.
The same man who had brought evidence.
The same man who had claimed he wanted the truth.
But now a question hung over the room.
Who was he?
Evelyn was the first to speak.
“Thomas.”
Her voice was different.
Not angry.
Afraid.
Thomas stared at the phone.
His face had lost all color.
“I didn’t make that call.”
Nobody answered.
Because that was the problem.
Nobody knew what to believe anymore.
Judge Miriam Caskey stepped forward.
“Thomas, explain.”
He looked at her.
For the first time since Corin had met him, Thomas looked completely lost.
“I can’t.”
Corin’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s not an answer.”
Thomas looked at him.
“I know.”
“Then give me one.”
The lawyer took a deep breath.
“My full name is Thomas Elias Hayes.”
Corin frowned.
“I know.”
“No.”
Thomas shook his head.
“You know the name your father used.”
A silence followed.
“My real name is Thomas Elias Hayes Jr.”
Corin stared.
“What does that mean?”
“It means…”
Thomas looked down.
“My father was also named Thomas Hayes.”
Nobody spoke.
Corin felt confused.
“What does your father have to do with this?”
Thomas looked at the old photograph of Daniel and Amelia.
“He was the original attorney for the Bellweather family.”
The room changed.
Because suddenly the story became much older.
Before Lorraine.
Before the accident.
Before the custody fight.
There was another generation.
Another secret.
Thomas continued.
“My father represented your grandfather.”
Corin looked at Evelyn.
She seemed surprised.
“I didn’t know.”
“Most people didn’t.”
Thomas walked toward the table.
“Years ago, my father discovered problems inside Bellweather Holdings.”
“Problems caused by Lorraine?”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
That answer shocked everyone.
“Then who?”
Thomas looked at the floor.
“The person who built the company’s hidden network.”
Corin frowned.
“Hidden network?”
Thomas nodded.
“Offshore accounts. Private agreements. People placed inside important positions.”
Judge Caskey crossed her arms.
“And your father knew?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
Thomas was silent.
Then:
“He died.”
Corin looked at him.
“Like my parents?”
Thomas looked at him.
“Yes.”
The room became ice cold.
Thomas opened his briefcase.
Inside was an old newspaper article.
The paper was yellow.
The headline was faded.
But one line was clear.
FAMILY ATTORNEY FOUND DEAD AFTER INVESTIGATING CORPORATE FRAUD
Corin stared.
“Your father?”
Thomas nodded.
“He was investigating the same thing my father was.”
Evelyn looked shocked.
“Why didn’t you tell Daniel?”
Thomas looked at her.
“Because Daniel already knew.”
“What?”
Thomas placed another document on the table.
A letter.
From Daniel.
To Thomas.
Years earlier.
Corin picked it up.
Thomas,
I know what happened to your father.
I know the truth was buried.
I also know whoever did it is still protecting their secrets.
I need your help.
Not for revenge.
For my children.
Corin looked up.
“So my dad hired you because of your father.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then why did someone say you died?”
Thomas did not answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Because technically…”
He stopped.
Corin waited.
“Technically what?”
Thomas looked at him.
“I did die.”
Nobody spoke.
“What?”
Thomas pulled up his sleeve.
A scar crossed his arm.
“Six weeks ago, after the accident.”
Corin stared.
“The same night?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Thomas looked toward the window.
“I found evidence proving Lorraine was connected to the accident.”
His voice lowered.
“Then someone attacked me.”
Evelyn whispered:
“Who?”
Thomas shook his head.
“I never saw their face.”
“Then how did you survive?”
Thomas smiled sadly.
“Someone saved me.”
“Who?”
A long pause.
Then Thomas answered:
“Your father.”
Everyone froze.
Corin’s eyes widened.
“My father?”
Thomas nodded.
“Daniel had prepared for something like this.”
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
Thomas looked at him.
“That was your father’s greatest strength.”
“He always planned.”
Thomas continued.
“Before the accident, Daniel created a backup plan.”
Corin remembered.
The second door.
The hidden messages.
The files.
“He knew something would happen.”
“Yes.”
Thomas looked at him.
“But he did not know when.”
Then Judge Caskey suddenly looked toward the envelope in her hand.
“The letter.”
Everyone turned.
She opened it carefully.
Inside was a single page.
Her expression changed as she read.
“What?”
Corin stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Miriam looked at him.
“It’s from Amelia.”
“Read it.”
The judge hesitated.
Then she began.
If Corin is reading this, then the worst has happened.
My son, I need you to know something.
Your father and I spent years believing family meant blood.
We were wrong.
Family means the people who choose to stand beside you when everything falls apart.
Corin swallowed.
The words already felt like his mother.
Then the judge continued.
Lorraine is not the only person responsible.
She is afraid of someone else.
Someone who has been controlling her.
Someone who believes the Bellweather family belongs to them.
Corin looked at Thomas.
Then Evelyn.
Then the judge.
Everyone was searching for the same answer.
Who?
The judge continued.
The person behind everything is someone we invited into our home.
Someone we trusted.
Someone who knew our children.
Corin felt a chill.
Because that description matched too many people.
Then the final line appeared.
The judge stopped reading.
Her hands trembled.
“What?”
Corin stepped forward.
“What does it say?”
Miriam looked at him.
Her voice was barely audible.
“Your mother wrote the name.”
Nobody breathed.
“Who?”
The judge looked down.
Then slowly turned the paper around.
The name was visible.
Three words.
A name that made Thomas step backward.
A name that made Evelyn cover her mouth.
A name that made Corin feel like the entire world had cracked open.
Because the person his parents feared…
The person controlling Lorraine…
The person behind the accident…
Was not a stranger.
It was someone who had been at every major moment of his life.
The letter said:
DANIEL BELLWEATHER.
Corin stared.
His father’s name.
His hero.
The man who had died protecting him.
The room went silent.
Then Thomas whispered:
“No…”
Judge Caskey looked horrified.
“Corin…”
But before anyone could speak, the lights suddenly went out.
The entire house fell into darkness.
A second later…
The sound of glass breaking came from upstairs.
Rory’s room.
Corin ran.
“RORY!”
And in the darkness, someone whispered:
May you like
“Your father was never the man you thought he was.”
End of Chapter 8
