Chapter 9 - The Father Who Came BackThe Dead Man Was Standing in Front of ThemNobody moved.
Daniel looked at Sofie.
His eyes filled with tears.
She stared at him.
Then slowly walked forward.
Elena grabbed her.
“No.”
Daniel stopped.
“It's okay.”
Sofie looked confused.
“Are you Grandpa?”
Daniel laughed through tears.
“No.”
He pointed toward Alexander.
“That one's your uncle.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
The word hit harder than a gunshot.
Uncle.
He had spent years thinking Daniel was dead.
Now he was standing three feet away.
Alive.
Daniel looked at Elena.
“I wanted to come sooner.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I know.”
“You let Sofie grow up without you.”
Daniel lowered his head.
“I know.”
Alexander stepped between them.
“Why did you stay hidden?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because everyone connected to me died.”
He took a folded file from his coat.
“Your father.”
“Your security chief.”
“Three accountants.”
“Two prosecutors.”
“All dead.”
Alexander felt his throat tighten.
“Who killed them?”
Daniel looked toward the corridor.
“Elias Kane.”
“Why?”
“Because Dad moved the hundred million.”
Alexander frowned.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Daniel shook his head.
“The money wasn't stolen.”
“Then what was it?”
“Protection.”
Daniel opened the file.
The money had been moved into dozens of accounts.
Workers' pensions.
Witness protection.
Families of dead employees.
Medical funds.
Emergency relocation.
William had created a private network for people trapped inside Carter Holdings.
“Dad knew Kane had infiltrated the company.”
Alexander stared at the documents.
“So why didn't he expose him?”
“Because Kane controlled the police.”
Daniel looked at Sofie.
“And because Elena was pregnant.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Daniel continued.
“If Kane knew she was carrying my child, he would have used her as leverage.”
Alexander whispered:
“So William created the safe.”
“Yes.”
“And the trust.”
“Yes.”
“And the prophecy about Sofie finding the door.”
Daniel nodded.
“He knew children notice things adults ignore.”
Alexander almost laughed.
“Dad predicted a three-year-old would open a billion-dollar conspiracy.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“Dad believed adults were too impressed by expensive machines.”
Sofie looked pleased.
Alexander crouched beside her.
“Why can you find all these things?”
Sofie shrugged.
“They look different.”
Daniel smiled.
“She's like you.”
Alexander frowned.
“I was never like this.”
“You were.”
Daniel pointed toward the wall.
“When we were children, you'd notice loose floorboards, hidden drawers, mismatched screws. Dad used to call you his little detective.”
Alexander remembered.
He hadn't thought about that memory in decades.
Then the lights went off.
Daniel immediately grabbed Elena.
“Down.”
A bullet hit the wall.
Alexander fired toward the hallway.
Two men ran.
Security appeared.
One attacker was captured.
The other escaped.
Alexander checked the captured man's face.
Black tattoo behind the ear.
Kane's organization.
Daniel looked at him.
“It's starting.”
“What?”
“Kane knows I'm alive.”
Alexander stared.
“Then we have to move.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Sofie.
“She has to go.”
Elena stepped forward.
“No.”
Daniel's voice broke.
“He knows about the child.”
Alexander's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Elias Kane's voice came through.
“You finally found your brother.”
Alexander stared into darkness.
“What do you want?”
“The safe.”
“You'll never get it.”
Kane laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
A pause.
“The safe isn't holding the evidence.”
Alexander's blood went cold.
“Then what is it holding?”
Kane whispered:
“Instructions.”
“Instructions for what?”
“To destroy the Carter empire.”
The call ended.
Alexander looked at Daniel.
Daniel's face had gone white.
“What?”
Daniel whispered:
“The safe has one final function.”
“What?”
“It can shut down every Carter account in the world.”
Alexander stared.
May you like
Kane hadn't wanted the money.
He wanted the button.
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