Chapter 8: The Heir They Tried To Erase
Nobody spoke.
Not even Sophia.
For the first time since I had met her, she looked like someone who had lost control of the story.
Daniel Reeves stood near the doorway, breathing heavily.
He looked nothing like the confident financial analyst who used to walk into Griffin's meetings with a stack of documents and impossible solutions.
Five years had changed him.
There was a scar near his temple.
His suit was worn.
His hands shook slightly.
But his eyes were the same.
Focused.
Determined.
"Daniel," Griffin said.
The anger in his voice was unmistakable.
"You disappeared.""
Daniel lowered his head.
"I know.""
"You let me believe Vivienne betrayed me.""
"I tried to stop it.""
Griffin stepped forward.
"You tried?""
Daniel looked at him.
"I was too late.""
The words were quiet.
But they carried weight.
Because Griffin knew.
Everyone in that room knew.
Being too late had cost us five years.
I moved closer to Leo.
He was still watching.
Still trying to understand.
I hated that he had to stand in the middle of a war created by adults.
Daniel noticed him.
His expression softened.
"That's him.""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
Daniel looked at Griffin.
"That's why they were afraid.""
Griffin's face hardened.
"Start explaining.""
Daniel placed the folder on the table.
"Five years ago, Marcus discovered something.""
He opened the folder.
"He found a clause hidden in the original Ashworth family trust.""
Griffin frowned.
"My family trust?""
Daniel nodded.
"The one created before your father died.""
I watched Griffin carefully.
His father was a subject he rarely discussed.
Not because he hated him.
Because their relationship had been complicated.
"My father died when I was twenty-four," Griffin said.
"Yes.""
Daniel looked at the documents.
"But before he died, he changed the inheritance structure.""
Griffin picked up a page.
His eyes scanned the text.
Then his expression shifted.
"What is this?""
I looked over.
I couldn't understand the legal language.
But I understood one word.
*Heir.*
Daniel explained.
"Your father believed Ashworth Global needed someone who could protect the company beyond one generation.""
Griffin looked confused.
"That's why he created the board.""
"No.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's what everyone believed.""
A pause.
"He created a succession requirement.""
Griffin looked at him.
"What requirement?""
Daniel looked toward Leo.
"An Ashworth descendant.""
Silence.
The meaning landed.
I felt it before Griffin did.
"They needed Leo.""
Daniel nodded.
"Not because they cared about him.""
His voice darkened.
"Because his existence proved you had fulfilled the requirement.""
Griffin stared at the document.
"If Leo existed, I couldn't be removed.""
"Correct.""
Sophia finally spoke.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
Everyone turned.
For the first time, she sounded nervous.
Daniel looked at her.
"I know exactly what I'm talking about.""
Sophia's face tightened.
"You disappeared.""
"Because Marcus tried to kill me.""
The room froze.
Griffin looked at him.
"What?""
Daniel continued.
"I found the financial records. The offshore accounts. The transfers.""
He pointed at Sophia.
"And I found evidence that Marcus wasn't acting alone.""
Sophia crossed her arms.
"You have no proof.""
Daniel smiled sadly.
"I have five years of proof.""
He opened another file.
"Everything was backed up.""
Griffin looked at the documents.
His expression became colder with every page.
"These are internal company records.""
"Yes.""
"Only executives had access.""
Daniel nodded.
"Exactly.""
Griffin looked up.
"Who else knew?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
My stomach tightened.
"Daniel.""
He looked at me.
"I'm sorry.""
The apology made my heart sink.
"Who?""
Daniel looked at Griffin.
"Your father.""
The room became silent.
Griffin froze.
"What did you say?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Your father knew.""
"No.""
"He knew the company had people trying to take control.""
Griffin shook his head.
"My father died before any of this happened.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Not before.""
A pause.
"Before he died, he left a warning.""
Griffin stared.
"What warning?""
Daniel opened the folder again.
A letter.
Old.
Yellowed.
Handwritten.
Griffin reached for it.
His hands were steady.
But his face wasn't.
He read the first line.
Then stopped.
"What does it say?""
He didn't answer.
I watched him.
The strongest man I had ever known looked like a child reading something he wasn't prepared for.
Finally, he whispered:
"He knew.""
Daniel nodded.
"He knew someone close to him would eventually try to take the company.""
Griffin kept reading.
Then suddenly:
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
Daniel looked away.
"Because the person who managed your father's private files...""
A pause.
"Was Marcus Hale.""
The realization hit.
Marcus had been there from the beginning.
Not just during our divorce.
Not just during the company crisis.
From the beginning.
He had access to everything.
Griffin slowly lowered the letter.
"I trusted him.""
I looked at him.
"You trusted everyone.""
His eyes met mine.
"No.""
His voice was quiet.
"I trusted the wrong people.""
There was something painful about hearing him say that.
Because five years ago, I had begged him to believe that.
Now he finally did.
A loud crash came from outside.
Everyone turned.
Daniel immediately reacted.
"Down!""
He grabbed the table and pushed it sideways.
The sound of glass breaking exploded through the apartment.
A window shattered.
Leo screamed.
I grabbed him instantly and pulled him behind the couch.
Griffin moved in front of us.
A protective instinct.
A father's instinct.
Another sound.
A bullet hitting the wall.
Sophia dropped to the floor.
Not because she was hurt.
Because she was scared.
Daniel looked toward the window.
"They found us.""
Griffin's eyes narrowed.
"Who?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Because he already knew.
The apartment lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Leo was shaking.
I held him tightly.
"It's okay.""
But I wasn't sure.
Then a voice came through the apartment speakers.
A voice I recognized.
Marcus.
"Griffin.""
Everyone froze.
His voice was calm.
Almost friendly.
"I know you're listening.""
Griffin stood slowly.
"Marcus.""
A laugh echoed.
"Five years, Griffin.""
The voice continued.
"You were always so intelligent. But when it came to people you loved, you were incredibly easy to control.""
My fists tightened.
Marcus continued.
"You blamed Vivienne.""
Silence.
"You destroyed your own marriage.""
Another pause.
"And then you helped me remove every obstacle.""
Griffin's face changed.
Because the truth was worse when spoken aloud.
Marcus hadn't forced him.
He had manipulated him.
But Griffin had made the choices.
"You wanted my company," Griffin said.
"No.""
Marcus laughed.
"I wanted what your father promised.""
A pause.
"The rightful heir.""
My blood ran cold.
Marcus continued:
"Leo Ashworth.""
I looked at my son.
Then at Griffin.
Marcus knew.
He knew Leo existed.
He always knew.
"Where are you?"" Griffin demanded.
The speakers crackled.
"Closer than you think.""
A door opened.
Everyone turned.
The apartment entrance.
Nobody was there.
Only a small envelope placed on the floor.
Daniel went pale.
"No.""
"What?"" Griffin asked.
Daniel stared at the envelope.
"That's how he sends messages.""
Griffin walked toward it.
I grabbed his arm.
"Don't.""
He looked at me.
The old argument flashed between us.
Trust.
Fear.
Control.
Then he nodded.
And for once...
He listened.
Daniel carefully picked up the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Everyone leaned closer.
It was a picture of Griffin's father.
But that wasn't what made us freeze.
Written on the back were six words:
*Ask him about the second child.*
Griffin looked confused.
"Second child?""
Daniel's face turned pale.
"No.""
"What?""
Daniel looked at me.
Then at Griffin.
"Your father didn't have one heir.""
He swallowed.
"He had two.""
The room went silent.
Because suddenly, the biggest secret wasn't Leo.
It wasn't the company.
It wasn't the divorce.
It was the possibility that Griffin Ashworth had spent his entire life believing a lie about his own family.
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And somewhere outside that apartment...
Marcus Hale was waiting for us to discover who the other heir was.
