Chapter 8: The Truth Hidden In The Bloodline
I stared at the phone long after the call ended.
Brielle’s words kept replaying.
*The person who really caused Dad to disappear…*
*It’s Ethan’s father.*
The room felt like it had tilted.
I looked at Ethan.
He was watching me carefully.
He didn’t ask what she said.
Maybe because he already knew.
Maybe because he was afraid.
“What did she tell you?””
His voice was quiet.
I held up the phone.
“My sister said your father was involved.””
For a moment, Ethan didn’t move.
Then he sat down slowly.
I had seen him shocked before.
I had seen him scared.
But this was different.
This was pain.
“Natalie…”
“Tell me.””
He looked at the floor.
“My father died when I was twenty-five.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He had a heart attack.””
“What does that have to do with this?””
Ethan rubbed his hands together.
“My father wasn’t just an employee at Mercer Holdings.””
My stomach tightened.
“What was he?””
He looked at me.
“He was your father’s business partner.””
The words hit me like a physical blow.
“What?””
“My father helped build Mercer Holdings.””
I stared at him.
“No.””
“I didn’t know at first.””
“How could you not know?””
“Because I didn’t know who your father was when I took that internship.””
I tried to process everything.
My husband’s father.
My father.
The company.
The documents.
The disappearance.
It was all connected.
“How long have you known?””
Ethan looked ashamed.
“I found out after I met you.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“And you stayed?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because by then, you weren’t your family to me.””
I looked away.
That answer would have comforted me yesterday.
Today, it only hurt.
“Ethan, I need the whole truth.””
“I know.””
“No more protecting me.””
He nodded.
“Okay.””
He took a deep breath.
“My father and your father had a falling out.””
“About the money?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because your father discovered money was being moved from the company.””
“And your father?””
“He thought your father was responsible.””
I frowned.
“But Dad wasn’t?””
Ethan looked at me.
“No.””
“Then who was?””
He hesitated.
And I hated that hesitation.
“Ethan.””
He closed his eyes.
“Diane.””
My mother.
Again.
Every road led back to her.
“She was stealing from the company?””
“Yes.””
“And Brielle knew?””
“She found out later.””
I thought about my sister’s message.
The fear in her voice.
The warning.
For the first time, I wondered if Brielle had always been cruel because she wanted to be…
Or because she had been raised inside something much darker.
“What happened the night my father disappeared?””
Ethan was quiet.
Then he spoke.
“My father called me.””
“When?””
“That night.””
My heart raced.
“What did he say?””
“He told me he had evidence.””
“Against Diane?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t he go to the police?””
“Because he was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of what she would do.””
I looked at him.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“She was your father’s wife.””
Ethan nodded.
“I know.””
“That’s insane.””
“It was.””
He looked at the bassinet.
“Your family wasn’t just hiding secrets, Natalie.””
He paused.
“They were protecting them.””
I felt sick.
My whole life suddenly looked different.
Every family dinner.
Every holiday.
Every fake smile.
Every time my mother told me not to ask questions.
It wasn’t because she was private.
It was because she was afraid.
A knock interrupted us.
We both turned.
The door opened.
A woman stepped inside.
I recognized her immediately.
Brielle.
But she looked different.
No makeup.
No confidence.
No attitude.
She looked scared.
Ethan immediately stood.
“What are you doing here?””
Brielle looked at him.
“Move.””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Natalie.””
I didn’t answer.
She swallowed.
“I know you hate me right now.””
“That’s an understatement.””
Her eyes filled slightly.
“I deserve that.””
The words surprised me.
Because Brielle never apologized.
Not once.
“What do you want?””
She closed the door behind her.
“To warn you.””
“Again?””
“No.””
She looked at Ethan.
“This time, I’m telling the truth.””
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“Why should we believe you?””
“Because I’m scared too.””
Silence.
Brielle looked at Clara.
Her expression softened.
For the first time, she looked at my daughter like a person.
Not an obstacle.
“I didn’t know what Mom was planning.””
I stared at her.
“You walked into my hospital room.””
“I know.””
“You demanded money.””
“I know.””
“You insulted me.””
Her eyes dropped.
“I know.””
“Then why are you here?””
She took a shaky breath.
“Because Mom is going after Ethan next.””
My stomach tightened.
“She already did.””
“No.””
Brielle shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
She looked at Ethan.
“She doesn’t just want the files.””
Ethan’s face changed.
“What else?””
“She wants the person who can prove where they came from.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Brielle looked at me.
“The files were created by someone inside the company.””
“Yes.””
“Someone who knew everything.””
I waited.
“Someone who copied them before they disappeared.””
My heartbeat increased.
“Who?””
Brielle looked at Ethan.
Then whispered:
“Your father.””
The room went silent.
Ethan stepped back.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Brielle shook her head.
“It isn’t.””
She looked at me.
“That’s why Mom is scared.””
I looked between them.
“Explain.””
Brielle sat down.
For the first time in my life, my sister looked small.
“When Dad disappeared, Mom told us he ran away.””
I stared.
“But?””
“But I saw him.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
“The night he disappeared.””
Ethan moved closer.
“You were there?””
Brielle nodded.
“I was sixteen.””
I felt dizzy.
“You knew?””
She looked ashamed.
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because Mom told me if I talked, she would make sure Dad never came back.””
I couldn’t speak.
My sister had been carrying this too.
But unlike me, she chose silence.
“What did you see?””
Brielle wiped her face.
“I saw Dad arguing with Mom.””
“About what?””
“The money.””
“Then what?””
“She hit him.””
The room froze.
My mother.
My mother had always controlled every situation.
But this?
This was something else.
“What happened after?””
Brielle looked at Ethan.
“Your father was there.””
Ethan went still.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he came to help.””
I stared.
“So Brielle was lying.””
She looked down.
“I was scared.””
“You let me believe Dad abandoned us.””
“I know.””
“You let me hate him.””
“I know.””
My anger burned.
But beneath it was something else.
A terrible sadness.
Because for fourteen years, I had been angry at the wrong person.
Brielle stood.
“I need to go.””
“Why?””
“Because if Mom finds out I came here…”
She stopped.
“What?””
She looked at the door.
“She’ll know I switched sides.””
The words made my skin crawl.
“Brielle.””
She turned.
“Why did Mom really want my credit card?””
Her face changed.
Because she knew.
“She wasn’t trying to pay for my party.””
I waited.
“She was trying to access your accounts.””
My blood went cold.
“Why?””
“Because she believes Dad left something for you.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“A backup.””
“Of what?””
Brielle looked at me.
“The original evidence.””
I stared.
“I don’t have anything.””
“Yes, you do.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She whispered:
“Mom thinks Dad hid it with the one person he trusted most.””
I looked at Ethan.
Then back at her.
“Who?””
Brielle’s voice dropped.
“You.””
The room became silent.
Because suddenly I understood.
My father hadn’t disappeared from my life completely.
He had left something behind.
Something my mother had spent fourteen years searching for.
And somehow…
I was the only person who had it.
Brielle reached for the door.
But before she left, she said one final thing.
“Natalie…”
I looked up.
“Don’t trust anyone who comes asking for it.””
She opened the door.
Then froze.
Because someone was standing outside.
Someone who should not have been there.
My mother.
Diane Mercer.
She smiled softly.
May you like
And in her hand was a document.
A document with my name on it.
