Chapter 7: The Bloodline of Lies
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The video continued playing on Victoria's phone.
Richard Callaway sat in a dark leather chair, his silver hair neatly combed, his familiar blue eyes fixed on the camera.
"Nathaniel, if you're watching this, it means the truth has finally caught up with us.""
Nathaniel couldn't breathe.
He looked at Daniel.
Then at the screen.
Then back at Daniel.
"Tell me it's a lie.""
Daniel said nothing.
"Tell me!""
Thomas gripped the edge of his hospital bed.
"Nathaniel, listen to the recording.""
But Nathaniel was no longer listening.
He remembered his father's funeral. The closed casket. His mother's black veil. The newspaper headlines describing Richard Callaway as a visionary businessman whose life had ended tragically.
He remembered standing beside Eleanor while hundreds of people offered condolences.
He remembered promising himself that one day he would become a man worthy of his father's name.
And now a dead man was telling him that the man who raised him wasn't his biological father.
"Daniel," Nathaniel whispered.
"Is it true?""
Daniel's eyes were wet.
"Yes.""
The single word shattered something inside him.
Nathaniel lunged forward, grabbed Daniel by the collar, and slammed him against the wall.
"Eleven years!""
Daniel didn't resist.
"Eleven years, you let me believe my father was dead!""
"I know.""
"You watched me bury him!""
"I know!""
"You let me spend my entire life trying to become him!""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry.""
Nathaniel's fist tightened.
"You're my father?""
Daniel nodded.
"Biologically, yes.""
Nathaniel released him as though the man's clothes had burned his hands.
Rose stepped forward.
"Mr. Callaway...""
"Don't.""
His voice was barely recognizable.
"Don't call me that right now.""
Victoria took advantage of the silence.
"Well, this has been emotional.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Sit down.""
Victoria ignored him.
"You should be thanking me, Nathaniel. I've spent months trying to uncover what your family buried.""
Nathaniel slowly faced her.
"You knew?""
"Of course.""
"How long?""
"Long enough.""
"How long, Victoria?""
She adjusted the diamond bracelet around her wrist.
"Since before our engagement.""
Nathaniel stared.
The emerald ring on her finger caught the fluorescent light.
A ring that had belonged to four generations of Callaway women.
He suddenly remembered his mother's reluctance when he announced the engagement.
Eleanor had said Victoria wanted the family name more than she wanted a husband.
He had defended her.
He had accused his mother of being jealous.
Now Victoria was standing beside his imprisoned brother, holding a video of his supposedly dead father.
"Why marry me?"" Nathaniel asked.
Victoria gave him a small smile.
"Because you were the easiest way into the family.""
"And my mother?""
"Your mother was the biggest obstacle.""
Nathaniel's expression darkened.
"Did you change her medication?""
Victoria didn't answer.
"Did you push her?""
"She was going to ruin everything.""
Rose stepped forward.
"She almost died.""
Victoria turned toward her.
"People die every day, sweetheart. Don't act as though you're the first person to witness something unpleasant.""
Rose's hands trembled.
But she didn't step back.
"You looked her in the eye before you pushed her.""
Victoria's smile disappeared.
"And you should have minded your own business.""
Nathaniel moved between them.
"That's enough.""
He turned toward Marcus.
"Get her out of here.""
Marcus reached for Victoria's arm.
She suddenly laughed.
"You're making another mistake.""
Nathaniel looked at her.
"What's that?""
"You think I'm the one who controls this situation.""
She raised her phone.
"That recording has already been sent to three people. If anything happens to me, the original documents go public.""
Daniel's face tightened.
"Which documents?""
Victoria looked at him.
"The Meridian agreement. The original paternity records. And the signed statement Richard made before he disappeared.""
Daniel went pale.
Nathaniel noticed.
"What statement?""
Daniel looked away.
Victoria smiled.
"Ask your biological father why he signed away his rights to you.""
Twenty minutes later, Victoria was taken into police custody.
This time, Detective Hayes personally supervised the transfer.
She also arranged for Thomas to be moved to a secure medical facility under independent supervision.
Nathaniel refused to leave the hospital room until the doctors confirmed that his brother was stable.
Rose sat beside Thomas's bed.
He had fallen asleep after receiving medication for dehydration and exhaustion.
She gently adjusted the blanket around his shoulders.
"Does he always look so angry?"" Thomas whispered.
Rose turned.
Nathaniel stood near the window.
Despite the exhaustion on his face, he was watching the corridor as though expecting another attack.
"Only when he's frightened," Rose answered.
Thomas smiled faintly.
"He used to be like that when we were children.""
Rose frowned.
"You knew him?""
Thomas looked at her.
"Not personally. I watched him on television. Your mother used to keep newspaper photographs of him.""
Rose remembered.
The clippings in the kitchen drawer.
The pictures of Nathaniel receiving business awards, attending charity galas, and standing beside his father.
Her mother had always kept them.
Rose had assumed she admired the family.
Now she understood there had been something more.
"Thomas," she whispered.
"What did you mean when you said you saw Richard the night he died?""
Thomas looked toward Nathaniel.
"Can he hear us?""
"Yes.""
Nathaniel approached.
"Tell me.""
Thomas swallowed.
"Eleven years ago, I was living with Eleanor. I was three. I didn't understand what was happening, but I remember a man coming into the house.""
"Richard?""
Thomas nodded.
"He was crying.""
Nathaniel sat down.
"My father never cried.""
Thomas gave a weak smile.
"Maybe you didn't know him as well as you thought.""
Nathaniel looked at the floor.
"What happened?""
"He carried me upstairs. He told me I had to be brave. Then he gave me a small toy airplane.""
Thomas pointed toward his bedside drawer.
Rose opened it.
Inside was a tiny wooden airplane, its blue paint chipped along the wings.
Thomas touched it.
"He told me that if anyone asked, I had to say he was dead.""
Nathaniel stared at the toy.
"Why?""
Thomas looked at him.
"Because he said someone was going to take his place.""
Nathaniel's stomach tightened.
"Who?""
Thomas shook his head.
"He didn't say.""
Rose picked up the airplane.
On its underside was a small engraving.
*T.C. — 17.03.*
She turned it over.
A second inscription had been scratched into the wood.
*FOR MY TWO BOYS.*
Nathaniel looked at it.
His eyes filled.
Two boys.
Richard had known about both of them.
He had loved them.
And somehow, he had allowed them to grow up believing completely different stories.
At midnight, Nathaniel returned to the Callaway estate.
He found Eleanor in the library.
She was sitting beside the fireplace, wearing a pale blue dressing gown. Her walking cane rested against the chair.
She looked up as he entered.
"You're back.""
Nathaniel didn't sit.
"Why?""
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"Why what?""
"Why did you lie to me?""
Her lips trembled.
"I wanted to protect you.""
"From my father?""
"From everything he had done.""
Nathaniel laughed bitterly.
"You told me he died in a car accident.""
"Because that's what I was told.""
"You knew he was alive.""
"I suspected.""
"That's not an answer.""
Eleanor gripped the arms of her chair.
"Richard came to see Thomas before he disappeared. He told me he had made arrangements. He said he would return when everything was safe.""
"And you believed him?""
"I wanted to.""
Nathaniel walked toward the fireplace.
"Did you know Daniel was my biological father?""
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
Nathaniel turned.
"How long?""
"Since you were born.""
The room seemed to contract.
"Explain.""
Eleanor wiped her eyes.
"Richard knew Daniel was in love with Margaret. But when Margaret became pregnant, Daniel was already being investigated for the Meridian scandal. Richard offered to raise you as his own.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed Daniel would be arrested. He thought you would have a better life as a Callaway.""
Nathaniel shook his head.
"So my entire childhood was a business arrangement?""
"No!""
Eleanor rose unsteadily.
"Richard loved you. He loved you more than anything.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
"Because he was afraid.""
"Of what?""
Eleanor's voice broke.
"Of losing you to Daniel.""
Nathaniel looked away.
For a long time, the only sound was the ticking clock above the mantel.
Then Eleanor reached into her dressing gown pocket.
She removed a small envelope.
"I've kept this for eleven years.""
Nathaniel took it.
His name was written across the front.
*For Nathaniel, when the truth becomes unavoidable.*
He opened it.
Inside was a letter in Richard's handwriting.
My son,
If you're reading this, then I have failed to give you the life I promised.
I need you to understand something. Blood does not make a father. Love does.
Daniel gave you life. I gave you my name. But you were never a possession to be divided between us.
There is something I must ask you to forgive.
I made a deal with Arthur Sterling. I thought I could save my family by surrendering control of the Meridian Trust. Instead, I gave him a weapon.
If Sterling ever returns, find the original ledger.
And trust the girl Margaret raised.
She is the only one who knows where I buried the truth.
Nathaniel lowered the letter.
"Where is the ledger?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Mother.""
"I swear.""
Nathaniel stared at her.
Then he noticed something.
A small brass key was attached to the envelope's inner lining.
Not the key Rose had carried.
A second one.
Engraved with the same Meridian symbol.
Beneath it, Richard had written four words.
*THE HOUSE REMEMBERS EVERYTHING.*
Nathaniel looked toward the staircase.
His childhood bedroom was on the second floor.
And suddenly, he remembered something his father used to say whenever Nathaniel asked about the locked cupboard beneath the old staircase.
Some things are safer when nobody knows they're there.
Nathaniel turned toward Eleanor.
"Did you ever open the cupboard beneath the stairs?""
Eleanor's face changed.
"Don't.""
"Why?""
She grabbed his wrist.
"Because the last person who opened it disappeared.""
Nathaniel stared at her.
"Who?""
May you like
Eleanor whispered:
"Your father.""
