Chapter 5: The Man They Buried
Nathaniel held the phone against his ear.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
The voice on the other end waited patiently.
Then it said, “Are you going to introduce yourself, Nathaniel?””
Nathaniel's eyes locked on Eleanor.
His mother was crying silently.
Rebecca had gone completely still.
Victoria looked like she might collapse.
Nathaniel finally found his voice.
“You're dead.””
A low chuckle came through the speaker.
“That is what I wanted everyone to believe.””
Nathaniel's grip tightened around the phone.
“Grandfather?””
“Yes.””
Olivia and Charlotte stood frozen near the hallway.
Samantha could hear her own heartbeat.
She whispered, “That's really him?””
Nathaniel nodded slowly.
The voice continued.
“You sound exactly like Marcus when he was angry.””
Nathaniel's jaw clenched.
“You threatened Samantha.””
“I protected this family.””
“You threatened a child.””
“I protected an empire.””
Nathaniel's eyes hardened.
“You lied about my father.””
“I corrected your father's mistake.””
“What mistake?””
A pause.
Then the old man answered.
“Loving the wrong woman.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
Samantha looked at her.
“You mean my mother?””
The voice on the phone went quiet.
Then it said, “So she finally told you who you are.””
Samantha stepped forward.
“My name is Samantha Collins.””
“No,” the voice replied.
“Your name is Samantha Hayes.””
The words seemed to change the air in the room.
Nathaniel stared at Samantha.
The man continued.
“You have Marcus's blood. You have my blood. And whether you like it or not, you belong to the Hayes family.””
Samantha's voice shook.
“Why did you hide me?””
“Because your mother was going to destroy everything.””
Victoria suddenly screamed.
“Don't listen to him!””
The voice became cold.
“Victoria, you had one job.””
Victoria stared at the phone.
“I did what you asked.””
“No. You did what you wanted.””
“You told me to keep her hidden!””
“I told you to keep her alive.””
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
“What happened that night?””
The voice on the phone said nothing.
Nathaniel repeated the question.
“What happened when my father came here?””
Finally, the old man answered.
“Marcus discovered the truth.””
“What truth?””
“That Samantha was alive.””
Samantha's chest tightened.
Nathaniel looked at Victoria.
“You knew he was coming.””
“Yes.””
“And Grandfather knew.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't he stop him?””
Victoria's face crumpled.
“He tried.””
Nathaniel stared.
“What does that mean?””
Before Victoria could answer, the grandfather's voice interrupted.
“It means Marcus was given a choice.””
“What choice?””
“Walk away from Samantha, or lose everything.””
Nathaniel laughed bitterly.
“You're describing blackmail.””
“I'm describing leadership.””
“My father chose his daughter.””
The voice went quiet.
Samantha whispered, “And then what?””
No one answered.
She stepped closer to the phone.
“I want to know what happened to my father.””
The old man responded immediately.
“Your father made the wrong decision.””
“What did you do?””
“I did what was necessary.””
Samantha felt tears burn behind her eyes.
“You let him die.””
The silence that followed was more frightening than any answer.
Then he said, “I didn't kill Marcus.””
Rebecca suddenly spoke.
“You ordered someone to make sure he never left that hospital.””
The voice on the phone became sharp.
“Rebecca.””
She stepped closer.
“You remember me.””
“I remember everyone who betrayed me.””
Rebecca's face hardened.
“You nearly killed your own son.””
“I protected the family.””
“You destroyed it.””
Eleanor finally spoke through her tears.
“Enough.””
The room fell silent.
She walked toward the phone.
“Victor.””
The old man's breathing changed.
“Eleanor.””
“You've been hiding all these years.””
“I had to.””
“You made us bury our son.””
“I made you bury a secret.””
“He was your son.””
“He was weak.””
Eleanor raised her voice.
“He loved his daughter!””
The old man replied coldly.
“And look what that love created.””
His words hung in the mansion.
Samantha stepped back.
Nathaniel lowered the phone.
“Why did you call tonight?””
The answer came instantly.
“Because Samantha has been discovered.””
Nathaniel looked at her.
“She was always going to be discovered.””
“Not until her twenty-first birthday.””
Nathaniel's brow furrowed.
“You're watching the trust.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because there is something in it you haven't seen.””
Nathaniel looked at the papers spread across the table.
“What?””
The old man's voice softened.
“The trust does not simply give Samantha money.””
Samantha stared at him.
“What does it give me?””
A pause.
“Control.””
Nathaniel's expression changed.
“Control of what?””
“Hayes Global.””
Nobody moved.
Olivia whispered, “That's impossible.””
Charlotte shook her head.
“Mom said Grandpa left everything to Nathaniel.””
Victoria looked down.
The old man laughed.
“Your mother has told many stories.””
Nathaniel stared at the legal documents.
“How much?””
“All of it.””
The mansion went silent.
Nathaniel's face became unreadable.
“You put the entire company in Samantha's trust?””
“I created the trust because Marcus refused to surrender his shares.””
“And Samantha receives them at twenty-one?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I never trusted Marcus.””
Nathaniel looked at Samantha.
“She was your granddaughter.””
“That was precisely the problem.””
Samantha couldn't understand.
“You're saying you would rather lose the company than let me have it?””
“No.””
The voice became colder.
“I would rather see you destroy it than allow someone else to control it.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means Samantha's inheritance comes with a condition.””
Samantha's hands went cold.
“What condition?””
The old man paused.
Then he said,
“She cannot inherit unless she marries.””
Victoria's eyes closed.
Nathaniel turned toward her.
“The marriage agreement.””
“Yes.””
“Who is she supposed to marry?””
The voice gave a quiet laugh.
“That is the question.””
Samantha felt sick.
“You arranged my life before I could even speak.””
“I arranged your survival.””
“You didn't survive me,” Samantha said.
“You erased me.””
For the first time, there was no response.
Then the old man said something that made everyone freeze.
“I didn't choose the groom.””
Victoria suddenly whispered, “No.””
Nathaniel looked at her.
“What?””
The voice continued.
“Your mother did.””
Nathaniel's gaze snapped to Victoria.
“Who?””
Victoria's face crumpled.
“I was desperate.””
“Who did you choose?””
She shook her head.
Nathaniel stepped closer.
“Tell me.””
Victoria looked at Samantha.
“I chose someone who could protect her.””
Samantha stared at her.
“Who?””
Victoria couldn't speak.
The grandfather answered for her.
“The eldest son of the Blackwell family.””
Rebecca's eyes widened.
“No.””
Eleanor looked horrified.
“That's impossible.””
Nathaniel frowned.
“Why?””
Eleanor's voice shook.
“Because the Blackwells are the family your grandfather spent thirty years fighting.””
The old man laughed softly.
“And that's why Victoria made the arrangement.””
Nathaniel's face hardened.
“To end the feud?””
“No.””
The voice dropped.
“To win it.””
Samantha's stomach twisted.
“I'm not marrying anyone.””
“Then you lose the trust.””
“I don't care.””
“You will.””
“No.””
The old man answered calmly.
“You will care when you learn what happens to Olivia and Charlotte if you refuse.””
Samantha went still.
Victoria whispered, “Please.””
Samantha turned toward her.
“What did you do?””
Victoria couldn't answer.
The old man said,
“The marriage contract contains another condition.””
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
“What condition?””
“If Samantha refuses the Blackwell heir, the debt attached to this mansion becomes immediately due.””
Nathaniel looked around.
“The house?””
“And every property Victoria owns.””
Samantha's eyes widened.
“How much?””
The voice said a number.
Nathaniel's expression changed.
Victoria sank into a chair.
Olivia began crying.
“That much?””
Charlotte looked at her mother.
“You told us everything was fine.””
“I thought I could fix it.””
Nathaniel looked at Victoria with disbelief.
“You mortgaged everything?””
“To protect them.””
“You risked the entire family.””
“I had no choice!””
“You always had a choice.””
Victoria's voice broke.
“I was trying to make sure Samantha never had to depend on anyone!””
Samantha stared at her.
“You made me depend on you for everything.””
Victoria looked at her.
“I was afraid.””
Samantha's eyes filled.
“You should have been.””
The room fell silent.
Then the grandfather spoke again.
“You have forty-eight hours.””
Nathaniel looked at the phone.
“For what?””
“For Samantha to agree to the marriage.””
“And if she doesn't?””
“You'll find out exactly how much your mother has lost.””
The call ended.
Nathaniel stared at the blank screen.
No one moved.
Then a loud knock struck the mansion doors.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Everyone looked toward the entrance.
The security guard hurried into the room.
“Mr. Hayes.””
Nathaniel turned.
“There is a man outside.””
“Who?””
The guard swallowed.
“He says he's here for Samantha.””
Samantha's stomach dropped.
“Who is he?””
The guard looked at Victoria.
Then at Nathaniel.
“Ethan Blackwell.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
Nathaniel slowly turned toward Samantha.
Outside, a man's voice carried through the open doorway.
May you like
“I believe you have something that belongs to my family.””
And then the stranger walked inside.
