Chapter 4: The Father Who Buried the Truth
Victor Blackwood had spent his entire life believing his father was the man who protected him.
Richard Blackwood was the reason the family name had survived generations.
He was the man who taught Victor how to negotiate, how to lead, how to never show weakness.
When Eleanor died, Richard was the one who stood beside him.
The one who handled the funeral arrangements.
The one who answered every painful question.
The one who told him to stop searching.
But now, standing in the middle of his mansion with his dead wife’s handwriting in one hand and a message accusing his father in the other, Victor felt something he had never felt before.
Doubt.
And doubt was dangerous.
Because once it entered your mind, it started finding every place where the truth had been hidden.
Victor looked at Serena.
“You knew.””
Her face remained pale.
“I knew something.””
“That’s not an answer.””
She looked away.
“Victor, you need to understand—”
“No.””
His voice cut through the hallway.
“You need to understand.””
He stepped closer.
“My wife wrote your name before she died.””
Serena swallowed.
“I didn’t know she found out.””
“Found out what?””
Silence.
Victor watched her carefully.
The woman who had lied without hesitation about Lily.
The woman who had looked him in the eyes and blamed a nanny for hurting his child.
Now she looked afraid.
Not because she had been caught.
Because something worse was coming.
“I need answers,” Victor said.
Serena shook her head.
“You don’t know what you’re asking.””
“Then tell me.””
“I can’t.””
Victor’s expression hardened.
“Can’t?””
Her eyes filled with frustration.
“If I tell you everything, you won’t just lose your trust in me.””
A pause.
“You’ll lose your entire family.””
Those words hung in the air.
Before Victor could respond, a sound came from upstairs.
A cry.
Ethan.
Victor immediately turned.
Every thought disappeared except his son.
He rushed upstairs.
The nursery door was open.
Ethan was awake in his crib, crying softly.
Victor picked him up immediately.
“It’s okay.””
He held him close.
“Daddy’s here.””
But as he lifted Ethan, he noticed something.
The boy flinched.
Not because of him.
Because of movement behind him.
Victor turned.
Serena stood in the doorway.
Ethan immediately buried his face against Victor’s shoulder.
The reaction was small.
But Victor saw it.
And so did Serena.
Her expression broke for half a second.
Something between anger and disappointment.
Then it vanished.
“You’re letting Lily poison you against me.””
Victor stared at her.
“No.””
He adjusted Ethan in his arms.
“I’m watching my son react to you.””
Serena’s face tightened.
“You’re really doing this?””
“Doing what?””
“Treating me like a criminal.””
Victor looked at her.
“You disabled the cameras.””
Her lips parted.
“You hurt Lily.””
“I didn’t.””
“I heard the recording.””
“She attacked me first.””
Victor almost laughed.
Almost.
Because the excuse was so unbelievable.
“You expect me to believe that?””
Serena’s eyes narrowed.
“You loved me yesterday.””
Victor looked down at Ethan.
“That was before yesterday’s truth.””
The words hurt her.
But Victor no longer cared.
Because every time he looked at Serena, he saw Ethan crying.
He saw Lily on the floor.
He saw Eleanor’s handwriting.
And he saw all the moments he ignored.
An hour later, Victor entered his father’s private study.
Richard Blackwood was eighty years old.
A man whose reputation was built on control.
Even age had not softened him.
He sat behind his large wooden desk, reading documents as if nothing in the world could disturb him.
When Victor entered, Richard looked up.
“You’re home early.””
Victor closed the door.
“I need to ask you something.””
Richard noticed his son’s expression.
Something changed.
“What happened?””
Victor placed the photograph on the desk.
Richard looked at it.
And for the first time in years, Victor saw fear in his father’s eyes.
Only for a second.
But it was there.
“Where did you get this?””
Victor stared.
“That’s my question.””
Richard leaned back slowly.
“Victor.””
“No.””
His voice became colder.
“I want the truth.””
Richard looked at the photograph again.
Daniel Vale.
Eleanor.
Together.
“Your wife was investigating something she didn’t understand.””
Victor froze.
“You admit it?””
Richard sighed.
“I was hoping you would never find out.””
The words felt like a confession.
Victor stepped closer.
“Find out what?””
Richard looked at him.
“That Daniel Vale was dangerous.””
“Then why was he near my wife?””
“Because Eleanor was trying to expose him.””
Victor stared.
“And you knew?””
Richard didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“And you said nothing?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
Victor slammed his hand onto the desk.
“Protect me?””
The room shook with his anger.
“You let me believe my wife died in an accident.””
Richard remained calm.
“Because the alternative would have destroyed you.””
Victor laughed bitterly.
“Destroyed me?””
He pointed toward the ceiling.
“My son was raised by a man who lied to him.””
Richard looked away.
“Ethan was safe.””
Victor’s voice dropped.
“No.””
A pause.
“He wasn’t.””
Richard looked back.
Victor continued.
“Serena hurt him.””
For the first time, Richard’s expression changed.
“What?””
Victor placed the recorder on the desk.
Then he pressed play.
Serena’s voice filled the room.
The sound of Ethan crying.
Lily begging.
The impact of Serena’s cruelty.
Richard listened silently.
When it ended, he looked older.
Much older.
“Where is she?””
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
Richard stood.
“Because if Serena Vale is involved, then this is bigger than we thought.””
Victor stared at him.
“You knew her?””
Richard hesitated.
Another hesitation.
Another secret.
“Yes.””
Victor felt his stomach drop.
“How?””
Richard walked toward the window.
“Daniel Vale worked with your grandfather.””
“On what?””
Richard didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“On a project that was supposed to change Blackwood Holdings forever.””
Victor waited.
“But it failed.””
“What kind of project?””
Richard looked at him.
“Something your mother wanted buried.””
Victor frowned.
“My mother?””
Richard nodded.
“Your entire family has been hiding from this for decades.””
Victor felt the room become smaller.
“My mother died twenty years ago.””
“Yes.””
“And Eleanor discovered this?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Richard looked down.
“Because I was afraid you would do exactly what you’re doing now.””
“What?””
“Dig.””
Victor stared.
“You were afraid I would find the truth?””
Richard said nothing.
That silence confirmed everything.
Later that night, Victor sat alone in his office.
Documents covered the desk.
Old reports.
Financial records.
Photographs.
Everything connected to Daniel Vale.
Everything connected to Eleanor.
But one question remained.
Why Serena?
Why would the daughter of the man his wife investigated enter his life?
Why pretend to love him?
Why get close to Ethan?
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
Lily entered carefully.
“Sir?””
Victor looked up.
“What is it?””
She held something in her hand.
“I found this.””
She placed an envelope on the desk.
Victor looked at it.
“What is it?””
“It was hidden inside Ethan’s toy chest.””
His heart stopped.
“Ethan’s toy chest?””
Lily nodded.
“I found it when I was cleaning after everything happened.””
Victor picked up the envelope.
There was no name.
No address.
Only one word written on the front.
*Victor.*
His hands tightened.
He opened it.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
A handwritten note.
The handwriting was familiar.
Eleanor’s.
His breathing stopped.
*Victor,*
*If Serena Vale is ever inside our home, it means I failed to stop what was coming.*
Victor’s eyes moved faster.
*Do not trust anyone who says they are protecting you. The person closest to you is the reason I was afraid.*
A chill moved through him.
Then he reached the final line.
And his heart nearly stopped.
*Richard knew.*
Victor dropped the paper.
Because the one person he thought had been protecting him…
Had been protecting the secret instead.
And before he could process it, his office computer suddenly turned on by itself.
The screen flashed.
A video file appeared.
Created moments ago.
Victor stared.
The file name was:
*ELEANOR_BLACKWOOD_FINAL_MESSAGE.mp4*
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Then the video began playing.
And his dead wife’s face appeared on the screen.
