Chapter 7: The Price of My Father's Life
“Before midnight.””
Vanessa's final words kept repeating in my head.
I checked my watch.
9:17 p.m.
Three hours.
Three hours to find my father, recover the original ownership certificate, and understand why the woman I had almost married was threatening my family.
Rochelle stood beside me, speaking urgently into her phone.
Marcus was studying the security photograph.
Richard sat motionless at the conference table.
I turned toward him.
“Tell me what you know about my grandfather's death.””
Richard looked up.
“Ethan, I've already explained—”
“No. You've told me enough half-truths to fill an entire building. I'm done listening to explanations that leave out the important parts.””
He rubbed his forehead.
“Your grandfather was a stubborn man. He believed the property should remain in your family's control. He refused several offers to sell his shares.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed the underground facility contained records that could expose corruption involving several investors.””
“What kind of corruption?””
Richard hesitated.
Marcus answered.
“Money laundering, fraudulent property transfers, and falsified ownership agreements.””
Richard glared at him.
“You don't know everything.””
“I know enough.””
I slammed my palm against the table.
“Both of you stop.””
They went silent.
I looked at Richard.
“Who was the last person to meet my grandfather?””
Richard lowered his eyes.
“Me.””
The answer struck harder than I expected.
“You?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“The evening before he died.””
I stared at him.
“And you never thought to mention that?””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Richard looked toward the window.
“Your grandfather accused me of helping his business partners steal the company. We argued. He threatened to expose everything.””
“And the next morning, he was dead.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
I stepped closer.
“Did you kill him?””
His face twisted.
“No.””
“Did you arrange for someone else to?””
“No!””
His voice echoed through the room.
Then he looked down.
“I left him alive. I swear that much.””
Rochelle stopped speaking on the phone.
She looked at Richard.
“That's a very carefully worded statement.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“I didn't kill Thomas Carter.””
I wanted to believe him.
But every person connected to this story seemed to have a reason to hide something.
My phone vibrated.
A photograph appeared.
My father was sitting on a metal chair in a concrete room.
His hands were tied behind his back.
A cut marked his forehead.
Beneath the picture was a message.
*11:30 P.M. THE OLD FACILITY. BRING THE CERTIFICATE. NO POLICE.*
Then another message appeared.
*IF YOU BRING ANYONE, YOUR FATHER DIES.*
I showed Rochelle.
She immediately shook her head.
“We are not going to follow instructions from someone threatening your father's life.””
“Then what do we do?””
“We involve law enforcement and let them determine the safest response.””
Marcus leaned forward.
“There's a problem.””
“What?””
“The facility has two entrances. The main entrance is monitored, but there's an old service tunnel beneath the western loading bay.””
Richard looked up sharply.
“You remember that?””
Marcus nodded.
“I helped inspect it years ago.””
Rochelle frowned.
“Can the police access it?””
“Yes. But we need the original property plans.””
Richard opened his briefcase and removed a rolled blueprint.
“Here.””
He spread it across the table.
The underground facility was much larger than I had imagined.
There were several storage rooms, an electrical chamber, a loading dock, and a sealed records vault.
Marcus pointed to a narrow corridor.
“This is the service tunnel.””
Rochelle studied the plan.
“Can we reach the holding room from here?””
“Possibly.””
I looked at her.
“Then let's go.””
She caught my arm.
“Ethan, listen. You are not going in alone.””
“Vanessa specifically said—”
“Vanessa is trying to control the situation. We don't have to help her do that.””
I took a breath.
My father had spent thirty years protecting me from a secret I hadn't even known existed.
Now I had to protect him.
“Contact the authorities,” I said.
“Tell them everything. But I want a plan that gets my father out safely.””
Rochelle nodded.
She made another call.
While she spoke, Marcus approached me.
“There's something else you should know.””
“What?””
He hesitated.
“Vanessa contacted me before your wedding.””
I stared at him.
“You said she sent you a letter.””
“She did. But there were other conversations.””
“What did she want?””
“She wanted the original certificate destroyed.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I wasn't certain whether she was trying to protect herself or someone else.””
“And now?””
Marcus looked at Richard.
“I think she was trying to protect your father.””
I turned.
“From Darius?””
Marcus shook his head.
“From Richard.””
Richard stood abruptly.
“That's absurd.””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“I have the recording.””
He pressed play.
Vanessa's voice filled the room.
“Richard, I told you the original papers were never supposed to leave the facility.””
Richard's voice followed.
“Your father made the mistake of trusting Thomas Carter.””
Vanessa replied, “And Ethan?””
“He'll sign what we need. He's emotional, inexperienced, and completely in love with you.””
Then a third voice spoke.
Darius.
“And if he doesn't?””
Richard answered without hesitation.
“Then we use his father.””
The recording ended.
I stared at Richard.
He looked furious.
“That's edited.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I have the original file.””
“You stole confidential recordings!””
“I preserved evidence.””
Rochelle stepped between them.
“Enough. This recording will be turned over to investigators.””
Richard pointed at Marcus.
“He has been obsessed with destroying me for years.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You destroyed yourself.””
My phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
“Where is my father?””
“Ethan, you need to listen.””
“I've heard enough.””
“No, you haven't. Richard is lying to you.””
“Your boyfriend is holding my father at gunpoint.””
“Darius isn't my boyfriend.””
I almost laughed.
“That's what you want to discuss?””
She began crying.
“Please. I know how this looks.””
“How it looks? Vanessa, I have a photograph of my father tied to a chair.””
“I didn't authorize that.””
“But you knew it was happening.””
Silence.
Then she whispered, “Yes.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“Because Richard wants the certificate.””
“And what do you want?””
She took a shaky breath.
“I want to get your father out alive.””
“Then tell me where he is.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because Darius is listening.””
I looked at Marcus.
He gestured for me to keep her talking.
“Vanessa, why did you choose me?””
She didn't answer.
“Was it because of my company?””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised me.
She continued.
“But that wasn't the only reason.””
“Then what?””
“Your grandfather left something in the original records. Something that could destroy Richard and everyone connected to him.””
“What?””
“A list of people who were paid to make the fraudulent transfers possible.””
I looked at Rochelle.
Her eyes widened.
“Names?”” I asked.
“Yes.””
“Is mine on it?””
“No.””
“Then why would Richard want me to marry you?””
Vanessa's voice dropped.
“Because your marriage would have given him access to the Carter family trust.””
I felt cold.
“And the transfer papers?””
“They were supposed to give Vantage Holdings control of the properties before anyone could challenge the ownership.””
“Why did you agree?””
She began sobbing.
“Because I was in too deep.””
I closed my eyes.
For a moment, I remembered the first time she had held my hand.
The first time she told me she loved me.
The first time she said she wanted a family with me.
I had believed every word.
“Did you ever love me?”” I asked.
The line went silent.
Then she whispered:
“I don't know anymore.””
I ended the call.
Marcus looked at me.
“Are you all right?””
“No.””
I put my phone in my pocket.
“But I'm finished letting her decide what happens next.””
At 10:06 p.m., Rochelle received a call from the police.
They had located the vehicle used to transport my father.
It was parked near the old industrial facility.
A surveillance team had also identified two men entering through the loading bay.
But there was a complication.
The building's electrical system had been activated.
And someone had disabled several security cameras.
Rochelle looked at the blueprint.
“Can they get inside?””
“They're working on it,” Marcus replied.
I studied the layout.
Then I noticed something.
A small rectangular room marked beneath the main vault.
“What is that?””
Richard looked down.
His expression changed.
“That's the original archive chamber.””
“What does it contain?””
“Old company records.””
“Anything else?””
He didn't answer.
I pointed to the room.
“Richard.””
He swallowed.
“Your grandfather kept a separate ledger there.””
“What ledger?””
“The original payment ledger.””
Rochelle leaned closer.
“Payment records?””
Richard nodded.
“Every transfer, every bribe, every payment made during the original property acquisition.””
I looked at him.
“Then why didn't you tell us?””
“Because the ledger contains my signature.””
The room went silent.
“And,” he continued, “it contains the name of the person who ordered Thomas Carter's death.””
My chest tightened.
“Who?””
Richard stared at the blueprint.
Then he whispered:
“Robert Cole.””
Vanessa's father.
The man who had supposedly died five years earlier.
Before anyone could speak, Marcus's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?””
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Ethan, your father has escaped.””
I felt my knees weaken.
“Where is he?””
Marcus listened again.
Then his face went pale.
“He's inside the archive chamber.””
Rochelle frowned.
“Is he alone?””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“Who is with him?””
He looked at Richard.
May you like
Then he said:
“Vanessa.””
