Chapter 44 - David's Lie
The alarm became unbearable.
Elias's voice echoed through every speaker.
“David! Get them out!”
David didn't move.
I looked at him.
“You know what's behind it.”
“Yes.”
“You've known all along.”
“Yes.”
“Then open it.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
My anger exploded.
“You lied to me for twelve years. You kept my mother from me. You knew my father was alive—or knew where he disappeared—and now you're telling me no?”
“I am telling you that opening that door may destroy every protection your mother built.”
“She built protection?”
“She did.”
My mother stepped forward.
“She didn't know everything.”
David looked at her.
“No. She didn't.”
My mother stared.
“What aren't you telling me?”
David finally answered.
“The sixth beneficiary isn't missing.”
Evan frowned.
“We're six.”
“Five are accounted for.”
Lucas looked at Daniel.
“Then who is the sixth?”
David's eyes settled on me.
I felt cold.
“No.”
He nodded.
“The sixth beneficiary is Natalie.”
I stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does.”
“How?”
“Because the list was changed.”
My mother looked stunned.
“Jonathan altered it.”
David nodded.
“The original list contained another name.”
“Whose?”
“Samuel.”
I frowned.
“You said Samuel was my father.”
“He was.”
“Then why remove him?”
David swallowed.
“Because he refused.”
“Refused what?”
“To become Elias's successor.”
My mother closed her eyes.
“Samuel knew.”
“He knew Elias planned to take permanent control.”
“Yes.”
“And he tried to expose him.”
David nodded.
“That's why he disappeared.”
I looked toward the dark door.
“Is he behind it?”
David didn't answer.
I walked toward the panel.
“Let me open it.”
“No.”
“Move.”
“Natalie—”
“Move.”
He stepped in front of me.
“I took you because Samuel asked me to.”
Everything stopped.
My mother's face went white.
“What?”
David turned toward her.
“Samuel gave Natalie to me the night before Jonathan came for him.”
My mother's voice shook.
“You told me you were taking her to safety.”
“I was.”
“You told me Samuel was dead.”
“He wanted you to believe that.”
“Why?”
David's eyes filled with tears.
“Because you were being watched.”
My mother stumbled back.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me grieve him.”
“He told me to.”
She slapped him.
The sound cracked through the corridor.
David didn't react.
“Why would he do that?”
“Because if Elias believed Samuel was dead, he stopped looking.”
My mother shook her head.
“You destroyed us.”
“I know.”
“You let our daughter hate both of us.”
“I know.”
“Was it worth it?”
David finally looked at me.
“No.”
His voice broke.
“It was never worth it.”
I felt my anger change.
Not disappear.
Change.
Because the worst part wasn't discovering that David had lied.
It was realizing he had convinced himself that lying was love.
And that meant he could do it again.
I turned toward the door.
“We're opening it.”
David whispered, “Then you need to know what is behind it.”
“Tell me.”
“A record.”
“Of what?”
“The original transfer.”
“Transfer to whom?”
He looked at Evan.
“To the person the founder chose.”
Evan frowned.
“Who?”
David said one word.
“Samuel.”
I stared.
“Then why is the trust still looking for him?”
“Because the founder never revoked his authority.”
My mother stepped closer.
“Then if he's still alive…”
David nodded.
“The trust has been waiting.”
“For twelve years?”
“For thirty.”
The alarm suddenly stopped.
Every light turned white.
The panel changed.
Six names appeared again.
Natalie.
Evan.
Samuel.
Anna.
Lucas.
Daniel.
Then under Samuel's name:
STATUS: ACTIVE.
Evan whispered, “He's alive.”
A new message appeared.
“PRIMARY BENEFICIARY RESPONSE REQUIRED.”
I touched the screen.
“Where is Samuel?”
The system responded.
“LOCATION SEALED.”
I tried again.
“Why?”
“PROTECTION ORDER.”
“Who issued it?”
There was a pause.
Then:
“NATALIE BROOKS.”
I stepped back.
“I never issued anything.”
David's face drained of color.
“Not you.”
“Then who?”
He looked at the screen.
“Your future record.”
Nobody understood.
David did.
“The trust can create protected identity records.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means the system doesn't only store the past.”
He looked at me.
“It can protect the future.”
A low vibration traveled through the floor.
Then another door opened.
Inside was a narrow office.
An old desk.
A chair.
A telephone.
And a wall covered with photographs.
Six children.
Different ages.
Different years.
Different places.
My photograph was there.
So was Evan's.
Lucas.
Daniel.
Anna.
Samuel.
And beneath each picture were notes.
Dates.
Movements.
Threat assessments.
I stepped closer to mine.
One sentence had been written underneath.
DO NOT LET NATALIE KNOW SHE IS WATCHING HERSELF.
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Diane stepped beside me.
“It means someone has been monitoring you.”
“For what?”
Before anyone answered, a phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
David stared at it.
“You know that phone?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“The founder's line.”
“Answer it.”
“No.”
I picked it up.
David grabbed my wrist.
“Don't.”
I pulled free.
The phone rang again.
I answered.
“Hello?”
Static.
Then a man's voice.
Old.
Weak.
But unmistakably familiar.
“Natalie?”
I froze.
“Who is this?”
A long breath.
Then:
May you like
“Your father.”
The line went dead.
