Chapter 11 The Man in the Photograph

​Alex's fingers tightened around the old photograph as his breathing became shallow. The man circled in red was Richard Hale. Richard wasn't just one of Kendall Swan's former business partners—he was also Camille Mia's uncle.

​"What..." Alex whispered, staring at the image. "This can't be right."

​The security chief stepped closer, his brow furrowed. "You know him?"

​Alex nodded slowly. "I've met him several times. He even attended my wedding."

​"Then this changes everything," the security chief replied.

​Alex turned the photograph over and stared at the words scribbled across the back: 

He betrayed everyone that night. His thoughts became a tangled mess. If Richard betrayed my father... Why was he still welcomed into our family? Nothing made sense anymore.

​A Voice from the Past

​Back at Swan Mansion, Kendall Swan stood alone in his study. Rain tapped softly against the windows as a glass of untouched whiskey rested in his hand. Suddenly, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen to see an unknown number. 

Normally, he would have ignored the call, but tonight, something compelled him to answer.

​"Who is this?" Kendall demanded.

​A deep male voice replied, "It's been a long time, Kendall."

​Kendall froze, his grip on the glass tightening. "...Who are you?"

​The man chuckled softly. "You've forgotten my voice already? But I've never forgotten yours." Silence filled the room before the voice spoke again. "I heard your son has started digging into the past."

​Kendall's expression darkened. "What do you want?"

​"Tell Alex to stop. Or history will repeat itself."

​The line went dead. Kendall slowly lowered the phone, his lips trembling. Only one person had ever spoken to him like that—a man he believed had died twenty-six years ago.

​"It can't be..." Kendall whispered to the empty room.

​Hidden Details

​Meanwhile, Javier and Nina replayed the warehouse security footage again and again. With each loop, they searched for anything they might have missed. Suddenly, Nina paused the video.

​"Wait," she said, leaning in.

​Javier moved closer. "What is it?"

​Nina pointed toward the corner of the screen. "There."

​A man stood partially hidden in the shadows, only half of his face visible.

​"I can't see him clearly," Javier frowned.

​Nina zoomed in on the footage. Though the image became blurry, one sharp detail stood out: the man was wearing an expensive silver watch, and engraved on its face was the Swan Group logo.

​Javier's heart skipped a beat. "He's connected to Swan Group."

​Nina nodded grimly. "Someone inside the company."

​Javier suddenly remembered the warning from the anonymous caller: If you stay married to Alex Swan... you and your baby won't survive. A cold chill ran through her body.

​"This isn't just about Camille," she murmured. "They're after the Swan family."

​The Confrontation

​The following morning, Camille arrived at Swan Group earlier than anyone else. She had barely reached her office when Alex's assistant stopped her.

​"Miss Mia, Mr. Swan wants to see you."

​Camille nodded. "I'll be right there."

​Moments later, she knocked gently on Alex's office door and stepped inside. Alex was standing by the window, an old photograph lying flat on his desk. The moment Camille saw it, the smile on her face disappeared.

​"Where did you get that?" she asked.

​Alex turned to face her. "You recognize it."

​Camille walked closer and picked up the photograph, staring at the familiar face. "My uncle... he was one of Mr. Swan's business partners."

​Alex studied her expression carefully. "Did you know he was involved in the Swan Project?"

​Camille's eyes widened. "No. I've never even heard those words before. My uncle rarely talked about business. When I was younger, he always avoided questions about Swan Group." 

Her eyes fell on the red circle drawn around Richard's face. "What does this mean?"

​"I don't know," Alex answered honestly. "But someone wants me to believe your uncle betrayed my father."

​Camille shook her head immediately. "No. My uncle isn't a murderer."

​"You sound certain."

​"Because he raised me after my parents died," Camille insisted. "He may have many flaws... but he'd never kill anyone."

​Alex didn't argue. Instead, he asked quietly, "Where is he now?"

​Camille lowered her gaze. "I haven't seen him... in over six years."

​The Mastermind's Move

​Across the city, Richard Hale sat inside a luxurious penthouse overlooking the skyline. A bodyguard entered the room.

​"Sir."

​Without looking up from the chessboard in front of him, Richard calmly moved one of his pieces. "Report."

​"Alex Swan found the warehouse. He recovered one of the old files."

​A faint smile crossed Richard's lips. "I expected that. What about Javier?"

​"She's still staying with her friend."

​Richard nodded. "Good."

​The bodyguard hesitated. "Should we stop them?"

​Richard rose from his seat and walked to the window. "No. It's too early." He reached for a framed family photograph on his desk. 

In it, a much younger Camille stood beside him, smiling brightly. Richard sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Camille. I tried to keep you out of this."

​Then, his expression turned cold. "But if Kendall Swan refuses to tell the truth... I'll make sure his son uncovers it himself."

​Watched from the Shadows

​At St. Mary's Hospital, Javier returned for another prenatal checkup. After reviewing the ultrasound scan, the doctor smiled warmly. "The baby is developing well."

​Hearing those words, Javier finally relaxed, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "Thank you, Doctor."

​After the examination, she stepped out into the hallway. As she walked toward the exit, she noticed a crying five-year-old boy standing alone, his small shoulders trembling. Javier immediately knelt beside him.

​"Hey. Are you lost?"

​The little boy nodded without saying a word. Before Javier could comfort him any further, a woman came rushing down the corridor, pulling the boy into a tight, relieved hug.

​She looked up at Javier. "Thank you so much."

​"It's alright," Javier smiled warmly.

​As the woman turned to leave, her eyes fell on the medical file sticking out of Javier's handbag, where the words Prenatal Care were clearly visible. Her smile widened. "Congratulations."

​Javier blushed slightly. "Thank you."

​As the mother and son walked away, Javier smiled to herself and continued toward the hospital exit. She remained completely unaware of the figure standing quietly across the corridor.

​A phone rang. Click. A photograph was taken.

​Seconds later, the picture was sent anonymously to Alex. Beneath it was a single, chilling message:

​You finally found what you were looking for... but someone else found her first.

The moment Alex saw the message, the color drained from his face and his heart lurched. 

Without wasting another second, he grabbed his car keys and rushed out of his office. Someone knew exactly where Javier was—and Alex feared he was already too late.