جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

The knock came again.Bang. Bang. Bang.My mother tightened her grip around my hand.“Emma, stay behind me.”Alexander stepped toward the door.“No one opens it.”Richard’s voice came from outside.“Alexander, don't make this difficult.”Alexander's expression hardened.“How did you find us?”A brief silence followed.Then Richard answered.“You're forgetting who I am. I built this family.”My mother looked at Alexander.“There's a back exit.”Daniel nodded.“Through the kitchen.”Alexander shook his head.“We can't keep running.”My mother looked at him.“If you stay, Richard will take Emma.”Alexander glanced at me.Then he looked toward the door.“You're right.”He turned to me.“Emma, you're coming with me.”I nodded.We moved quickly through the kitchen.Daniel opened a hidden door behind a cabinet.A narrow passage led outside.My mother followed.But before we could reach the end, a loud crash came from the front of the house.“They're inside,” Daniel whispered.We ran.The pas

The car continued down the empty road.I couldn't move.Daniel's words echoed in my mind.“I think it's time you learned who your father really is.”My mother was awake now, staring at Daniel with the same fear I felt.“Daniel,” she whispered, “you promised.”“I know.”“Then why are you telling her now?”“Because everything has changed.”I tightened my grip on my phone.“Where is Alexander?”Daniel didn't answer.“Where is my husband?”He finally looked at me through the rearview mirror.“Alive.”“Then take me to him.”“I can't.”“Why?”“Because the people holding him are watching every move we make.”I shook my head.“You're lying.”“I'm not.”“Then tell me the truth!”Daniel pulled the car to the side of the road.He turned off the engine.For several seconds, no one spoke.Then he turned around.“Your father's name isn't William Carter.”I stared at him.“Then who is he?”Daniel took a deep breath.“Jonathan Blackwood.”My heart stopped.I looked at my mother.She closed her eyes.

The police cars disappeared one by one as dawn slowly broke over the old Blackwood facility.Victor had finally been arrested.For the first time in years, it felt like the nightmare was ending.But the look on my mother’s face told me otherwise.She stood beside my father, staring at the ground.Alexander remained next to me, holding my hand.“What secret was Victor talking about?” I asked.No one answered.I looked at my mother.“Mom?”She closed her eyes.“Emma, there are things I wanted to tell you.”“Then tell me now.”My father stepped closer.“Maybe we should wait.”“No.”My voice trembled.“I've spent my whole life waiting for answers. I don't want another secret.”My mother looked at me with tears in her eyes.“You're right.”She took a deep breath.“Your aunt wasn't simply a victim.”I frowned.“What do you mean?”“My sister, Clara, was the person who first discovered what Victor was doing.”I listened carefully.“She worked at Blackwood International. She found evidence of

I couldn't move.Clara's words kept echoing in my mind.“Your grandfather arranged the marriage.”I looked at Alexander.He was staring at the floor, his expression unreadable.Our marriage.The contract.The first time we met.The circumstances that brought us together.Was everything planned?“Alexander,” I whispered.He looked at me.“I didn't know.”I searched his eyes.“Are you telling me the truth?”“Yes.”“You never knew about my grandfather?”“No.”“Then why did you agree to marry me?”He took a breath.“Because I thought it was simply a business arrangement.”I looked away.My heart hurt.The marriage that I had once considered nothing more than a contract had become the most important relationship in my life.Now I wasn't sure what was real.Clara watched us quietly.“Emma, your grandfather wanted something from Alexander's family.”“What?”“The Blackwood company.”Alexander frowned.“What does my family have to do with her grandfather?”“Everything.”Clara continued.“Twent

The warehouse fell silent.Daniel stood near the entrance, holding the gun.I stared at him, unable to understand what I was seeing.This was the same man who had helped us escape the farmhouse.The same man who had found my father.The same man who had helped rescue Alexander.And now he was pointing a gun at us.“Daniel…” I whispered.His expression remained cold.“Put the phone down, Emma.”Alexander stepped in front of me.“You're not touching her.”Daniel's eyes narrowed.“Move.”“No.”“Alexander, don't make this harder.”“You've already made it hard.”I looked at the computer screen.The final page of the ledger still displayed Daniel's name.Mastermind: Daniel Hayes.My hands trembled.“Why?”Daniel looked at me.“Because your family took everything from mine.”“What are you talking about?”“My father worked for Blackwood International.”Alexander frowned.“Who was your father?”Daniel's jaw tightened.“Jonathan's closest adviser.”I stared at him.“And what happened to him?”“