Chapter 7 - The Truth Buried Twelve Years Ago
The name stayed on the screen.
ELIAN.
Nobody spoke.
Eli stared at the letters.
They felt unfamiliar.
But somehow...
They didn't.
It was strange.
Like hearing a song for the first time and realizing you already knew the melody.
"No."
His voice was quiet.
Almost afraid.
"My name is Eli."
Silas looked at him.
"I know."
"Then why did that say Elian?"
Silas didn't answer immediately.
Because the truth was not something he could say quickly.
Not after twelve years of silence.
Adrian Vale watched them carefully.
"This is what happens when people build a life on a lie."
Miles turned toward him.
"You knew this would happen."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Adrian looked at Eli.
"Because he deserved to know."
Miles stepped closer.
"You don't get to pretend you're helping."
Adrian smiled slightly.
"I'm not pretending."
His expression changed.
"I'm the only person in this room who never forgot who he was."
Eli looked at Silas.
"Is that true?"
Silas looked down.
And that was worse than any answer.
Because Eli had spent his whole life searching for honesty.
And every person who claimed to protect him had been hiding something.
"Tell me."
Silas looked at him.
"Eli..."
"No."
The boy's voice became stronger.
"Tell me."
The room went quiet.
Silas took a breath.
"Your name is Elian Ror."
The words hit harder than Eli expected.
Ror.
The name everyone whispered.
The name connected to money, power, and danger.
A name that belonged to someone else.
Not him.
"I am not..."
Silas interrupted gently.
"You are."
Eli shook his head.
"I slept behind buildings."
Silas looked at him.
"I know."
"I didn't have anyone."
"I know."
"I had nothing."
Silas's eyes became heavy.
"Because someone made sure you had nothing."
Eli stopped.
Miles watched Silas carefully.
"Explain."
Silas walked toward the table.
The photograph was still there.
He picked it up.
"Your father was my closest friend."
Eli listened.
"His name was Daniel Ror."
The name meant nothing.
But Silas continued.
"Daniel discovered someone inside our organization was selling information."
Miles frowned.
"Information about what?"
Silas looked at Adrian.
"About us."
The room became tense.
Adrian didn't react.
Silas continued.
"Daniel found documents proving someone close to him had been working against him for years."
"Who?"
Silas looked away.
"We never got the chance to find out."
Eli stared.
"What happened?"
Silas's voice became lower.
"The night your parents disappeared..."
He stopped.
For a moment, he looked like he was back there.
Reliving it.
"Your house was attacked."
Eli felt his chest tighten.
A memory flashed.
A broken window.
A woman's hand holding his.
A voice telling him to stay quiet.
Silas noticed.
"You remember."
Eli touched his head.
"Pieces."
"That's because Clara protected your memories."
Miles looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Silas answered:
"She knew someone would try to manipulate him."
Eli looked at him.
"How?"
Silas hesitated.
"Because they already tried once."
Nobody moved.
"What did they do?"
Silas looked at the boy.
"They convinced you that nobody was coming."
Eli froze.
The words connected with something deep inside him.
A feeling.
A memory.
A locked room.
A child waiting.
Waiting for someone who never arrived.
"They told me..."
His voice became small.
"They told me my parents left me."
Silas closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Eli looked away.
For years, he had carried that pain.
Believing he was unwanted.
Believing everyone had chosen to leave.
But now...
Someone had made that happen.
Someone had stolen his life.
Miles looked at Silas.
"Who had access to him?"
Silas didn't answer.
Miles understood.
"Everyone close to you."
Silas nodded.
Harper stepped forward.
"Eli..."
He looked at her.
She stopped.
Because she knew she had no right to ask for forgiveness.
"I tried to find you."
Eli's expression didn't change.
"Did you?"
Harper looked down.
"Yes."
"When?"
"After the attack."
"And?"
Her silence was enough.
Eli laughed quietly.
Not because it was funny.
Because it hurt.
"So you looked."
Harper whispered:
"Yes."
"But you didn't find me."
"No."
"Why?"
Harper looked at Silas.
That caught Eli's attention.
She wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at Silas.
"Because someone gave us false information."
Miles immediately noticed.
"Someone told you he was dead."
Harper nodded.
"Yes."
Eli stepped back.
"So everyone thought I was dead."
Silas nodded.
"And someone wanted it that way."
Adrian finally spoke.
"Because a dead heir cannot take back what belongs to him."
The room went silent.
Miles looked at him.
"What are you talking about?"
Adrian walked toward the table.
"The Ror family trust."
Silas's face changed.
Adrian continued.
"Everything Daniel built."
He looked at Eli.
"Everything that should have belonged to him."
Eli stared.
"I don't want money."
Adrian smiled sadly.
"That's exactly why you were dangerous."
Miles looked at him.
"Explain."
"Because Elian wasn't raised to be powerful."
Adrian looked at Eli.
"He was raised to be honest."
Silas looked away.
And Eli noticed.
That hurt him.
Because Silas looked guilty.
"Silas."
The older man didn't answer.
"Tell me."
Finally, Silas spoke.
"Your father left something behind."
"What?"
"A message."
Eli waited.
Silas continued.
"He knew someone would try to erase you."
A pause.
"So he created a backup plan."
Miles frowned.
"Where is it?"
Silas looked toward Adrian.
And for the first time...
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
"It was never found."
Silence.
Then Eli noticed something.
Adrian wasn't surprised.
He was worried.
"You know where it is."
Everyone looked at Adrian.
He didn't respond.
Miles stepped closer.
"You know."
Adrian remained silent.
Then the building shook.
Not an explosion.
Something else.
A power surge.
The screens flickered.
The security system went offline.
Again.
But this time, one camera stayed active.
The image appeared.
A small room.
Old.
Dusty.
Abandoned.
Eli immediately recognized it.
His breathing stopped.
"No."
Miles looked at him.
"What is it?"
Eli couldn't move.
"I've been there."
Everyone turned.
"What?"
Eli stared at the screen.
"I remember."
The camera showed a wooden door.
A child's drawing taped to the wall.
A small red toy car.
The same one from his memories.
Silas stepped closer.
His face changed.
"That room..."
He whispered.
"That's impossible."
Miles looked at him.
"Why?"
Silas stared at the screen.
"Because that room was destroyed twelve years ago."
The camera moved.
Slowly.
Like someone was holding it.
Then a figure appeared.
Standing inside the room.
Watching the camera.
Watching them.
The person raised a piece of paper.
The message was visible.
Four words.
"COME FIND YOUR FATHER."
Eli stopped breathing.
Because beneath those words was a signature.
A name he had never heard.
But Silas recognized immediately.
Silas stepped backward.
"No..."
Miles looked at him.
"Who is it?"
Silas stared at the screen.
His voice almost disappeared.
"Daniel."
The camera went black.
Then Eli's phone, a device he had never owned before tonight, suddenly received a message from an unknown number.
May you like
One sentence.
"I am not dead. I have been waiting for you."
