Chapter 4 - The Man Who Was Erased
The photograph sat between us.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody spoke.
But I already knew the truth before Dominic said a single word.
Because I recognized him.
The man in the picture.
The man everyone told me was gone.
My father.
Daniel Vale.
Alive.
Standing beside Dominic Mercer.
Eight years earlier.
My hands started shaking.
"No."
The word came out quietly.
Then louder.
"No."
Amelia looked away.
Dominic didn't.
He watched my reaction carefully, like he had expected this exact moment.
"You were never supposed to see this."
I looked at him.
"You knew."
His expression didn't change.
"I knew your father survived."
The room felt like it was closing around me.
"You knew my father was alive?"
Dominic remained silent.
That silence hurt more than an answer.
Because it meant yes.
It meant everyone had been carrying a secret while I spent eight years believing I had lost everyone.
I pushed the photograph away.
"How long?"
Dominic looked at the picture.
"Eight years."
My chest tightened.
Eight years.
The same amount of time I had spent running.
The same amount of time I had spent believing I was alone.
"Where is he?"
No one answered.
I looked at Amelia.
Then Dominic.
"Where is my father?"
Amelia's eyes filled with guilt.
Dominic stepped closer.
"Elizabeth..."
"Don't."
My voice surprised even me.
"Don't say my name like you understand what this feels like."
The room went quiet.
"You knew."
I looked at Dominic.
"You knew who I was from the beginning."
His jaw tightened slightly.
That was the first sign that I had hit the truth.
"You recognized me when you saw me in the ballroom."
He didn't deny it.
"Yes."
The answer was simple.
Cold.
Honest.
And somehow worse.
"Then why did you let me work in your house?"
Dominic looked at me.
"Because I didn't know if you were a threat."
The words hurt.
But they also made sense.
A man like Dominic Mercer didn't survive by trusting strangers.
"And now?"
His eyes moved toward Caleb's photo on the hospital table.
"Now I know you saved my son."
I looked away.
That wasn't enough.
Not after everything.
"Tell me about my father."
Dominic remained silent for several seconds.
Then he picked up the photograph.
"Your father was not the man you thought he was."
My stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?"
"It means Daniel Vale was involved in something dangerous."
Amelia stood suddenly.
"Dominic."
He looked at her.
"You don't get to protect her from this anymore."
The words froze the room.
Amelia looked hurt.
But she didn't argue.
I noticed.
Because there was something between them.
Something older than this moment.
"You two knew each other," I said.
Neither answered.
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course you did."
I looked at Amelia.
"You lied about dying."
Then Dominic.
"You lied about knowing my family."
I shook my head.
"Everyone keeps deciding what I deserve to know."
Nobody spoke.
For the first time, Dominic looked less like a billionaire.
More like a man carrying regret.
"Your father found evidence."
"Evidence of what?"
"Someone inside the Mercer organization was moving money, weapons, and information without my permission."
I stared at him.
"Someone inside your own company?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Dominic's expression darkened.
"I never found out."
The answer surprised me.
"You didn't?"
"No."
He looked toward the window.
"Because before I could, your father disappeared."
Amelia whispered:
"He wasn't running."
I turned toward her.
"What?"
She swallowed.
"Everyone thought Daniel left because he was afraid."
Her voice became quieter.
"But he stayed because he was trying to protect us."
I stared at her.
"Then why didn't he come back?"
Amelia didn't answer.
That was the answer.
Something happened.
Something terrible.
Dominic walked toward the door.
"There is something else you need to know."
I watched him.
"What?"
He stopped.
"The person who ordered the attack at the ballroom wasn't trying to kill you because of your past."
My heartbeat increased.
"Then why?"
Dominic turned around.
"Because they believe your father left something with you."
I froze.
"I don't have anything."
"Yes, you do."
His eyes moved to my necklace.
The one I had worn every day since I was seventeen.
The only thing I had left from my old life.
I touched it instinctively.
"This?"
Dominic nodded.
"Your father gave it to you before he disappeared."
I looked down.
"It was just a necklace."
"No."
Dominic's voice became serious.
"It was never just a necklace."
For years, I had worn it because it was the last piece of my father I had.
I never questioned it.
Never opened it.
Never imagined it could mean something else.
I removed it from my neck.
The silver chain shook in my fingers.
Amelia looked terrified.
"You can't."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because if they know you have it..."
She stopped.
The fear in her face answered for her.
"They'll come back."
A sudden knock interrupted the room.
Everyone froze.
Dominic immediately turned toward the door.
Not surprised.
Prepared.
That scared me.
The handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Dominic stepped in front of Caleb's photograph.
Amelia moved closer to me.
The door opened slightly.
A hospital employee stood outside.
"Mr. Mercer?"
Dominic stared.
"What happened?"
The employee looked nervous.
"There was a package delivered for Miss Carter."
My blood went cold.
"I didn't order anything."
The employee held a small black box.
"No sender information."
Dominic didn't move.
"Give it to me."
The employee walked forward.
Dominic took the box.
Then he looked at me.
"Stay back."
Something about his voice made me listen.
He opened the box slowly.
Inside was a small object wrapped in black cloth.
Dominic removed it.
And his face changed.
Not anger.
Not surprise.
Fear.
Real fear.
I had never seen Dominic Mercer afraid before.
"What is it?"
He didn't answer.
He looked at Amelia.
Then at me.
Then placed the object on the table.
It was a broken watch.
My father's watch.
The same watch he wore the night he disappeared.
My knees almost gave out.
But underneath the watch was something else.
A folded piece of paper.
Dominic opened it.
Read it.
Then his expression turned completely serious.
"What does it say?" I asked.
He looked at me.
Slowly.
Like he didn't want to say the words.
Then he handed me the paper.
Only one sentence was written.
One sentence that made me forget how to breathe.
"Elizabeth Vale was never the target."
I looked up.
Dominic was already reaching for his phone.
Because outside the hospital room, someone had just entered the floor.
May you like
Someone who knew my real name.
And they were coming for me.
