Chapter 8 - The Name Behind Every Lie
The name appeared on the screen.
Simone couldn't breathe.
For a moment, she thought she had read it wrong.
That her eyes were playing tricks on her.
That after everything she had discovered, her mind was simply searching for another impossible answer.
But the name remained.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
A name she had heard thousands of times.
A name she had trusted without question.
A name that belonged to someone who had held her hand when she was afraid.
Someone who had comforted her when she cried.
Someone who had told her everything would be okay.
Her mother's face had gone completely pale.
Victor Hale looked down.
And that was when Simone knew.
They all knew.
"You knew."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Nobody answered.
She looked at her mother.
"You knew."
Her mother closed her eyes.
Tears fell silently.
"Simone..."
"No."
She stepped back.
"Don't."
The ballroom was still.
Hundreds of people watched.
But Simone didn't care anymore.
Not about appearances.
Not about family reputation.
Not about protecting anyone.
Because her entire life had been built on protecting people who never protected her.
She looked back at the screen.
The video continued.
The man's voice filled the ballroom.
"Now you understand why your mother ran."
Simone stared.
"Why?"
The voice answered.
"Because she discovered the truth about you."
A cold feeling moved through her.
"About me?"
Her mother immediately grabbed her arm.
"Don't listen."
Simone turned.
"Why?"
Her mother couldn't answer.
"Why shouldn't I listen?"
A painful silence.
Then Victor spoke.
"Because the person behind that video has been waiting for this moment."
Simone looked at him.
"Who is he?"
Victor didn't answer.
And that made her angry.
"Everyone keeps saying they are protecting me."
Her voice became louder.
"But nobody tells me anything."
She looked around.
"Not my mother."
"Not my father."
"Not you."
Her eyes stopped on Victor.
"You all decided what I was allowed to know."
Victor accepted the accusation.
Because she was right.
Then the screen changed.
A new image appeared.
A photograph.
Simone froze.
It was her.
But younger.
Much younger.
She was standing outside a school.
Beside her was the person whose name had appeared on the screen.
The person who had been watching her.
The person who had been hiding in plain sight.
Simone's hand covered her mouth.
"No..."
Her mother started crying.
"I wanted to tell you."
Simone turned.
"You had years."
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
Her mother looked at her.
"Of losing you."
The answer hurt.
Because Simone realized something.
Her mother had been afraid.
But Simone had been the one who suffered.
She had grown up believing she was abandoned.
Believing she wasn't worth staying for.
Believing everyone left.
The screen continued.
The man's voice became colder.
"Simone, you have spent your entire life believing people left you."
A pause.
"But the truth is..."
The ballroom lights flickered.
Everyone looked up.
"The people who loved you were trying to keep you alive."
Simone looked at Victor.
At her mother.
At the photograph.
"What does that mean?"
Victor stepped closer.
"It means someone has been trying to erase your family for years."
"Who?"
Victor looked at the screen.
The video suddenly stopped.
A new message appeared.
Not from the unknown person.
From Victor's phone.
He looked at it.
His expression changed.
"What?"
Simone noticed.
"What happened?"
Victor showed the screen.
Only one sentence.
"She knows now. Finish what you started."
Victor's hand tightened around the phone.
Her mother immediately looked terrified.
"No."
Simone looked between them.
"What?"
Her mother grabbed her hand.
"We have to leave."
For the first time, Simone didn't resist.
Because everyone looked afraid.
Not of the crowd.
Not of the cameras.
Of something coming.
Victor moved toward the ballroom doors.
But before he reached them...
They opened.
Slowly.
Everyone turned.
A man stood outside.
Older.
Calm.
Confident.
The same person from the photograph.
The person who had been watching Simone.
The person whose name had destroyed the room.
Simone stared.
Because she recognized him.
Not from the photograph.
From her memories.
He had been there at family dinners.
At holidays.
At birthdays.
He had smiled at her.
He had called her "little one."
Her entire body went cold.
"No."
Her mother whispered:
"Simone, stay behind me."
But Simone couldn't move.
Because the person standing at the door was the last person she expected.
The person she had trusted more than anyone.
The person who had raised her after her father disappeared.
Her grandfather.
Edward Bellamy.
Alive.
The room erupted in whispers.
Victor stepped back.
"That can't be possible."
Edward smiled.
"It seems everyone has been wrong about what is possible."
Simone stared at him.
"Grandfather?"
Edward looked at her.
His expression softened.
Almost lovingly.
And somehow that made it worse.
"You finally found the truth."
Simone felt tears forming.
"You knew."
Edward didn't deny it.
"Yes."
"About my mother?"
"Yes."
"About my father?"
"Yes."
Her voice shook.
"About everything?"
Edward looked around the ballroom.
Then back at her.
"Everything."
Simone felt her heart break.
The one person she thought was safe...
Was the person who knew every lie.
Edward walked closer.
"I never wanted you to find out this way."
Simone laughed quietly.
"You never wanted me to find out at all."
A pause.
Edward looked hurt.
But not enough.
Not enough to make him innocent.
Victor stepped forward.
"You're the reason Adrian disappeared."
Edward looked at him.
"You always were too emotional, Victor."
The words made Victor freeze.
Because they confirmed something.
Edward knew.
He knew about everything.
Simone looked at her grandfather.
"Why?"
Edward stared at her.
"Because your father discovered something he shouldn't have."
"What?"
Edward didn't answer.
Her mother stepped forward.
"Tell her."
Edward looked at her.
"You still think she deserves the truth?"
Her mother cried.
"She deserves her own life."
The sentence changed something.
Edward looked at Simone.
For a moment, he looked almost sad.
Then his expression became cold again.
"Your mother always believed you were innocent."
Simone frowned.
"Am I not?"
Edward didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small envelope.
An old envelope.
With Simone's name written on it.
Her heart stopped.
Because she recognized the handwriting.
Her father's.
Edward held it toward her.
"Your father wrote this before he disappeared."
Simone stepped forward.
"What does it say?"
Edward smiled slightly.
"It explains why everyone was protecting you."
He looked directly at her.
"And why your mother was actually running from you."
Simone reached for the envelope.
But before her fingers touched it...
The ballroom doors behind Edward suddenly locked.
A sound echoed through the room.
Click.
Then another.
Click.
Edward looked toward the entrance.
And for the first time...
He looked afraid.
Because someone else had entered the building.
Someone who was not supposed to be there.
Someone who had been searching for Simone for twelve years.
May you like
And the voice from the darkness whispered:
"Give me my daughter back."
