Chapter 13 - The Last Name
The person in the photograph was Marcus's financial partner.
But the date was wrong.
The man had supposedly died months before the accident.
Julian's father recognized him.
“Robert Hale.”
Gabriel searched the database.
“Dead.”
Julian shook his head.
“Not dead.”
They found a bank account.
Then another.
Then a company registered under a false name.
The trail led to Switzerland.
Julian wanted to go.
His father objected.
“You don't need to chase every ghost.”
Julian smiled.
“I need to know why.”
Claire went with him.
They found Robert in a small lakeside town.
He didn't run.
He simply opened the door.
“I've been waiting.”
Julian stared.
“Why?”
Robert sighed.
“Because Marcus wasn't the mastermind.”
Claire felt the old fear return.
“Who was?”
Robert handed Julian a document.
It contained one name.
Julian's father.
Julian looked at him.
His father went pale.
“No.”
Robert shook his head.
“Not him.”
He pointed to the signature.
“It was forged.”
Julian studied it.
Then he saw something.
A tiny mark.
His father had never used that mark.
Marcus had.
Robert continued.
“Marcus forged your father's orders to make everyone believe he was responsible.”
Julian looked relieved.
Then Robert said:
“There was one person Marcus never controlled.”
“Who?”
Robert looked at Claire.
“Your mother.”
Claire froze.
“My mother?”
“She discovered the foundation's experiments before Andrew did.”
“And?”
“She hid the evidence.”
“Where?”
Robert smiled.
“In the place Marcus would never search.”
Julian understood.
“The lake.”
Robert nodded.
The original evidence had been sealed beneath the terrace.
But there was more.
Claire's mother had hidden a second archive.
Inside was proof of every crime.
Marcus's financial network.
The doctors he paid.
The officials he bribed.
The witnesses he threatened.
Everything.
Julian's father finally admitted the truth.
“I should have told you.”
Julian looked at him.
“I hated you for twenty-six months.”
“I know.”
“I thought you abandoned me.”
“I never did.”
Julian embraced him.
It was brief.
Awkward.
But real.
Claire watched quietly.
Later that evening, Julian returned to the terrace.
The lake was golden beneath the sunset.
He looked at his wheelchair.
Then at Claire.
“I want to thank you.”
“You already did.”
“I never did properly.”
She smiled.
“You don't owe me.”
“I know.”
He reached for her hand.
“That's why I want to ask you something.”
Claire raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Stay.”
Her heart skipped.
“I've stayed this long.”
“I mean after everything.”
She looked at him.
“I'll stay.”
Julian smiled.
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Andrew.
He answered.
“Hello?”
Andrew's voice came through.
“Julian, there's one thing you still don't know.”
Julian's expression changed.
“What?”
Andrew paused.
Then said:
“Marcus wasn't trying to kill you at the lake.”
Julian looked toward the water.
“What was he trying to retrieve?”
Andrew whispered:
“The thing under your wheelchair.”
The line went dead.
Julian turned toward the lake.
Because Claire suddenly remembered something.
May you like
When she pulled him free, the wheelchair had remained underwater.
And they had never recovered it...
