Chapter 5 - The Truth Hidden Behind Five Years of Silence
Roman stared at the name flashing on Claire's phone.
His own phone was ringing at the same time.
Two calls.
Two people.
One secret.
Claire looked at him with fear in her eyes.
Not the fear of someone caught lying.
The fear of someone who knew something terrible was about to happen.
Roman slowly answered his phone.
"Who is this?"
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Roman."
His entire body froze.
Because he knew that voice.
Not from a memory.
Not from a recording.
From years of trust.
"Adrian."
Claire immediately looked at him.
Roman didn't miss it.
She wasn't surprised.
She was terrified.
"Where are you?" Roman asked.
Adrian's breathing was heavy.
"You're with Claire."
It wasn't a question.
Roman looked at the woman standing across from him.
"How do you know that?"
Another pause.
"Because I know everything happening tonight."
Roman's expression hardened.
"Then tell me where my wife is."
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he said something that made Roman's blood run cold.
"Roman, you need to leave that building."
"Why?"
"Because Claire isn't there to save you."
Claire stepped forward.
"Don't listen to him."
Roman looked between them.
Two voices.
Two stories.
Two people who knew more about his life than he did.
"Both of you have five seconds to start telling me the truth."
Neither answered.
Roman's patience disappeared.
"Five."
Adrian spoke first.
"Roman, your father didn't die in an accident."
The words hit him.
Even after everything.
Even after all the clues.
Hearing it directly still felt impossible.
Roman closed his eyes.
"Don't."
"It's the truth."
"My father died in a car crash."
"No."
Adrian's voice became heavier.
"He was murdered."
The room went silent.
Roman looked at Claire.
She didn't deny it.
That was enough.
Five years.
Five years of believing the official story.
Five years of believing the one thing that pushed him to build his empire.
Revenge.
"What does this have to do with Emma?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
When he finally spoke, his voice was different.
Broken.
"Everything."
Roman's fingers tightened around the phone.
"Explain."
"Emma found the original investigation file."
Roman looked at the documents on the desk.
The medical report.
The photograph.
The hidden notes.
"Where?"
"Your father's old apartment."
Roman frowned.
"My father had no apartment."
Adrian went quiet.
And that silence revealed something.
Roman lowered his voice.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Adrian whispered:
"Your father had a second life."
The words felt unreal.
"My father was not the man you thought he was."
Roman laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"Because everyone knew except you."
The sentence cut deeper than Roman expected.
Because it was true.
Everyone knew something.
Emma knew.
Claire knew.
Adrian knew.
Everyone had been protecting him from something.
Or protecting themselves.
Roman looked at Claire.
"How long have you known?"
Claire didn't answer.
"How long?"
Her eyes lowered.
"Since before you met Emma."
Roman felt something break inside.
"You were watching me?"
Claire shook her head.
"No."
She stepped closer.
"I was watching the people around you."
"Why?"
"Because your father asked me to."
Roman stopped.
"My father?"
Claire nodded.
"He knew someone would come after you."
"Who?"
Claire looked at the floor.
"I don't know."
Roman stared at her.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I know who started it."
"Who?"
Claire looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
"Your mother."
Roman went completely still.
The world seemed to pause.
"My mother died when I was twelve."
Claire nodded slowly.
"I know."
"Then don't say things you can't prove."
Claire reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old photograph.
Roman took it.
His hands froze.
The picture showed a woman.
His mother.
Standing outside the same building they were in.
But she wasn't alone.
Standing beside her was Adrian.
Roman looked up.
"What is this?"
Claire didn't answer.
Because Adrian spoke through the phone.
"Roman..."
His voice was quiet.
"I'm sorry."
Roman stared at the picture.
"How old were you?"
A long silence.
Then Adrian answered.
"Seventeen."
Roman's face changed.
"You knew my family before you met me."
"Yes."
"You lied to me."
"Yes."
The honesty made it worse.
Roman ended the call.
He couldn't listen anymore.
He looked at Claire.
"Why did Emma trust you?"
Claire's expression softened.
"Because she knew I was trying to protect her."
Roman looked away.
"Then why did she tell me not to trust you?"
Claire went silent.
That was the question she didn't want to answer.
Roman noticed.
"Tell me."
Claire swallowed.
"Because Emma found out something about me."
"What?"
Claire looked at him.
"Something I never told her."
Before Roman could ask another question, the building shook.
A loud crash came from downstairs.
Claire immediately turned toward the hallway.
Her face changed.
"They found us."
Roman reached for the gun hidden under his coat.
"Who?"
Claire didn't answer.
The lights went out.
Complete darkness.
Roman heard footsteps.
Not one person.
Several.
Moving through the lower floors.
Slow.
Controlled.
They weren't searching.
They already knew where they were.
Roman grabbed Claire's arm.
"We're leaving."
She pulled away.
"No."
Roman looked at her.
"What?"
"There's something you need to see first."
He stared.
"Now?"
Claire nodded.
"Emma wanted you to see it before anyone else did."
She walked back to the desk.
Opened the hidden compartment again.
This time, she removed the USB drive.
Roman looked at it.
"What is that?"
"The last recording your father ever made."
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Roman looked toward the door.
Then back at the USB.
He had spent five years trying to understand his father's death.
Now the answer was sitting in his hand.
But before he could plug it in, Claire grabbed his wrist.
"Roman."
Her voice trembled.
"If you watch this, everything you believe about yourself will change."
Roman stared at her.
"Play it."
Claire inserted the USB into the old computer on the desk.
The screen flickered.
A video file appeared.
Created five years ago.
The title was simple.
For Roman.
Roman clicked it.
The screen went black.
Then a man appeared.
His father.
Older.
Tired.
Afraid.
Roman stopped breathing.
May you like
Because his father looked directly into the camera and said:
"Roman, if you are watching this, it means your mother found you before I could..."
