Chapter 12 - THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED
Nobody moved.
Ethan stared into the darkness.
The man slowly stepped forward.
Older.
Tired.
But impossible to mistake.
“Dad?”
The man looked at him.
“Hello, Ethan.”
For twenty years…
Ethan believed his father abandoned him.
He believed Margaret raised him alone.
He believed the story he was told.
But now…
The man who disappeared was standing in front of him.
Alive.
Margaret’s face turned pale.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
The man looked at her.
“You should have known this day would come.”
Ethan looked between them.
“What is happening?”
His father sighed.
“My son…”
“Don’t call me that.”
The words came out faster than Ethan expected.
The man looked hurt.
“I deserve that.”
Ava stepped closer.
“Who are you?”
The man looked at her.
“My name is Daniel Carter.”
He looked at Ethan.
“And I know why your mother has been doing all of this.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“Don’t.”
Daniel ignored her.
“She wasn’t trying to steal Ava’s money.”
Ethan frowned.
“Then what?”
Daniel looked at Margaret.
“She was trying to hide what happened twenty-five years ago.”
The room went silent.
“What happened?”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“The truth about your birth.”
Ethan clenched his fists.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
“I know.”
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out an envelope.
“This contains the answers.”
Ethan took it.
His hands shook.
Inside were old documents.
Photographs.
Letters.
Then one picture fell out.
A woman holding a baby.
Ethan looked at the woman.
He didn’t recognize her.
But Margaret did.
And the fear on her face said everything.
“Who is she?”
Daniel answered quietly:
“Your real mother.”
Ethan stared.
“Where is she?”
Daniel looked at Margaret.
“She never died.”
Ava gasped.
Ethan felt the room spinning.
“My whole life…”
He looked at Margaret.
“You lied to me.”
Margaret’s eyes filled with tears.
“I did what I had to do.”
“No.”
Ethan stepped back.
“You did what you wanted.”
Suddenly, Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Everyone watched.
Then Daniel looked at Ethan.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
Daniel slowly lowered the phone.
“Your biological mother…”
A pause.
“She disappeared last night.”
Ethan froze.
“Who took her?”
Daniel looked directly at Margaret.
And whispered:
May you like
“The same person who started all of this.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
