Chapter 5 - The Name in the Fire
Daniel raced upstairs.
Lucas had locked himself inside the library.
Smoke seeped beneath the door.
“Open it!”
No answer.
Daniel struck the door with his shoulder.
The old wood shook.
Richard followed more slowly while Margaret remained at the bottom of the staircase.
Elena attempted to climb after them, but a sudden cramp stopped her.
She gripped the railing.
Margaret saw her.
For a brief second, concern appeared in her eyes.
Then it vanished.
Daniel hit the door again.
The lock broke.
Inside, Lucas stood beside the fireplace.
Flames consumed the papers from the red file.
Daniel grabbed the metal poker and pulled the burning pages apart.
“Are you insane?”
Lucas backed away.
“You don’t know what those documents would do.”
“To whom?”
“To all of us.”
Daniel stamped out the flames.
Most of the pages were destroyed.
One corner survived.
A partial name remained beside the words biological father.
The visible letters read:
Nathan A...
Daniel picked it up.
“Nathan who?”
Lucas stared at the floor.
Daniel seized his shirt.
“Answer me.”
Lucas pushed him away.
“Why do you suddenly care about truth? You never cared when Father chose you over me.”
“This is not about Father’s approval.”
“It is always about Father.”
Lucas’s face twisted with years of resentment.
“You inherited the company. The house. His reputation. I inherited jokes about being the useless second son.”
“You were given every opportunity.”
“I was given whatever you didn’t want.”
Daniel looked at the half-burned record.
“Did Mother ask you to destroy this?”
Lucas remained silent.
“Did she forge my signature?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
Lucas laughed bitterly.
“You think I’m smart enough to move millions without anyone noticing?”
“I think you are desperate enough.”
Richard entered the room.
“Daniel, let him go.”
Daniel released his brother.
Richard looked at the fireplace.
“You destroyed evidence.”
Lucas shrugged.
“Call the police.”
Daniel took out his phone.
Margaret appeared in the doorway.
“No one is calling the police.”
Daniel turned.
“You don’t control this anymore.”
“You believe that because you found one letter?”
“I believe it because my wife is done kneeling.”
Margaret looked at Elena, who had reached the doorway with one hand supporting her belly.
“You should be resting.”
Elena gave a humorless laugh.
“You did not care about that when your feet were on my shoulder.”
Lucas looked away.
Margaret’s face hardened.
“I did what was necessary.”
“To achieve what?” Elena asked.
“To make you leave.”
The directness stunned everyone.
Daniel stepped between them.
“Why were you so afraid of Elena entering this family?”
Margaret’s gaze dropped to the half-burned paper.
“Because her mother destroyed enough.”
Richard shook his head.
“No, Margaret. Because Elena’s existence threatened your version of the past.”
Daniel turned to him.
“Finish the explanation.”
Richard looked at the clock.
“We should not discuss this here.”
Daniel laughed once.
“My wife was humiliated in this house. My signature was forged in this house. Evidence was burned in this house. We are discussing it here.”
Richard accepted the rebuke.
“Nathan Ashcroft was once your father’s closest friend and business partner.”
Daniel looked at the transfer papers.
“Ashcroft Consulting.”
Richard nodded.
“The company name was chosen because Margaret believed a dead man could not object.”
“Dead?”
“Nathan disappeared thirty years ago.”
Elena held the edge of a desk for support.
“Was he my father?”
Richard looked at her with sadness.
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
Elena stared at the burned paper.
“My mother never told me.”
“She may have been trying to protect you.”
“From whom?”
Richard looked directly at Margaret.
Before he could answer, every light in the mansion went out.
The security alarm beeped once and died.
Daniel’s phone lost its signal.
May you like
From downstairs came the sound of glass shattering.
Someone had entered the house.
