Chapter 6: The Truth About Claire
I read the sentence again.
And again.
But the words didn’t change.
He still doesn’t know what Claire discovered about him.
About me.
Not Serena.
Me.
For the first time, I wondered if I was chasing the wrong person.
I brought the box inside and locked myself in my office.
Inside were Claire’s photos.
Our wedding.
Noah’s first steps.
Family vacations.
Normal memories.
Happy memories.
Then I found something hidden beneath the photographs.
A second envelope.
This one was from Claire.
My hands shook before I opened it.
Victor,
If you found this, I need you to understand something.
Everything I did was to protect Noah.
Not myself.
Him.
I swallowed.
The letter continued.
There is something about Blackwood Industries that you don’t know.
Something your father hid from you.
I stopped reading.
My father.
A man who had been dead for six years.
I continued.
The company was not built the way you think.
There were people who helped build it.
People your father betrayed.
The final line made my chest tighten.
And Serena knows.
I dropped the letter.
My phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
“Sir.””
“What?””
“We found something.””
“Where?””
“Richard Vale’s old storage facility.””
My heart jumped.
“How?””
“The key you found.””
I looked at the small metal key beside me.
“What’s inside?””
A pause.
“Everything.””
I drove there immediately.
The storage facility was abandoned.
Dust covered everything.
Marcus opened the door.
Inside were boxes.
Hundreds of them.
Documents.
Photos.
Records.
A hidden life.
We searched for hours.
Then Marcus found a file.
“Sir.””
I took it.
The label read:
BLACKWOOD PROJECT.
I opened it.
Inside were documents from twenty years ago.
My father’s signature.
Richard Vale’s signature.
And another name.
A name I didn’t recognize.
Until I saw the photograph.
My hands went numb.
The picture showed three people.
My father.
Richard.
And Serena’s father.
I looked at Marcus.
“Why was Serena’s family connected to mine?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice whispered:
“Victor.””
I froze.
“Who is this?””
“Someone who tried to tell you the truth before Claire died.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
The woman breathed heavily.
“I was there that night.””
“Where?””
“At the house.””
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“Your wife’s sister.””
I stood completely still.
“Claire didn’t have a sister.””
The woman laughed softly.
A sad sound.
“That’s what they wanted you to believe.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Marcus stepped closer.
“What happened?””
I looked at him.
“Find everything about Claire’s family.””
“Sir?””
“Everything.””
When I returned home that evening, Serena was waiting.
But this time, she wasn’t angry.
She looked exhausted.
“I know what you found.””
I stopped.
“How?””
“Because Claire found the same thing.””
I stared at her.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you did nothing?””
Her eyes filled.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
She looked around the house.
At the place where she had lived.
The place where Claire had died.
“I wasn’t trying to destroy your family.””
“Then what were you doing?””
“Surviving.””
I laughed bitterly.
“People always say that when they’re caught.””
She stepped closer.
“Victor, your father wasn’t the hero you think he was.””
“My father is dead.””
“That doesn’t make him innocent.””
I wanted to reject it.
I wanted to believe she was lying.
But too many pieces were falling into place.
“What did Claire discover?””
Serena looked at me.
“She discovered that your father stole everything.””
“From who?””
Her voice dropped.
“From my family.””
The room went silent.
“You’re saying your family helped build Blackwood Industries?””
“Yes.””
“And my father betrayed them?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t Claire tell me?””
Serena looked away.
“Because she found out something worse.””
“What?””
Her eyes met mine.
“She found out you were involved.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“You signed documents.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Serena whispered.
“You just don’t remember.””
I stepped back.
“What are you talking about?””
She walked toward the table and placed a document in front of me.
My signature was at the bottom.
The date was three years earlier.
Before Claire died.
Before Noah was born.
Before I knew Serena was dangerous.
I stared at my own name.
And then I saw the title.
*Transfer of Ownership Agreement.*
My blood went cold.
Because I recognized the signature.
Mine.
But I had no memory of signing it.
Serena watched my face change.
Then she whispered:
“Victor…”
I looked up.
“Yes?””
Her voice trembled.
“You didn’t just inherit Blackwood Industries.””
A pause.
“You took it from someone.””
The office door suddenly opened.
Marcus stood there.
His face was pale.
“Sir.””
I turned.
“What?””
He looked at the document in my hand.
Then at me.
“We found Claire’s final message.””
I stood.
“Where?””
Marcus swallowed.
“On a hidden recording.””
“What did she say?””
He looked terrified.
Then he pressed play.
Claire’s voice filled the room.
“Victor… if you’re hearing this…”
A pause.
A shaky breath.
“Please forgive me.””
My heart stopped.
Then Claire whispered the words that changed everything.
“The accident was never meant to kill me.””
Silence.
May you like
Then:
“It was meant to make you forget.””
