Chapter 9: The Last Lie
I replayed Marcus’s words in my head.
Yourself.
It made no sense.
“I was there?””
Marcus was silent.
“Yes.””
“No.””
“Sir—”
“I was at the office that night.””
“That’s what everyone believed.””
I looked at Serena.
She looked terrified.
“Send me the footage.””
“I’m sending it now.””
The video arrived seconds later.
I opened it.
Black and white security footage.
Blackwood Manor.
The night Claire died.
A car entered the driveway.
Mine.
I stopped breathing.
The timestamp showed 11:43 p.m.
The driver’s door opened.
I stepped out.
Or someone who looked exactly like me.
He walked into the house.
Five minutes later, Claire appeared at the front door.
She looked upset.
They argued.
I couldn’t hear the audio.
But I saw enough.
Then something happened.
Claire touched her head.
She stumbled.
The man who looked like me caught her.
Then the footage cut.
I dropped the phone.
“No.””
Serena whispered:
“Victor…”
“That wasn’t me.””
Nobody answered.
Because everyone had the same thought.
What if it was?
I left the room.
I couldn’t breathe.
Every memory I had trusted suddenly felt unstable.
My own mind had become a stranger.
I found Noah sitting in the living room with Marcus.
The moment he saw me, he ran over.
“Daddy!””
I caught him.
And held him tightly.
Because he was the only thing in my life that still felt real.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
At 3:00 a.m., I found another envelope.
This time inside my old office.
A place nobody should have accessed.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
From Claire.
Victor,
If you are reading this, you have finally reached the part they wanted hidden.
I continued.
The person in the video is not you.
But Richard wants you to believe it is.
My breath caught.
The letter continued.
He created a fake timeline. He changed records. He manipulated your memory.
I looked at Serena.
She was reading over my shoulder.
Claire wrote:
But there is something you need to know.
Richard didn’t only manipulate you.
He manipulated Serena too.
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
She looked pale.
“I don’t know.””
The next sentence answered.
Serena was never the mastermind.
She was a victim.
Just like you.
I stared.
“No.””
Serena’s eyes filled.
“I told you.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“That I didn’t kill Claire.””
I didn’t know what to believe.
But Claire’s letter continued.
The person who helped Richard was someone neither of us suspected.
Someone who had access to everything.
Someone who knew our family.
My hands tightened.
The final line was written darker.
Like Claire pressed the pen harder.
Victor, the person who betrayed us is someone you call family.
A sound came from behind us.
A voice.
“You always were slow.””
I turned.
Richard Vale stood in the doorway.
Older.
Gray hair.
Calm.
Holding a gun.
No one moved.
“Richard.””
He smiled.
“Hello, Victor.””
Marcus reached for his weapon.
Richard lifted his gun.
“Don’t.””
I stepped forward.
“You killed Claire.””
His expression didn’t change.
“No.””
“Then explain.””
Richard sighed.
“You always needed everything explained.””
“You framed me.””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked me.
“Why?””
“Because your father built an empire on lies.””
“And you wanted it.””
“No.””
Richard smiled.
“I wanted what was mine.””
Serena stepped forward.
“You destroyed everyone.””
Richard looked at her.
“You were supposed to stay quiet.””
“You killed Claire.””
His eyes hardened.
“No.””
A pause.
Then:
“You did.””
Serena froze.
“What?””
Richard looked at me.
“She was there.””
My heart stopped.
“She was the one who pushed Claire.””
“No!””
Serena screamed.
Richard smiled.
“Ask yourself, Victor.””
He pointed the gun.
“Why do you remember everything except the moment Claire died?””
The room went silent.
Because deep inside…
I knew the answer.
I didn’t remember.
Because someone had made sure I wouldn’t.
Richard stepped closer.
“You want the truth?””
I stared at him.
“Yes.””
He smiled.
“Then ask Serena what happened after Claire fell.””
Serena’s face went white.
And for the first time…
She whispered:
“I didn’t kill her.””
A tear fell down her face.
“But I watched her die.””
The lights suddenly went out.
And in the darkness, Noah screamed from upstairs.
“Daddy!””
I ran.
May you like
But before I reached the stairs, Richard whispered:
“Now you’ll remember everything.””
