Chapter 8: The Truth Buried Beneath the Estate
The old address stared back at Nathan from his phone screen.
A place he had only seen in childhood photographs.
The Cole estate in Switzerland.
A mansion surrounded by mountains, hidden from the public eye.
A place his father always described as “a painful chapter of the past.””
Nathan had never questioned that.
Not until tonight.
Not until he discovered his entire childhood had been built around missing pieces.
His mother was alive.
His father had lied.
His fiancée had betrayed him.
And somehow, the little girl holding his hand was connected to a secret powerful enough to destroy an empire.
“Are you really going?””
Grace’s voice pulled him back.
Nathan looked up.
They were still standing inside the mansion.
The attacker had been taken away by security after Nathan called for help. Victoria had locked herself in one of the guest rooms, claiming she needed time to “process everything.””
Nobody believed her.
Not anymore.
Nathan looked at Grace.
“I have to.””
Grace shook her head.
“You heard what your mother said.””
Nathan’s expression tightened.
“She’s my mother.””
“I know.””
“She’s been gone my entire life.””
Grace stepped closer.
“And she just told you not to trust your father.””
Nathan looked toward Thomas.
His father stood near the window, silent.
For once, he looked like a man with no control over anything.
“What do you want me to do?”” Nathan asked.
Thomas didn’t answer.
That surprised him.
Usually, Thomas had an explanation.
A strategy.
A plan.
But tonight, he had nothing.
“I want you to stay away,” Thomas finally said.
Nathan stared.
“From my mother?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Thomas looked at him.
“Because if she reached out, it means she’s in danger.””
Nathan laughed quietly.
“You’re telling me to protect the woman you let me believe was dead?””
Thomas accepted the anger.
“I deserve that.””
Nathan looked away.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
Silence filled the room.
Then Lily tugged on Nathan’s sleeve.
“Daddy?””
He looked down.
“Yes?””
“Are you leaving?””
The question broke something inside him.
Nathan knelt.
“No.””
Lily searched his face.
“Promise?””
He hesitated.
Then nodded.
“I promise.””
She smiled slightly.
A small, trusting smile.
The kind that made Nathan realize something terrifying.
This child had trusted him after knowing him for only a few hours.
While the adults who raised him had spent decades lying.
Nathan stood.
“I’m going to Switzerland.””
Grace immediately answered:
“I’m coming.””
Nathan looked at her.
“No.””
Her expression changed.
“Why?””
“Because it’s dangerous.””
Grace almost laughed.
“Dangerous?””
She looked around the mansion.
“At this point, Nathan, I think danger already knows my address.””
He had no response.
Grace lowered her voice.
“I spent five years running from people who wanted Lily.””
She touched her daughter’s hair.
“I’m not running anymore.””
Nathan looked at her.
The woman he had once thought was just a maid.
A stranger.
Someone passing through his life.
But she had carried his daughter alone.
She had protected her against people with more money and power than she could ever fight.
“You should have told me.””
Grace looked down.
“I know.””
Nathan’s voice softened.
“I’m angry.””
“I know.””
“But I understand why you were afraid.””
Grace looked at him.
That was the first time he had admitted it.
Not forgiven.
Not forgotten.
But understood.
Thomas suddenly spoke.
“Take this.””
He held out a small key.
Nathan looked at it.
“What is it?””
“The private vault at the Switzerland estate.””
Nathan didn’t take it immediately.
“You have access?””
Thomas nodded.
“I created it.””
“What’s inside?””
Thomas looked at Lily.
“Everything I should have revealed years ago.””
Nathan took the key.
Then he looked at his father.
“Are you coming?””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
Nathan frowned.
“Why?””
“Because your mother asked you to come alone.””
Nathan studied him.
“And you’re okay with that?””
Thomas gave a sad smile.
“No.””
A pause.
“But for once, I’m going to do what’s right for you.””
Nathan didn’t know how to respond.
He simply turned away.
Hours later, the private jet landed near the Swiss mountains.
The cold air hit Nathan immediately.
The old estate stood exactly as he remembered.
Huge.
Beautiful.
Lonely.
The same place where his childhood memories ended.
He stepped out with Grace and Lily.
Grace looked at the mansion.
“She’s here?””
Nathan nodded.
“According to the message.””
Lily held his hand.
“Is Grandma nice?””
Nathan looked at her.
He didn’t know.
That was the hardest part.
“I hope so.””
They approached the front door.
It opened before they knocked.
An elderly woman stood there.
Nathan stopped.
He had seen photographs.
But photographs couldn’t prepare him.
She had his eyes.
His smile.
His mother.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then she whispered:
“Nathan.””
His throat tightened.
“Mom.””
Elizabeth Cole covered her mouth.
Tears filled her eyes.
“My son.””
She reached for him.
And Nathan let her.
For the first time in his life, he hugged his mother.
The woman he thought he had lost.
The woman who had been alive while he grew up without her.
When they finally pulled away, Elizabeth looked at Lily.
Her expression changed.
A mixture of surprise and sadness.
“Oh…”
Nathan noticed.
“You know her.””
Elizabeth looked at Grace.
Then back at Lily.
“Yes.””
Grace froze.
“What?””
Elizabeth stepped back.
“I knew this day would come.””
Nathan’s heart sank.
“Everyone knew something except me.””
Elizabeth looked at him sadly.
“I tried to tell you.””
“When?””
“Many times.””
Nathan frowned.
“But you disappeared.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Elizabeth looked toward the mansion.
“Because I found out what your father had done.””
Nathan stiffened.
“What exactly?””
Elizabeth walked inside.
“You need to see something.””
The group followed her into the old estate.
Unlike the Cole mansion, this place felt untouched.
Like someone had left yesterday.
Elizabeth stopped in front of a locked room.
She looked at Nathan.
“Your father told you he hid the truth to protect you.””
Nathan said nothing.
“He was partly right.””
Nathan frowned.
“Partly?””
Elizabeth unlocked the door.
Inside was a room filled with documents.
Photographs.
Recordings.
Evidence.
“The truth was never just about Lily.””
Nathan stepped inside.
“What was it about?””
Elizabeth looked at him.
“It was about who Lily’s father really is.””
Nathan froze.
He looked at Grace.
She immediately shook her head.
“I don’t understand.””
Elizabeth walked toward a folder.
“I know you believe Nathan is Lily’s father.””
Nathan’s chest tightened.
“What are you saying?””
Elizabeth opened the folder.
Inside was a DNA report.
Nathan stared.
The name on it made his blood turn cold.
*Lily Miller.*
*Biological Father: Adrian Cole.*
The room went silent.
No one moved.
Nathan looked at Grace.
Her face had gone completely white.
“That’s impossible.””
Elizabeth looked at him.
“I wish it was.””
Nathan’s voice became a whisper.
“Adrian?””
His half-brother.
The man claiming the company.
The man who had appeared tonight.
The man who knew too much.
Grace shook her head.
“No.””
She stepped back.
“No, that’s not true.””
Elizabeth looked at her.
“You were told Nathan was Lily’s father.””
Grace’s eyes filled with confusion.
“Because he is.””
Elizabeth gently placed another document on the table.
“The DNA test was altered.””
Nathan stared.
“What?””
Elizabeth looked at him.
“Someone changed the results five years ago.””
His stomach dropped.
“Who?””
Elizabeth’s expression darkened.
“The same person who wanted Lily erased.””
A silence followed.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
A slow clap.
Everyone turned.
A figure stood at the entrance.
Nathan’s blood went cold.
Because the person standing there was the last person he expected.
Victoria.
She smiled.
“Congratulations.””
Nathan stepped forward.
“How did you get here?””
Victoria looked at the DNA report.
“You finally found the truth.””
Grace moved between her and Lily.
“What are you doing?””
Victoria’s smile disappeared.
“I’m here to finish what I started.””
Nathan’s eyes hardened.
“You tried to kill my daughter.””
Victoria looked at him.
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I tried to save you from the truth.””
Nathan stared.
“What truth?””
Victoria looked toward Elizabeth.
Then whispered:
“Lily isn’t Adrian’s daughter.””
A pause.
“She’s Thomas Cole’s daughter.””
Everyone froze.
Nathan felt the world tilt.
Thomas’s daughter.
Not his.
Not Adrian’s.
The secret was even darker than he imagined.
Victoria took one step forward.
“And the reason your father hid everything…”
She looked directly at Nathan.
“Is because Lily is not your daughter.””
May you like
Her final words echoed through the room.
“She is your sister.””
