Chương 9
His own brother’s son.
The person who had grown up in the same family.
The person who had spent years standing beside him at dinners and business meetings.
Lucian.
“Why would my father write that?”
Margaret looked at the paper.
“I don’t know.”
Dominic looked at her.
She did not look away.
That mattered.
She was not hiding.
She genuinely did not know.
A car door slammed outside.
Everyone froze.
Thomas moved toward the window.
“There’s someone here.”
Dominic stepped beside him.
A black SUV was parked near the curb.
No reporters.
No security.
Just one person getting out.
An older man.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Dominic knew him before his face became clear.
Because some people are remembered through movement.
The way they walk.
The way they stand.
The way they hesitate before approaching a place they have avoided for years.
“Daniel,” Margaret whispered.
The front door opened before anyone reached it.
The old lock had never worked properly.
The man stepped inside.
He looked around the house.
Then he saw Dominic.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Daniel Mercer looked older than the photograph.
His shoulders were heavier.
His face carried years of exhaustion.
But his eyes were the same.
Careful.
Observant.
Like a person who had spent too long watching powerful people make mistakes.
“You found it,” Daniel said.
Dominic did not move.
“You knew it was here.”
Daniel looked at the photograph in his hand.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I helped hide it.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Mr. Mercer, you need to understand that this situation involves legal matters.”
Daniel gave a small nod.
“I know.”
“You may want an attorney.”
“I probably should.”
The answer was so calm that Dominic became more suspicious.
“You came here knowing we would find something.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I came here because I knew eventually you would.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“No.”
Daniel sighed.
“It isn’t.”
He looked around the old house.
“This place was the last honest thing your father owned.”
Dominic felt anger rise.
“My father was not honest.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You are right.”
The agreement surprised him.
Daniel continued.
“He was not.”
A strange silence followed.
Because Dominic expected defense.
Excuses.
Another person protecting his father.
Instead, Daniel looked tired.
“Your father made choices that hurt people.”
“Then why protect him?”
Daniel looked toward the photograph.
“I wasn’t protecting him.”
“Then what were you doing?”
Daniel took a slow breath.
“Trying to protect the people who would be destroyed when the truth came out.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“That sounds like something people say when they want to hide the truth.”
Daniel nodded.
“It does.”
He looked directly at Dominic.
“That is why I understand why you don’t believe me.”
The honesty was frustrating.
It gave Dominic nothing to fight against.
“Tell me what happened.”
Daniel looked at Margaret.
Then at the old house.
Then back at Dominic.
“Your father discovered something about the company before you were born.”
“What?”
“A fraud.”
Dominic waited.
“Someone was stealing from him.”
“Who?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
Not fear.
Regret.
“That depends on whether you mean who started it.”
He paused.
“Or who continued it.”
The distinction made Dominic uncomfortable.
“Who continued it?”
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“Lucian’s father.”
Dominic went still.
“Lucian’s father died years ago.”
“Yes.”
“And Lucian?”
Daniel did not answer immediately.
That silence was enough.
Dominic felt the pieces shifting.
Not fitting.
Rearranging.
“What are you saying?”
Daniel looked at him.
“I’m saying your father spent the last years of his life trying to stop a problem that had already become a family tradition.”
The old house suddenly felt smaller.
The walls that had held childhood memories now felt like they were holding a confession.
Dominic looked at the photograph.
Three men.
One woman.
A warning.
A name.
And a truth that was much older than the fight in the mansion.
“Why did my father never tell me?”
Daniel looked at him sadly.
“Because he knew you would do exactly what you are doing now.”
“What?”
“Run toward the fire.”
“What are you saying?”
Daniel looked at him.
“I’m saying your father spent the last years of his life trying to stop a problem that had already become a family tradition.”
The old house suddenly felt smaller.
The walls that had held childhood memories now felt like they were holding a confession.
Dominic looked at the photograph.
Three men.
One woman.
A warning.
A name.
And a truth that was much older than the fight in the mansion.
“Why did my father never tell me?”
Daniel looked at him sadly.
“Because he knew you would do exactly what you are doing now.”
“What?”
“Run toward the fire.”
Dominic hated how accurate it sounded.
His entire life had been built around moving toward problems before they reached him.
It was how he built his company.
It was how he handled threats.
It was how he protected people.
But protection and control had always been close neighbors.
Sometimes too close.
Thomas folded his arms.
“Mr. Mercer, you need to explain everything from the beginning.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I don’t think there is enough time.”
Dominic glanced toward the window.
“You think Lucian is coming?”
Daniel did not answer.
That was answer enough.
“He knows you are here,” Daniel said.
“How?”
“Because he always knows more than people think.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“You worked for my father.”
“Yes.”
“You worked for Lucian’s family.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about this for years.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
The honesty made Dominic angrier.
“You watched everyone lie.”
Daniel accepted the accusation.
“I watched people survive.”
“That is not the same thing.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at him.
“It isn’t.”
The older man walked toward the table and carefully placed a small envelope beside the photograph.
“This is the last thing your father gave me.”
Dominic did not touch it.
“What is it?”
“Something I was supposed to give you when you were ready.”
May you like
Dominic almost laughed.
“Everyone keeps deciding when I’m ready.”
