Chapter 4 - The Father in Hiding
We discovered my father was alive two days later.
He was living under a false identity in a private clinic in Maine.
He had suffered a stroke.
His right hand shook.
His face had aged dramatically.
But when he saw me, his eyes filled with tears.
“Elena.”
I stood frozen.
I had imagined this moment thousands of times.
In every fantasy, I had been angry.
I had screamed.
Asked why he abandoned me.
Instead, I walked to him.
He reached for my hand.
“You grew up.”
I cried.
“You were supposed to be dead.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
He looked toward Matthew.
“Because I failed to destroy the people who wanted you.”
“You knew Isabel would hurt me.”
“I knew she might.”
“You let her raise me.”
His eyes closed.
“I thought she would protect you.”
“She tried to sell me.”
His face collapsed.
“I was wrong.”
Silence filled the room.
My father told us everything.
Isabel had been working for a criminal organization that specialized in taking over struggling companies.
They would infiltrate.
Buy debt.
Control management.
Eliminate heirs.
And seize everything.
My father discovered the network.
He tried to expose it.
They poisoned my mother.
They tried to kill him.
He survived.
Then disappeared.
But Isabel had already married him.
She became my guardian.
She controlled the company.
And waited for me to sign over the trust.
“How could she know about the trust?”
“Your mother told her.”
“Why?”
“She trusted Isabel.”
I felt sick.
My father looked at Matthew.
“You were the only person I believed could stop them.”
Matthew nodded.
“I should have acted sooner.”
“You didn't know I was alive.”
“I suspected.”
My father smiled.
“I knew you would.”
The conversation was interrupted by an alarm.
Security rushed in.
Someone had breached the clinic.
Matthew moved me behind him.
“Who?”
A guard spoke into his earpiece.
“Six men.”
My father struggled to stand.
“I have to leave.”
Matthew helped him.
We escaped through a service corridor.
Gunfire erupted upstairs.
The clinic became chaos.
Outside, cars waited.
We drove through the forest.
My father sat beside me.
He looked at my cheek.
“Who did that?”
“Isabel.”
He closed his eyes.
“I am so sorry.”
I placed my hand over his.
“I'm still here.”
He squeezed it.
“Yes.”
He looked at Matthew.
“Take her away from Boston.”
Matthew glanced at me.
“She won't go.”
My father smiled.
“You know her well already.”
I looked at Matthew.
He said nothing.
I noticed his hand was bleeding.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You're bleeding.”
“Glass.”
I took a cloth and wrapped it around his hand.
He watched me.
For a second, the noise of the city disappeared.
My father saw it.
He smiled.
“Your mother would have liked him.”
Matthew's expression tightened.
“Don't.”
My father chuckled.
“You're still afraid of happiness.”
Matthew looked away.
I pretended not to hear.
That night, we stayed at a secure estate.
I couldn't sleep.
At midnight, I found Matthew on the balcony.
“Do you ever stop working?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because stopping gets people killed.”
I leaned against the railing.
“My father said you loved my mother.”
Matthew looked at me sharply.
“He did?”
“He said she would have liked you.”
“That isn't the same.”
“Who was she to you?”
“A friend.”
“You're lying.”
He sighed.
“Your mother knew what I was.”
“And she wasn't afraid?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“She understood people aren't only the worst thing they've ever done.”
I looked at him.
“You saved me.”
“I would again.”
“Why?”
He turned toward me.
“Because every time I look at you, I remember what your father asked me to protect.”
“What?”
“Your life.”
The silence between us became something else.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His face turned cold.
“Isabel has Elena's father's old legal team.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she has the original trust documents.”
My stomach dropped.
“And?”
“She can activate the clause that gives her temporary control over the company.”
“How?”
“By proving you were mentally incompetent.”
I stared.
“They'll say I'm unstable.”
“Yes.”
“They'll use tonight.”
“Yes.”
“Then we're out of time.”
Matthew nodded.
“We have one advantage.”
“What?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You're the legal beneficiary.”
May you like
He stepped closer.
“And you are about to take everything back.”
