Chapter 9: The Witness Who Knew Everything
Chapter 9: The Witness Who Knew Everything
The rain poured over the city that night.
Heavy drops crashed against the windows of Evan Mercer’s office as he sat alone, staring at the file in front of him.
Daniel Cross.
The name had been buried in his memory for years.
But now it had returned.
And with it came a flood of questions.
Why had Daniel been there that night?
Why had he helped Richard?
And how much did he know about Ellie?
Evan picked up the photograph attached to the file.
Daniel Cross.
Richard Mercer’s former driver.
His assistant.
His most trusted employee.
The man who had been around his family for almost fifteen years.
The man who had watched everything happen.
Evan’s phone rang.
It was his attorney.
“Did you find him?”
A pause.
Then the attorney answered.
“Yes.”
Evan sat up.
“Where?”
“He owns a small repair shop outside the city.”
“Is he still working for my father?”
“No.”
That surprised Evan.
“Why not?”
“He left three years ago.”
“Why?”
The attorney hesitated.
“That’s the strange part.”
“What?”
“He claimed your father destroyed his life.”
Evan frowned.
“Send me the address.”
Twenty minutes later, Evan arrived at a small auto repair shop hidden away on a quiet street.
The sign was old.
The lights were dim.
The place looked abandoned.
But someone was inside.
Evan knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
Finally, an older man opened the door.
The moment he saw Evan, his expression changed.
Fear.
Not surprise.
Fear.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Evan stared at him.
“You know who I am.”
Daniel looked away.
“Yes.”
“Then you know why I’m here.”
Daniel sighed.
“Your father warned me this day might come.”
Evan stepped inside.
“He knew?”
Daniel laughed quietly.
“Your father always knew everything.”
The words made Evan angry.
“You helped him.”
Daniel lowered his head.
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised him.
“You admit it?”
“I have spent four years regretting it.”
Evan studied him.
“Tell me what happened.”
Daniel looked toward the old shop.
Then slowly closed the door.
“Your father was afraid of losing control.”
“Over what?”
“You.”
Evan frowned.
“Me?”
Daniel nodded.
“He believed Leah changed you.”
“She made you question him.”
“She made you want a life outside the Mercer name.”
Evan looked away.
“That’s why he hated her.”
“Yes.”
Daniel walked toward a small table.
He opened a drawer.
Then pulled out an old envelope.
“I kept this because I knew one day someone would need it.”
Evan looked at it.
“What is it?”
Daniel handed it over.
“Something I should have given you years ago.”
Evan opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
His breath stopped.
It was him.
And Leah.
At the hospital.
Four years earlier.
The day Ellie was born.
But there was something else.
A handwritten note attached to the picture.
Evan was here.
His eyes moved back to Daniel.
“What does this mean?”
Daniel looked ashamed.
“You were there.”
Evan froze.
“No.”
“Yes.”
His voice became quiet.
“You were there when Ellie was born.”
The room spun.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know what you remember.”
Daniel looked at him.
“But your memory is wrong.”
Evan stared at him.
“What happened?”
Daniel took a deep breath.
“Your father found out Leah was in labor.”
Evan said nothing.
“He knew if you saw your daughter…”
“You would never leave.”
A cold feeling moved through Evan.
“So he brought me there?”
Daniel nodded.
“He wanted you to see Ellie.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because he wanted to control what happened next.”
Evan’s hands tightened.
“What happened?”
Daniel looked down.
“After you held Ellie…”
“You told your father you were choosing Leah.”
Evan felt tears forming.
Because something deep inside him recognized the memory.
A warmth.
A feeling.
A moment he thought he had never experienced.
Daniel continued.
“Your father became furious.”
“He told you that you were destroying everything.”
“And then…”
He stopped.
Evan stepped forward.
“Then what?”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“He made sure you forgot.”
Silence.
The rain outside became louder.
Evan could barely speak.
“How?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Your father had a doctor.”
“A private doctor.”
“He gave you something.”
Evan remembered the headaches.
The confusion.
The missing pieces.
The feeling that his mind had gaps.
“What did he do to Leah?”
Daniel’s face became painful.
“He threatened her.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“He told her if she contacted you, he would reveal private information and ruin her.”
Evan shook his head.
“He stole my memories.”
Daniel nodded.
“And he stole her future.”
For a moment, Evan said nothing.
Then he asked the question that mattered most.
“Why are you telling me now?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because I saw Ellie.”
Evan waited.
“And I realized she was the same age my daughter would have been.”
A pause.
“I lost my own family because I was too afraid to stand up to your father.”
Evan looked at him.
“What happened to your daughter?”
Daniel looked away.
“She died.”
The room became silent.
“And I spent years blaming myself.”
Evan understood.
Daniel wasn’t just helping him.
He was trying to fix his own mistake.
A sudden noise came from outside.
Both men turned.
A black SUV was parked near the shop.
Daniel’s face changed.
“They found me.”
Evan looked outside.
“Who?”
Daniel whispered.
“Your father’s people.”
The lights of the vehicle turned on.
The engine started.
Then the SUV moved toward the entrance.
Evan immediately stepped back.
“Where is another exit?”
Daniel pointed toward the back door.
“Go.”
Evan looked at him.
“What about you?”
Daniel shook his head.
“They came for me.”
“No.”
Evan grabbed his arm.
“They came because you helped me.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Evan.”
His voice became serious.
“You finally understand what your father does.”
“He doesn’t fight people.”
“He removes them.”
The front door suddenly shook.
Someone was trying to break in.
Evan looked at Daniel.
“We leave together.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“You really are different from him.”
They rushed toward the back exit.
But before they reached it…
A voice came through the broken front door.
“Evan.”
A familiar voice.
Cold.
Calm.
Richard Mercer.
Evan stopped.
Because his father wasn’t hiding anymore.
He was coming directly for him.
Richard stepped inside.
“You always were stubborn.”
Evan turned slowly.
“And you always underestimated me.”
Richard smiled.
“No.”
He looked toward the envelope in Evan’s hand.
“I underestimated how much Leah would poison your mind.”
Evan’s expression hardened.
“You erased my life.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I saved you from making a mistake.”
Evan looked at him.
“Ellie is not a mistake.”
For the first time…
Richard’s face showed anger.
A real emotion.
And Evan realized something important.
His father wasn’t angry because he lost control.
He was angry because he had finally lost power.
Richard looked at him.
“You have no idea what you are about to uncover.”
Evan answered quietly.
“Then tell me.”
Richard smiled.
“Fine.”
A pause.
“Because the truth about Ellie is not the biggest secret.”
Evan froze.
Richard continued.
“The biggest secret…”
“Is why your mother disappeared.”
The room went silent.
Because Evan had spent his entire life believing his mother abandoned them.
But now…
Another part of his past was beginning to crack open.
May you like
And Richard knew exactly where to strike.
TO BE CONTINUED...
