Chapter 9: The Person Behind the Entire Betrayal
Chapter 9: The Person Behind the Entire Betrayal
The name Marcus revealed changed everything.
For several seconds, nobody reacted.
It was as if the entire mansion had stopped breathing.
Claire stared at him.
Her heart was pounding.
"Say it again."
Marcus looked at her with a serious expression.
"The person who planned everything..."
"Was your grandfather."
The words hit the room like an explosion.
Claire stepped backward.
"My grandfather?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"That can't be true."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Because deep down, he knew.
Victoria looked devastated.
She had spent years trying to protect Claire from this exact truth.
Ethan looked at Marcus.
"You're saying the head of the Hawthorne family was behind all of this?"
Marcus nodded.
"Yes."
"The man who built this empire."
"The man everyone respected."
"The man who acted like he cared about family."
"He was the one controlling everything."
Claire looked at Eleanor.
"But you said you were protecting me."
Eleanor looked broken.
"I was."
"From him."
Nobody spoke.
Claire’s eyes widened.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Eleanor swallowed.
"Because he had power."
"More power than you understand."
Daniel stepped forward.
"She is telling the truth about one thing."
Claire looked at him.
"My father?"
Daniel nodded.
"Your grandfather was not someone people challenged."
"He controlled businesses."
"Politicians."
"People who could make problems disappear."
Victoria looked at Claire.
"When Daniel found out what he was doing, he wanted to expose him."
"And when I discovered the same information..."
"I became a threat too."
Claire looked down.
Everything suddenly connected.
The lies.
The disappearance.
The hidden rooms.
The missing documents.
But one question remained.
"Why did Eleanor help him?"
Nobody answered.
Claire looked directly at Eleanor.
"Why?"
Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.
"Because I was afraid."
"Afraid of him?"
"Yes."
"For years, I believed if I stayed quiet, I could protect you."
Claire shook her head.
"You didn't protect me."
"You let me live inside a lie."
Eleanor looked down.
"I know."
The pain in her voice was real.
But Claire didn't know if she could forgive her.
Not yet.
The officer interrupted.
"We need to focus."
"If this man was responsible, where is he now?"
Marcus looked toward the window.
"He disappeared years ago."
Ethan frowned.
"Disappeared?"
Marcus nodded.
"Everyone believed he died."
"But people like him don't simply disappear."
Daniel looked worried.
"He always had a backup plan."
Claire looked at the old files.
"What was he trying to protect?"
Marcus answered immediately.
"The Hawthorne fortune."
"But not just money."
"Something much bigger."
Ethan opened one of the remaining documents.
"There is a reference here."
Everyone gathered around.
The paper contained a strange code.
A series of numbers.
And one phrase.
Project Black Rose.
Claire frowned.
"What is that?"
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel’s expression changed.
"I know."
Everyone looked at him.
Daniel continued.
"That was the name of the secret operation your grandfather created."
Victoria looked shocked.
"You never told me that."
"Because I didn't know everything."
Daniel looked at the document.
"But I knew it was dangerous."
Ethan pointed at the page.
"There is a location."
Marcus looked closer.
Then his face became serious.
"That's impossible."
Claire noticed.
"What?"
Marcus looked at her.
"That location is not abandoned."
"Someone is still using it."
The officer immediately asked.
"Where?"
Marcus hesitated.
Then he answered.
"The old Hawthorne research facility."
Claire frowned.
"Research facility?"
Marcus nodded.
"Your grandfather built it decades ago."
"Officially, it was closed."
"But secretly..."
He paused.
"It was where he stored everything."
"The evidence."
"The money."
"The secrets."
Ethan looked at Claire.
"We need to go there."
Before Claire could answer, the lights suddenly flickered.
Again.
Everyone looked around nervously.
A phone on the table suddenly rang.
Nobody moved.
The officer slowly picked it up.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then his expression changed.
He looked at Claire.
"There is someone on the line asking for you."
Claire felt a cold sensation.
"Me?"
The officer nodded.
"Yes."
"She says she knows the truth about your grandfather."
Claire slowly walked forward.
She took the phone.
"Hello?"
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a woman’s voice spoke.
A voice filled with fear.
"Claire..."
"I don't have much time."
Claire froze.
Because she recognized the voice.
It belonged to someone who had disappeared years ago.
Someone connected to the Hawthorne family.
Someone who was supposed to be dead.
The woman whispered:
"Your grandfather is not gone."
"He is coming back."
Claire’s face went pale.
The call suddenly ended.
Ethan looked at her.
"Who was it?"
Claire slowly lowered the phone.
Then she answered.
"The woman who called..."
"Was my grandmother."
Everyone froze.
Because the Hawthorne family had just learned something terrifying.
The person they thought was gone...
May you like
Had been watching them the entire time.
And now she was ready to reveal the final secret.
