Chapter 13 — The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Chapter 13 — The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
The words from Eleanor’s trembling voice echoed through Alexander’s mind.
“Your father is here.”
For a moment, he forgot everything else.
The abandoned building.
Victoria.
Marcus.
The secrets.
None of it mattered.
Because the one person who should never have been able to return…
was alive.
Alexander lowered the phone slowly.
Clara immediately noticed his expression.
“Mr. Hawthorne?”
He looked at her.
“My father.”
The room went silent.
Thomas’s face changed.
“No.”
Alexander turned toward him.
“You knew?”
Thomas looked shaken.
“I thought he was gone.”
Victoria smiled faintly.
“That’s the problem with the Hawthorne family.”
She stepped forward.
“You believe whatever story you’re given.”
Twelve Years Earlier
The official story had been simple.
Edward Hawthorne, the family patriarch, had died after a sudden illness.
The entire city mourned.
The Hawthorne family held a private funeral.
And Alexander became the new leader of the family empire.
But there had always been strange details.
No public viewing.
No photographs.
No explanation.
Just a closed casket and a quiet burial.
At the time, Alexander had been too overwhelmed by grief to question anything.
Thomas, however, had never accepted it.
And now he understood why.
Back at Hawthorne Palace, Eleanor stood in the entrance hall.
Her hands trembled.
Because standing in front of her was a man she had spent years believing she lost.
Edward Hawthorne.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakably alive.
“How?”
Eleanor’s voice barely escaped.
Edward looked at her with sadness.
“I’m sorry.”
The anger in her eyes quickly replaced the shock.
“Sorry?”
She stepped closer.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
Edward looked down.
“I had no choice.”
“No choice?”
Her voice broke.
“I buried my husband.”
“I know.”
“I mourned you.”
“I know.”
“Your sons lost their father.”
Edward closed his eyes.
“And that is why I stayed away.”
When Alexander and Clara arrived at the palace, the entire family was waiting.
The moment Alexander saw his father, he stopped.
Years of memories rushed back.
A father who taught him responsibility.
A father who expected perfection.
A father he thought he would never see again.
“Dad…”
Edward looked at him.
“Alexander.”
The word carried years of regret.
Alexander walked closer.
“How are you alive?”
Edward took a deep breath.
“Because someone wanted me gone.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Who?”
Edward looked at him.
“You already know.”
Everyone became still.
Victoria watched silently.
Then she smiled.
“This is the part where the family finally understands.”
Alexander looked at her.
“What are you doing here?”
Victoria walked toward the center of the room.
“Because unlike everyone else, I know the entire story.”
Edward’s expression darkened.
“Victoria.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“You remember me.”
Alexander looked confused.
“You knew my father?”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Of course.”
She looked around.
“My father worked with Edward Hawthorne for years.”
Thomas’s eyes narrowed.
“Richard Whitmore.”
Victoria nodded.
“Exactly.”
Edward looked at Alexander.
“There are things you need to know.”
Alexander’s voice was cold.
“I think I’ve heard that enough.”
The pain in Edward’s face was clear.
“I deserved that.”
“You disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“You let us suffer.”
“Yes.”
Alexander’s anger grew.
“Then explain why.”
Edward looked at Eleanor.
“I discovered something inside the company.”
Thomas immediately understood.
“The financial crimes.”
Edward nodded.
“The same ones Thomas found.”
Alexander looked shocked.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you stop them?”
Edward’s expression became filled with regret.
“Because the person responsible was someone I trusted.”
The room became silent.
“Who?”
Edward looked toward the people around him.
Then he said:
“Someone who had access to every part of our lives.”
Everyone exchanged uneasy looks.
The same words had appeared before.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Someone hidden.
Suddenly, the palace security alarm activated.
Everyone turned.
Marcus checked his device.
“That’s impossible.”
Alexander looked at him.
“What?”
“The alarm was triggered from inside the building.”
A cold silence followed.
Someone was inside.
Again.
Marcus moved quickly.
“I’ll check.”
Alexander stopped him.
“No.”
Everyone looked at him.
Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
“This time, we go together.”
They searched the east wing.
Nothing.
The halls were empty.
Until Clara noticed something.
A door that was supposed to be locked.
The old family archive room.
It was open.
Alexander pushed the door carefully.
Inside, everything looked untouched.
Except one thing.
A single document placed on the table.
Edward walked closer.
His face changed immediately.
“No…”
Alexander picked it up.
“What is it?”
Edward looked at the paper.
“It’s the original agreement.”
“Agreement between who?”
Edward looked at Victoria.
Then at Marcus.
Then finally at Alexander.
“The agreement that destroyed our family.”
Alexander read the names.
His heart stopped.
Because among the signatures…
was his own father’s.
And another name.
A name nobody expected.
Eleanor gasped.
“No…”
Clara looked confused.
“Who is it?”
Alexander slowly turned the paper around.
The signature belonged to—
Eleanor Hawthorne.
Everyone froze.
The woman who had always protected the family.
The woman who had waited twelve years for Thomas.
The woman everyone trusted.
Edward whispered:
“She knows the truth.”
Eleanor stepped backward.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Edward…”
Alexander stared at his mother.
“Mom?”
May you like
For the first time in his life…
he didn’t recognize the person standing in front of him.
