Chapter 17 — The Person Behind the Mask
Chapter 17 — The Person Behind the Mask
The footsteps echoed through the halls of Hawthorne Palace.
Slow.
Calm.
Confident.
Everyone stood frozen as the figure moved closer.
The palace employee uniform made the person look ordinary.
But nobody in that room believed anything was ordinary anymore.
Not after everything they had discovered.
Not after twelve years of secrets.
Not after realizing the enemy had been closer than anyone imagined.
Marcus stared at the security monitor.
His face became pale.
“No…”
Alexander looked at him.
“Who is it?”
Marcus didn’t answer immediately.
And that silence was enough to make everyone afraid.
Finally, he whispered:
“It’s Daniel.”
The room went quiet.
Victoria’s assistant.
The man who had worked beside her for years.
The person who appeared to simply follow orders.
Thomas looked confused.
“Daniel?”
Marcus nodded.
“He used to work for the Hawthorne family before joining Victoria.”
Alexander looked shocked.
“Why didn’t I know that?”
Marcus answered quietly.
“Because his records were erased.”
Clara looked toward the screen.
“So he was hiding.”
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
The palace doors opened.
Daniel stepped inside.
He looked completely calm.
Almost relieved.
“Good evening.”
Nobody responded.
Alexander walked forward.
“Why are you here?”
Daniel looked around the room.
“Because the truth is finally coming out.”
Thomas stared at him.
“You helped Victoria.”
Daniel smiled slightly.
“I helped someone who deserved justice.”
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“Justice?”
Daniel looked at the family.
“Do you know what happened to my father?”
Nobody answered.
“Because of the Hawthornes, my family lost everything.”
Edward stepped forward.
“I don’t know who you are.”
Daniel laughed.
“Of course you don’t.”
He pulled out an old photograph.
“My father worked for this family for twenty-five years.”
He held up the picture.
“Then one day, he was blamed for something he didn’t do.”
Alexander looked at the photograph.
He recognized the man.
An old company employee.
“Robert Hayes.”
Daniel nodded.
“My father.”
The room became tense.
Edward looked troubled.
“Robert was accused of stealing company money.”
“He was framed.”
Daniel’s voice became louder.
“You destroyed his reputation.”
Edward shook his head.
“That was not my decision.”
“But you allowed it.”
The words hit hard.
Because there was some truth behind them.
Edward had trusted the wrong people.
And innocent people had suffered.
Victoria’s voice suddenly came through the speakers again.
“Now you understand.”
Everyone looked up.
Daniel smiled.
Victoria continued:
“The Hawthornes always believed they were the victims.”
A pause.
“But they forget the people they hurt along the way.”
Alexander looked angry.
“You manipulated Daniel.”
“No.”
Victoria answered.
“I gave him a reason to fight.”
Daniel looked toward the screen.
“She helped me find the truth.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“And then she used you.”
Daniel’s expression changed slightly.
“No.”
Thomas shook his head.
“She doesn’t care about your father.”
Daniel looked uncertain.
“She cares about revenge.”
For the first time, Daniel hesitated.
Victoria noticed.
“Don’t listen to them.”
Her voice became sharper.
“They’re trying to save themselves.”
Daniel looked at the screen.
“You said you would expose the truth.”
“I am.”
“You said you would make them pay.”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“But you never said what would happen afterward.”
The room went silent.
Victoria didn’t answer.
And Daniel finally realized.
He had never been part of her plan.
He was only a tool.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Daniel.”
The young man looked at him.
“You were hurt because someone failed your family.”
Daniel said nothing.
“But destroying innocent people won’t bring your father back.”
Daniel looked away.
“You don’t understand.”
“No.”
Alexander nodded.
“I don’t.”
A pause.
“But I understand what it feels like to lose someone.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I lost my brother.”
He glanced at Thomas.
“And I spent years believing I failed him.”
The room became quiet.
“Pain can make people do terrible things.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
Suddenly, Victoria cut the power to the screens.
Her face disappeared.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“She’s leaving.”
Marcus looked at the security system.
“She’s trying to erase the evidence.”
Alexander immediately turned.
“Can we stop her?”
Marcus shook his head.
“Not remotely.”
Thomas looked toward the exit.
“Then we go to her.”
Before they could move, Clara noticed something.
A small red light blinking on the security panel.
“Wait.”
Everyone stopped.
She walked closer.
“This isn’t an attack.”
Marcus looked at the screen.
“What is it?”
Clara pointed.
“It’s a recording.”
Marcus activated it.
A video appeared.
Not from Victoria.
Not from Daniel.
From Thomas.
Everyone stared.
Thomas looked confused.
“I didn’t make that.”
The recording began.
A younger Thomas appeared on the screen.
Twelve years younger.
The night before he disappeared.
His voice filled the room.
“If you’re watching this, then I failed.”
Alexander’s heart stopped.
Thomas continued:
“But there is something my family needs to know.”
The video showed Thomas looking directly into the camera.
“The person who betrayed us was never trying to destroy the company.”
A pause.
“They were trying to destroy me.”
Everyone listened.
Then Thomas said the words that changed everything.
“The person who sent me away…”
The video glitched.
The screen went black.
Everyone waited.
Then one final sentence appeared:
“Ask Eleanor why she chose me over Alexander.”
The room went completely silent.
Alexander slowly turned toward his mother.
Eleanor’s face had gone pale.
Because after all these years…
May you like
the biggest secret was not about the company.
It was about the family.
