CHAPTER 9: The Father Who Never Died
CHAPTER 9: The Father Who Never Died
For twelve years, Rafael De Santos had imagined this moment.
Thousands of times.
In his dreams.
In his anger.
In the quiet hours when the city was asleep and he was left alone with memories.
He imagined seeing his father again.
Sometimes he imagined forgiveness.
Sometimes he imagined revenge.
Sometimes he imagined nothing at all.
But he never imagined this.
Not inside an abandoned warehouse.
Not surrounded by betrayal.
Not after discovering that everyone around him had been hiding the truth.
Mateo De Santos stood only twenty feet away.
Alive.
Breathing.
Watching his son struggle with emotions he had spent years controlling.
Rafael wanted to speak.
But for the first time in his life, words failed him.
“You watched me bury you.”
The sentence finally came out.
Quiet.
Almost broken.
Mateo lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
The answer shocked everyone.
Especially Diego.
“You let him suffer?”
Diego’s voice carried anger.
Mateo looked at him.
“I let him survive.”
Rafael laughed bitterly.
“That again.”
The room became silent.
“Everyone says they were protecting me.”
Rafael stepped closer.
“Everyone says they had a reason.”
“But nobody asked what losing you did to me.”
Mateo looked away.
Because there was no defense against that.
No explanation could erase twelve years of pain.
“You were my son.”
Mateo’s voice was low.
“You were the one thing in this world I wanted to protect.”
“Then why did you disappear?”
Mateo looked directly at him.
“Because someone inside our family wanted me dead.”
Rafael’s expression hardened.
“You said someone I loved.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Mateo did not answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
Rafael already knew.
Or at least feared.
“Tell me.”
Mateo looked toward Diego.
Then toward Lucian.
Then back at Rafael.
“The person who betrayed me was not a stranger.”
A pause.
“It was someone who grew up beside you.”
Rafael’s mind immediately searched through memories.
Family.
Friends.
Employees.
People who had access.
People who knew everything.
Then Mateo continued.
“The person who ordered the attack knew exactly how you would react.”
Rafael narrowed his eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“They knew you would take control.”
“They knew you would become stronger.”
“They knew grief would make you dangerous.”
Mateo stepped closer.
“And they were right.”
For years, Rafael believed his pain was what destroyed him.
Now he wondered if someone had planned for that pain.
Diego looked at Mateo.
“What happened that night?”
Mateo sighed.
“Your father’s organization was not attacked from outside.”
“It was attacked from within.”
Rafael listened carefully.
“Someone created fake accounts.”
“Moved money.”
“Used Falcon Shield to cover illegal operations.”
“And when I discovered it…”
“They decided I was the problem.”
Kell spoke quietly.
“Your father found the evidence.”
Rafael looked at him.
“You knew?”
Kell nodded.
“I helped him.”
“And then?”
Kell’s expression changed.
“I was blamed.”
The pieces began connecting.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Mateo continued.
“The person behind it wanted everyone to believe Kell betrayed us.”
“Because Kell was the easiest person to sacrifice.”
Rafael looked at Kell.
The man who had spent weeks appearing like an enemy.
The man who threatened his world.
Now Rafael saw something different.
A man carrying guilt.
Not because he committed the crime.
Because he failed to stop it.
“Why attack Emily?”
Rafael asked.
Mateo became serious.
“Because she had something they needed.”
“The notebooks.”
Mateo nodded.
“And because Nate remembered.”
Rafael looked confused.
“He was a baby.”
Mateo’s expression softened.
“Children remember more than adults think.”
“What did he see?”
Mateo looked toward the floor.
“That night, when I escaped…”
“I was injured.”
“I went to Emily because she was the only person nearby who helped without asking questions.”
“She saved my life.”
Rafael listened.
“But before I left, someone found me.”
“Someone followed you?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Mateo looked at Rafael.
“Someone who knew you.”
The silence returned.
Rafael felt his chest tighten.
“Who?”
Mateo looked at Diego.
Then away.
“I cannot tell you.”
Rafael’s anger returned instantly.
“Not again.”
Mateo stepped closer.
“Listen to me.”
“No.”
Rafael shook his head.
“You don’t get to disappear for twelve years and still decide what I can handle.”
Mateo accepted the anger.
He deserved it.
“You’re right.”
That answer surprised Rafael.
“But if I tell you the name…”
Mateo paused.
“They will know we found the truth.”
Rafael stared.
“Who are they?”
Mateo looked toward the warehouse entrance.
Then whispered:
“The people who have been watching you since the day I disappeared.”
A sudden sound interrupted them.
A phone ringing.
Everyone looked around.
It was coming from Rafael’s pocket.
Unknown number.
Again.
Rafael answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then a distorted voice came through.
“You found him.”
Rafael’s face changed.
“Who is this?”
A quiet laugh.
“Someone who knows your father should have stayed hidden.”
Mateo immediately recognized the voice.
His expression turned serious.
“No…”
Rafael noticed.
“You know him?”
Mateo whispered:
“Yes.”
The voice continued.
“You have always been predictable, Rafael.”
“First your father.”
“Then the boy.”
“Now you.”
Rafael tightened his grip on the phone.
“If you touch Nate…”
The person laughed.
“You still think this is about the boy.”
A pause.
“It’s not.”
“Then what is it about?”
The answer came slowly.
“Your inheritance.”
Rafael froze.
“My what?”
The voice continued.
“Your father left you more than a company.”
“He left you something that can destroy everyone involved.”
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Diego received a message.
His face changed.
“What?”
Rafael looked at him.
Diego turned the phone around.
A picture.
Nate leaving the hospital.
Taken only minutes earlier.
Below it were four words.
We have the boy.
Rafael’s entire expression changed.
The calm disappeared.
The patience disappeared.
The controlled man everyone feared was gone.
Only one thing remained.
A man protecting a child who trusted him.
“Where is Nate?”
Nobody answered.
Because everyone knew.
The enemy had finally made their move.
And this time…
They had chosen the one thing Rafael would never forgive.
May you like
They touched the boy.
TO BE CONTINUED…
