CHAPTER 3 — The Truth in Bloodlines
CHAPTER 3 — The Truth in Bloodlines
Richard took a slow step forward.
“What’s your name?” he asked again.
The boy swallowed.
“Elias.”
Richard’s breath stopped.
Vanessa’s grip on his arm tightened. “Don’t do this. Don’t let him manipulate you—”
But Richard pulled free.
“Elias…” he repeated, like testing a memory he had buried.
The boy nodded urgently.
“My mother was Elinor Vale,” he said quickly. “She worked in your research division years ago. She said you loved her. She said you promised to protect us if anything went wrong.”
Richard went still.
The name hit like a locked door opening.
Elinor Vale.
The scientist.
The whistleblower.
The woman who disappeared after reporting internal fraud in one of Hale Industries’ overseas contracts.
Vanessa laughed sharply.
“That woman stole from us,” she said quickly. “She was removed for misconduct—”
“Stop,” Richard said.
One word.
But it cut everything.
Vanessa froze.
Richard turned back to the boy.
“She told you I was your father?”
Elias nodded.
“She said you never knew because she was forced to leave before she could tell you. She said your wife made sure of it.”
Richard slowly turned his head toward Vanessa.
The air changed.
Not loud.
Just final.
“Vanessa,” he said quietly. “What did you do?”
For the first time, she didn’t answer immediately.
Her eyes darted toward the helicopter.
Toward the open door.
Toward escape.
And Richard saw it.
Understanding didn’t come as a shock.
It came as confirmation.
The boy stepped forward, shaking.
“I didn’t come here for revenge,” he said. “I came because she died last month. And she said you had a right to know the truth before they erased me too.”
Richard’s voice cracked.
“She’s dead?”
Elias nodded.
Silence again.
May you like
But this time, it felt different.
Like something irreversible had already begun.
