CHAPTER 13 — THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MURDER
CHAPTER 13 — THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MURDER
The man standing in the doorway looked nothing like a ghost.
Richard Blackwood was older than the photographs.
His hair was almost completely white.
His face was thinner.
But his eyes were exactly the same.
Cold.
Calculating.
Unforgiving.
Leah stared at him.
For twenty-three years, everyone had told her Richard Blackwood was dead.
A funeral had been held.
A grave had been purchased.
His estate had been divided.
His name had become history.
And now—
He was standing ten feet away.
Alive.
Smiling.
“My granddaughter.”
Leah's hands began to shake.
“You're dead.”
Richard tilted his head.
“So I've been told.”
Daniel stepped in front of Leah.
“Stay away from her.”
Richard laughed.
“You sound like your father.”
Daniel froze.
“My father?”
Richard's expression changed.
“Thomas.”
Daniel's fists tightened.
“You killed him.”
Richard looked at him.
“No.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me who did.”
Richard slowly entered the room.
“That's why I'm here.”
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Don't take another step.”
Richard stopped.
“Still protecting them, Adrian?”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“I've spent twenty-three years regretting that I didn't stop you.”
Richard smiled.
“You never understood the game.”
Adrian replied:
“I understand it now.”
Richard looked at Leah.
“Then perhaps it's time she did too.”
THE FILE
Richard placed the folder on the table.
Leah didn't touch it.
“What is that?”
“The truth.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“We've heard that word all night.”
Richard ignored him.
“This contains everything.”
“Everything about Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“The crash?”
“Yes.”
“The poisoning?”
“Yes.”
“Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“Victoria?”
“Yes.”
Leah stared at the folder.
“And you?”
Richard smiled.
“Especially me.”
Daniel reached for it.
Richard pushed it toward him.
“Open it.”
Daniel did.
The first page was a police report.
The second was a medical report.
The third was a photograph.
Thomas.
Alive.
Standing beside a black car.
The date was three days before the crash.
Daniel frowned.
“What am I looking at?”
Richard pointed.
“The man standing beside your father.”
Leah leaned closer.
Her heart stopped.
She knew him.
It was Adrian.
But Adrian looked much younger.
Daniel turned.
“You were there.”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To warn him.”
“About what?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Richard did.
“About me.”
THE NIGHT THOMAS LEARNED THE TRUTH
Thomas had discovered the hidden accounts three days before his death.
Millions had been transferred out of Blackwood-controlled companies.
The money went through shell corporations.
Then offshore trusts.
Then into accounts controlled by Richard.
Thomas confronted his brother.
Richard denied everything.
But Thomas had proof.
He planned to expose him.
Richard knew he couldn't allow that.
So he created a second plan.
He would make Thomas look unstable.
Medical records were altered.
Doctors were bribed.
Medication was secretly changed.
Friends were told Thomas was becoming paranoid.
Then came the final step.
The crash.
But Richard hadn't expected one thing.
Adrian.
Adrian discovered the poisoning.
He warned Thomas.
Thomas refused to run.
Instead, he made a decision.
He created the Blackwood Trust.
Everything he owned would eventually pass to his children.
And Richard would never control it.
Richard looked at Leah.
“That trust ruined everything.”
Leah stared back.
“No.”
“You ruined everything.”
Richard smiled.
“Perhaps.”
THE MURDER
Daniel slammed the folder down.
“Who killed him?”
Richard looked at him.
“You want the exact answer?”
“Yes.”
Richard nodded.
“Thomas was not killed by the crash.”
Leah's heart stopped.
“What?”
Richard opened another file.
“The crash was intended to kill him.”
“But it failed.”
Daniel stared.
“What happened?”
Richard answered:
“Thomas survived.”
Silence.
“He was alive after the impact.”
Leah whispered:
“Then who killed him?”
Richard looked at Adrian.
“Ask him.”
Everyone turned.
Adrian closed his eyes.
Daniel stepped toward him.
“Adrian?”
Adrian's voice was barely audible.
“I found him.”
“After the crash?”
“Yes.”
“He was alive?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Twenty minutes.”
Daniel's face turned pale.
“What happened?”
Adrian looked at Leah.
“Thomas asked me to protect you.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
Adrian swallowed.
“Then Richard arrived.”
THE FINAL CONVERSATION
Adrian remembered the scene perfectly.
Thomas was trapped inside the wreckage.
His breathing was shallow.
Blood covered his shirt.
Adrian tried to pull him free.
Then another vehicle arrived.
Richard stepped out.
He walked toward the wreck.
Thomas saw him.
And laughed.
Richard asked:
“Where is the trust?”
Thomas answered:
“Somewhere you'll never find it.”
Richard became furious.
He demanded the access code.
Thomas refused.
Then Richard told Adrian:
“Leave.”
Adrian wouldn't.
Richard pulled a gun.
Thomas looked at Adrian.
“Go.”
Adrian refused.
Thomas shouted:
“Protect my children!”
Adrian finally understood.
If he stayed, everyone would die.
He ran.
Behind him, he heard a gunshot.
Then another.
Adrian stopped.
But he didn't turn around.
For twenty-three years, that decision had haunted him.
THE SECRET ADRIAN NEVER TOLD
Leah stared at him.
“You left him.”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes.”
“You knew he was alive.”
“Yes.”
“And you left.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Thomas made me promise.”
Leah shook her head.
“You should have saved him.”
“I tried.”
“You should have stayed.”
“I couldn't.”
“You could have.”
Adrian lowered his head.
“I know.”
Leah turned away.
Daniel looked at Richard.
“You killed him.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
Daniel froze.
Richard continued:
“I didn't fire the final shot.”
Silence.
“Then who did?”
Richard looked toward Evelyn.
Everyone turned.
Evelyn began crying.
“No.”
Richard said:
“She did.”
EVELYN'S CONFESSION
Evelyn collapsed into a chair.
Daniel stared.
“Aunt Evelyn?”
She covered her face.
“I didn't want to.”
“You killed him?”
“No.”
“Then what did you do?”
“I held the gun.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Richard continued:
“Evelyn arrived after Adrian left.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I thought Thomas was already dead.”
“But he wasn't.”
“No.”
Richard smiled.
“He was still alive.”
Evelyn began sobbing.
“I heard him breathing.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What did you do?”
“I called for help.”
Richard interrupted:
“No.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You told her not to.”
“I told her the police would blame her.”
“And you believed him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“Because he threatened you.”
Daniel's face changed.
“He threatened me?”
“He said if I spoke, you would disappear.”
Daniel whispered:
“So you chose me.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
Daniel looked away.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
THE FINAL SHOT
Richard opened the last file.
Inside was a photograph.
The crash site.
Thomas on the ground.
Evelyn standing beside him.
A gun in her hand.
But there was something else.
A second person.
A shadow.
Standing behind her.
Leah leaned closer.
“Who is that?”
Richard smiled.
“The person who actually fired.”
Daniel stared.
The photograph was blurry.
But the outline was unmistakable.
A woman.
Long hair.
Silver necklace.
Leah whispered:
“Victoria.”
Richard nodded.
“She arrived after Evelyn.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You said she wasn't there.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed Victoria to believe I trusted her.”
Leah stared.
“So Victoria killed Thomas.”
Richard shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Richard looked at Leah.
“Victoria fired the gun.”
“But Thomas was already dying.”
“Yes.”
“So what difference does it make?”
Richard's expression became cold.
“The first bullet missed.”
Silence.
“The second struck Thomas.”
“The third never came from Victoria.”
Leah's heart pounded.
“Then who fired it?”
Richard smiled.
“You.”
Leah froze.
“What?”
Richard opened another photograph.
A child stood near the crash site.
A little girl.
Leah.
She couldn't breathe.
“That isn't possible.”
“You were there.”
“No.”
“You saw everything.”
“I was a baby.”
Richard nodded.
“Exactly.”
Leah stared at the photograph.
Her mother was holding her.
Thomas was on the ground.
Victoria stood nearby.
Evelyn was crying.
And behind them—
A man.
Adrian.
But the photograph had been taken moments before the crash.
Richard said:
“You were the reason Thomas fought so hard to live.”
THE MEMORY
Something inside Leah broke.
A sound.
A smell.
A voice.
Suddenly—
She remembered.
Rain.
Glass.
Her mother's hands.
Thomas's voice.
“Take Leah and run.”
Then a gunshot.
A woman screaming.
Margaret.
A black car.
A silver necklace.
And one sentence.
“If she survives, the trust survives.”
Leah gasped.
Daniel grabbed her.
“What happened?”
“I remember.”
Everyone went silent.
“What do you remember?”
Leah looked at Richard.
“You were there.”
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
“You told Victoria to shoot him.”
Richard's smile faded.
“You remember.”
“You told her Thomas couldn't be allowed to survive.”
Richard didn't answer.
Leah continued.
“And then…”
She looked toward Evelyn.
“You took the gun.”
Evelyn began crying.
“I was trying to stop Victoria.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“You shot the third bullet.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Why?”
Evelyn whispered:
“Because Thomas was suffering.”
Daniel's voice broke.
“You killed him.”
“Yes.”
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MURDER
Evelyn finally confessed.
Victoria fired the first shots.
Evelyn fired the final shot.
Richard ordered the murder.
Edward helped prepare the poisoning.
Cassandra manipulated the financial records.
Jonathan unknowingly provided the location.
And Margaret arrived too late.
The murder wasn't committed by one person.
It was a chain of fear.
Greed.
Blackmail.
And betrayal.
But there was one final secret.
Margaret had known.
She had witnessed the aftermath.
And instead of exposing everyone—
She disappeared.
Why?
Because she discovered that Leah was the key to the trust.
And if the killers knew Leah was alive, they would come for her.
So Margaret sacrificed herself.
She became a ghost.
She watched from a distance.
She protected Leah without letting her know.
Until now.
THE WOMAN WHO WAS STILL ALIVE
Richard looked toward the door.
“You're missing one person.”
Leah frowned.
“Who?”
Richard smiled.
“Victoria.”
A slow clap echoed through the hallway.
Everyone turned.
Victoria stepped into the room.
She was holding a gun.
Beside her stood Margaret.
Alive.
But Margaret's hands were tied.
Leah screamed:
“Mom!”
Victoria smiled.
“You finally understand.”
Richard looked at her.
“Victoria.”
She ignored him.
Her eyes remained fixed on Leah.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
Leah stepped forward.
“The trust?”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed at Leah.
“Your blood.”
Daniel moved toward her.
Victoria raised the gun.
“Don't.”
Daniel stopped.
Victoria looked at Leah.
“Your father left you something more valuable than money.”
“What?”
“A name.”
Leah frowned.
Victoria smiled.
“The name of the man who really controls the Blackwood empire.”
Richard's face changed.
“Don't.”
Victoria laughed.
“For once, Richard…”
She turned toward Leah.
“…I'm going to tell her everything.”
Richard raised his weapon.
Victoria fired first.
The bullet struck the wall.
Everyone ducked.
Margaret fell.
Leah ran toward her.
Daniel tackled Victoria.
Richard disappeared through the rear door.
Adrian chased him.
And in the chaos—
Margaret grabbed Leah's hand.
“Listen to me.”
Leah knelt beside her.
“What?”
Margaret's eyes were filled with terror.
“The man you believe is your grandfather…”
She looked toward the door.
“He isn't.”
Leah froze.
“What?”
Margaret whispered:
“Richard Blackwood died twenty-three years ago.”
“Then who is he?”
Margaret squeezed Leah's hand.
“He is the man Thomas feared most.”
Leah stared.
“Who?”
Margaret opened her mouth.
Before she could answer—
May you like
The room exploded.
TO BE CONTINUED…
