Chapter 13 — The Man Who Ordered the Fire
Chapter 13 — The Man Who Ordered the Fire
The paper trembled in Amelia's hand.
Ethan stared at her.
“Give it to me.”
She didn't move.
“Amelia.”
“I can't.”
“You said you wanted no more secrets.”
“I know.”
“Then give it to me.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to protect you.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
He stepped closer.
“Every person who destroyed my life has used those exact words.”
Amelia closed her eyes.
Then she handed him the paper.
Ethan unfolded it.
There were only three lines.
THE FIRE WAS ORDERED BY THE MAN WHO SAT BESIDE ETHAN'S CRADLE.
HE DID NOT WANT THE CHILDREN DEAD.
HE WANTED THEM SEPARATED.
Ethan frowned.
“That's it?”
Amelia nodded.
“There's more on the back.”
He turned it over.
His blood ran cold.
A name had been written there.
Samuel Blackwood.
Ethan stared.
His grandfather.
The man who had just walked out of the room.
The man everyone believed had died twenty years ago.
The man who had supposedly been protecting the family.
“He ordered the fire.”
Amelia whispered:
“Yes.”
Ethan ran after Samuel.
He reached the basement corridor.
Empty.
“Samuel!”
No answer.
Daniel arrived behind him.
“He's gone.”
Ethan turned.
“Lock down the house.”
“Already done.”
“Find him.”
Daniel hesitated.
“What about the children?”
Ethan looked toward Lily.
She stood beside Rose and Thomas.
All three were terrified.
“Keep them with Amelia.”
Daniel nodded.
Ethan looked at Lily.
“I'll be back.”
She grabbed his hand.
“Don't go.”
He knelt.
“I have to.”
“Is the old man bad?”
Ethan looked toward the empty hallway.
“I don't know.”
Lily whispered:
“I think he is.”
Ethan froze.
“Why?”
“He looked at me like he knew me.”
Samuel hadn't gone far.
A hidden elevator carried him from the basement to the old library.
Ethan found him standing beside the fireplace.
Calm.
As if nothing had happened.
“You ordered the fire.”
Samuel didn't turn.
“Yes.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“You almost killed Amelia.”
“No.”
“You put my daughter in danger.”
“No.”
“You destroyed my family.”
Samuel finally looked at him.
“I saved it.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You burned a hospital.”
“I burned a building.”
“People died.”
“I know.”
“And you call that saving?”
Samuel sighed.
“You still think the fire was the crime.”
“What else was it?”
“The fire was the distraction.”
Ethan stared.
“For what?”
“To separate the heirs.”
“Why?”
Samuel walked toward the window.
“Because Gabriel was going to kill all of you.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You're blaming Gabriel.”
“I created Gabriel.”
Silence.
Ethan froze.
“What?”
Samuel looked at him.
“I taught him that power was more important than people.”
“You raised him.”
“Yes.”
“And Richard?”
“I found him.”
“And Victor?”
“I funded him.”
Ethan's blood ran cold.
“You built all of this.”
Samuel nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the Blackwood empire was dying.”
“That doesn't justify murder.”
“No.”
Samuel's voice became quiet.
“It doesn't.”
Ethan stared at him.
“Then why?”
Samuel took a photograph from his pocket.
It showed three children.
Ethan.
Michael.
Gabriel.
“They were supposed to inherit together.”
Samuel pointed to Gabriel.
“He hated sharing.”
He pointed to Michael.
“He wanted peace.”
Then Ethan.
“And you were the bridge between them.”
Ethan frowned.
“I was a baby.”
“You were the only one Gabriel couldn't manipulate.”
“How would a baby stop him?”
“You were the legal heir.”
Ethan understood.
“The trust.”
Samuel nodded.
“Your birth activated it.”
“But if I died?”
“Gabriel inherited.”
“And if I disappeared?”
“The trust remained frozen.”
Samuel smiled sadly.
“That was the problem.”
“So you faked my death?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“Richard.”
Ethan's face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because Richard believed he could control Gabriel.”
“And you?”
“I believed I could control Richard.”
Ethan laughed.
“You were all insane.”
Samuel didn't disagree.
“Yes.”
The door opened.
Amelia entered.
Ethan looked at her.
“You knew.”
She nodded.
“Most of it.”
“How long?”
“Since before I married you.”
Ethan's face tightened.
“Why marry me?”
Amelia looked at Samuel.
“Because he asked me to.”
Ethan froze.
Samuel said nothing.
Amelia continued:
“I was supposed to watch you.”
“Watch me?”
“Yes.”
“Report to him?”
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“Your finances.”
Ethan stared at her.
“My business?”
“Yes.”
“And Lily?”
Amelia began crying.
“I didn't know Lily would survive.”
“But you knew about the trust.”
“Yes.”
“And you married me to monitor me.”
“Yes.”
Ethan stepped backward.
Every memory suddenly felt poisoned.
Their wedding.
Their first home.
The birth of Lily.
Every conversation.
Every kiss.
“How much of it was real?”
Amelia looked at him.
“All of it.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You can't say that.”
“I loved you.”
“But you lied.”
“I was terrified.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
His voice broke.
“You let me believe I was alone.”
Amelia cried.
“I was trying to save you.”
Ethan turned away.
“Stop saying that.”
Samuel watched them.
Then he said:
“She didn't betray you.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
“She betrayed me.”
Samuel looked at Amelia.
“She was supposed to deliver Lily to me.”
Ethan froze.
“You wanted Lily?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To hide her.”
“From Gabriel?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because if Gabriel knew you were the father, he'd kill you.”
Ethan stared.
“So you stole my daughter.”
“I saved your daughter.”
“You don't get to call kidnapping salvation.”
Samuel nodded.
“You're right.”
For the first time, the old man's confidence disappeared.
“I made terrible choices.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You ordered the fire.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you simply take us?”
“Because Gabriel was watching.”
“Then what was the plan?”
“To fake your death.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“Everyone would believe you died.”
“And Amelia?”
“Would disappear.”
“And Lily?”
“Would be hidden.”
“And Michael?”
“Would be blamed.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You destroyed four lives to protect one inheritance.”
Samuel whispered:
“I was protecting the bloodline.”
“No.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You were protecting the empire.”
A gunshot shattered the window.
Samuel dropped.
Ethan grabbed Amelia.
Daniel rushed into the room.
“Get down!”
Another bullet struck the wall.
Samuel lay on the floor.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Grandfather!”
Ethan knelt beside him.
Samuel was breathing.
Barely.
Daniel shouted:
“Sniper!”
Ethan looked outside.
Nothing.
Then Samuel grabbed his wrist.
“Listen.”
“What?”
“The fire wasn't my last order.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“What do you mean?”
Samuel coughed.
“The man who ordered the second fire…”
He struggled to breathe.
“…is still alive.”
“Who?”
Samuel looked toward Amelia.
His eyes widened.
“Her.”
Amelia froze.
“What?”
Samuel whispered:
“Her father.”
Ethan stared.
“Gabriel?”
Samuel shook his head.
“No.”
Then he lost consciousness.
The ambulance arrived.
Samuel was taken away under heavy security.
Ethan remained in the library.
Daniel stood beside him.
“What did he mean?”
“I don't know.”
“He said Amelia's father ordered another fire.”
“Gabriel?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Ethan looked at the old family records.
Amelia had always said her father was Gabriel.
But Samuel had denied it.
And now he had called Gabriel only a pawn.
Ethan opened the archive.
He found Amelia's birth certificate.
The father's name had been scratched out.
He found another.
Same thing.
A third.
Again.
Then he found a sealed medical record.
He opened it.
PATIENT: AMELIA VALE
BIOLOGICAL FATHER: UNKNOWN
Ethan stared.
“Vale.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“Her original surname.”
“Vale.”
Ethan remembered something.
Marcus Vale.
Richard's old driver.
The man who had helped Lily escape.
The same surname.
“Marcus.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What about him?”
“He knew Amelia.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“You think—”
The door opened.
Marcus entered.
He looked exhausted.
“Don't say my name.”
Ethan stared.
“You're Amelia's father.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Amelia stood behind Ethan.
“Dad.”
Marcus looked at her.
“I never wanted you involved.”
“You lied to me.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Ethan stepped toward him.
“You ordered the second fire.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Marcus looked at Amelia.
She was crying.
He whispered:
“Your mother.”
Silence.
Ethan froze.
“Amelia's mother?”
Marcus nodded.
“Her name was Evelyn.”
“Where is she?”
Marcus looked toward the window.
“Dead.”
“When?”
“Twenty years ago.”
“Who killed her?”
Marcus's voice dropped.
“Samuel.”
Ethan's blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“Because Evelyn knew the truth.”
“What truth?”
Marcus looked at Amelia.
“That Amelia was never supposed to marry you.”
Ethan stared.
“Why?”
Marcus swallowed.
“Because she was the only person who could expose the entire Blackwood bloodline.”
That night, the family gathered in the hospital.
Samuel survived surgery.
Barely.
Amelia sat beside Ethan.
Neither spoke.
Then a doctor entered.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
“Yes?”
“Your grandfather is awake.”
Ethan stood.
“Can I see him?”
“Yes.”
He entered the room alone.
Samuel looked weak.
The machines beeped around him.
Ethan stood beside the bed.
“You owe me the truth.”
Samuel nodded.
“I know.”
“Who ordered the hospital fire?”
Samuel closed his eyes.
“I did.”
Ethan stared.
“Why?”
“To save you.”
“No.”
Samuel opened his eyes.
“To save your mother.”
Ethan froze.
“My mother?”
“Your biological mother.”
Ethan's heart stopped.
“Catherine isn't my mother?”
Samuel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who is?”
Samuel looked toward the door.
“Evelyn.”
Ethan went silent.
“Evelyn Vale?”
“Yes.”
“Amelia's mother?”
“Yes.”
Ethan couldn't breathe.
“Then Amelia…”
Samuel nodded.
“Is your half-sister.”
The world seemed to disappear.
Ethan stepped backward.
“No.”
Samuel continued:
“Your father was Gabriel.”
“Amelia's father was Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“So how—”
“Your mother had two children.”
Ethan stared.
“Me.”
“And Amelia.”
Samuel nodded.
“Separated at birth.”
Ethan covered his face.
Amelia was not his wife.
She was his sister.
Their entire marriage had been built on a lie so monstrous that neither of them had known the truth.
Ethan turned toward the door.
Amelia stood there.
She had heard everything.
Her face was empty.
Then she whispered:
“No.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
Amelia began shaking.
“No.”
Ethan couldn't move.
She looked at him.
“You're my brother?”
He couldn't answer.
She began crying.
“Our children…”
Ethan's heart broke.
“Lily and Rose are not related by blood to me through you.”
Amelia shook her head.
“I married my own brother.”
“No.”
Samuel spoke weakly.
“You were both deceived.”
Amelia collapsed into a chair.
“Why?”
Samuel looked at them.
“Because that was the only way to unite the two branches of the Blackwood bloodline.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You planned our marriage.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To control the inheritance.”
Amelia covered her face.
The room became silent.
Then Ethan noticed something.
A red light was blinking on Samuel's heart monitor.
He looked at the machine.
“What's that?”
The monitor suddenly went black.
Samuel's eyes widened.
He whispered:
“Run.”
The hospital lights went out.
A voice came over the intercom.
“Blackwood family.”
Everyone froze.
“Your secrets are no longer yours.”
Ethan grabbed Amelia's hand.
The voice continued:
“The world will know everything.”
Then every screen in the hospital turned on.
Photographs appeared.
Ethan and Amelia's wedding.
Their marriage.
Lily's birth.
Rose's birth.
The fire.
The hidden records.
Everything.
A message appeared:
THE BLACKWOOD BLOODLINE ENDS TONIGHT.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then another image appeared.
A man stood beside the hospital's main entrance.
Evelyn Vale.
Alive.
Ethan's blood froze.
Amelia whispered:
“Mom?”
The screen showed Evelyn smiling.
Then she spoke directly into the camera.
“Hello, children.”
The broadcast ended.
Ethan looked at Amelia.
The woman everyone believed had died twenty years ago was alive.
And she had just announced herself to the entire world.
The man who ordered the fire had finally been revealed.
May you like
But the person who survived it had been waiting all along.
And now she was coming for her children.
