CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
THE SECOND BETRAYAL
The sound came from beneath the house.
A heavy metal door opening.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Ethan stood frozen at the top of the staircase.
His mother was still standing across from him.
Sophie clung to his hand.
And somewhere below them, something scraped across concrete.
Ethan looked at Celeste.
She wasn't smiling anymore.
For the first time since he had known her, she looked afraid.
That frightened him more than anything else.
"What is down there?" Ethan asked.
His mother didn't answer.
"Mom."
She swallowed.
"Room 18."
"I know."
"You don't."
Ethan tightened his grip on Sophie's hand.
"Then tell me."
His mother looked toward the floor.
"The second ledger."
Ethan's heart pounded.
"What does it contain?"
"The truth."
"About my father?"
"About all of us."
A noise came from below.
A metallic click.
Then another.
Ethan reached for his weapon.
"Stay here."
His mother shook her head.
"No."
"You can't go down there."
"I have to."
"Why?"
"Because I was there the last time that door was opened."
Ethan stared.
"When?"
"Twenty years ago."
"And what happened?"
His mother looked at him.
"I betrayed you."
Ethan remembered the first ledger.
Names.
Payments.
Dates.
People who disappeared.
But the second ledger was different.
His father had never mentioned it.
Anna had never mentioned it.
Even Celeste had seemed afraid of it.
That meant only one thing.
Whatever was inside Room 18 was more dangerous than everything Ethan had already discovered.
He looked at Sophie.
"Stay with Grandma."
Sophie shook her head.
"No."
"Sophie."
"Mommy told me to stay with you."
Ethan's heart tightened.
"She did?"
Sophie nodded.
"She said when Daddy finally remembers, I must never let him go alone."
Ethan looked at his mother.
She closed her eyes.
"Anna knew."
"She knew everything?"
"Almost."
"Then why didn't she tell me?"
"Because she was trying to keep you alive."
Ethan took a breath.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
His voice hardened.
"But nobody tells me what I did."
His mother looked at him.
"You saved Anna."
Ethan froze.
"Then why does everyone keep telling me I killed people?"
"Because you did."
His expression changed.
"But not the people you think."
She stepped closer.
"You killed your father's empire."
Ethan stared.
"What?"
"You destroyed the network."
"How?"
"You stole the original ledger."
"Why?"
"Because you discovered what your father was planning."
"What was he planning?"
His mother whispered:
"To kill everyone whose name appeared in the second ledger."
Silence.
Ethan felt sick.
"Why?"
"Because they knew about him."
"And I stopped him."
"Yes."
"Then why did I lose my memory?"
"Because the people you saved became your enemies."
Ethan frowned.
"I don't understand."
His mother looked at Celeste.
"She does."
Everyone turned.
Celeste stood at the bottom of the stairs.
"Don't look at me."
Ethan descended one step.
"You knew."
Celeste nodded.
"You knew my father planned to kill them."
"Yes."
"You knew I stopped him."
"Yes."
"You knew Anna helped me."
"Yes."
"Then why did you spend three years making me believe I was the villain?"
Celeste looked at him.
"Because you became one."
Ethan stopped.
"After your father died, you took control of the network."
"No."
"You did."
"I destroyed it."
"That's what you thought."
Celeste's voice became cold.
"You didn't destroy anything."
"You inherited it."
"And then?"
"You used it."
Ethan shook his head.
"Never."
Celeste laughed bitterly.
"You really don't remember."
She walked toward him.
"After your father's death, hundreds of millions of dollars disappeared."
Ethan stared.
"Where did they go?"
"You moved them."
"To where?"
"Charities."
"Why?"
"To save the people on the second ledger."
Ethan's mother nodded.
"He couldn't save everyone."
"But he tried."
Celeste looked at her.
"Yes."
"And you hated him for it."
"No."
Celeste's eyes filled with tears.
"I hated him because he destroyed my family."
Ethan frowned.
"Your family?"
"Your father killed my brother."
Ethan froze.
"I never knew you had a brother."
"You weren't supposed to."
"Who was he?"
Celeste whispered:
"Gabriel."
Ethan remembered the name.
A photograph.
A young man.
Standing beside Richard's father.
"Gabriel Varga."
Celeste nodded.
"He worked for your father."
"Was he in the ledger?"
"He was the one who created it."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"Then why did my father kill him?"
"He didn't."
"Then who?"
Celeste looked directly at him.
"You did."
Ethan stopped breathing.
Again.
Always the same accusation.
You did.
You killed him.
You killed Richard's father.
You killed Gabriel.
You destroyed the network.
But something still didn't fit.
Ethan looked at his mother.
"Did I?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Celeste's face hardened.
"Don't."
His mother continued.
"Ethan didn't kill Gabriel."
Celeste stepped forward.
"Enough."
"He was there."
"That's enough."
"He tried to stop him."
"Stop talking."
"And you know it."
Celeste's voice broke.
"Stop!"
The house fell silent.
Ethan looked at Celeste.
"Who killed Gabriel?"
Celeste stared at him.
Then whispered:
"Richard."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Richard killed his own father."
Ethan remembered the gun.
Richard standing in the doorway.
His father's body.
But the memory was incomplete.
He turned to his mother.
"Is that true?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Gabriel discovered Richard had been working for your father."
Ethan frowned.
"Richard worked for my father?"
"Yes."
"Then why does he hate me?"
"Because Celeste convinced him you betrayed him."
Ethan looked at Celeste.
"You manipulated him."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he was useful."
Ethan felt sick.
"You destroyed his life."
Celeste looked away.
"I saved mine."
A loud crash came from the basement.
Everyone froze.
Then footsteps.
Someone was coming up.
Ethan raised his weapon.
"Stay behind me."
The basement door opened.
A man stepped into the hallway.
Richard.
His clothes were torn.
Blood covered his face.
But he was alive.
Ethan stared.
"You."
Richard looked at Sophie.
"Is she safe?"
Ethan didn't lower the gun.
"Don't come closer."
Richard stopped.
"I didn't take her."
"I know."
"Then why are you pointing a gun at me?"
"Because I still don't trust you."
Richard nodded.
"Good."
He looked toward Celeste.
"Neither should you."
Celeste stared at him.
"You should be dead."
Richard smiled.
"You've tried."
Ethan looked at him.
"What happened?"
Richard touched the blood on his face.
"Room 18."
Ethan's mother stiffened.
Richard noticed.
"You remember."
She nodded.
Richard looked at Ethan.
"Your mother opened the room."
Ethan turned toward her.
"Why?"
"Because she had no choice."
Richard laughed.
"There's always a choice."
Ethan stepped toward him.
"What did you find?"
Richard pulled out a black notebook.
Not the original ledger.
A second book.
Ethan's heart stopped.
"The second ledger."
Richard nodded.
"You found it."
"Yes."
"Where?"
Richard pointed downward.
"Under the floor."
Ethan stared.
"What's inside?"
Richard opened it.
The first page contained a list.
Names.
But beside every name was a date.
Ethan read the first.
Gabriel Varga — March 17.
Second.
Daniel Carter — March 17.
Third.
Anna Carter — March 17.
Fourth.
Ethan Carter — March 17.
Ethan stopped.
"These aren't payments."
"No."
"These are death dates."
Richard nodded.
Ethan turned pages.
Hundreds of names.
All marked.
Some dates had already passed.
Others were months away.
Then he saw one name.
Sofia Carter — August 17.
Ethan's blood ran cold.
"That's impossible."
Richard looked at him.
"Today's August 11."
Six days.
Ethan looked toward Sophie.
She had no idea.
He closed the book.
"Who wrote this?"
Richard didn't answer.
Ethan looked at Celeste.
She was staring at the page.
"You did."
"No."
"Then who?"
Celeste shook her head.
"I don't know."
Richard laughed.
"You do."
Celeste looked at him.
"Don't."
"You've known for twenty years."
"Stop."
"You killed everyone who tried to expose it."
"Richard."
"You killed Anna."
Celeste's eyes filled with tears.
"And now you want to kill Sophie."
Ethan stepped forward.
"You have six days."
Celeste looked at him.
"No."
"What?"
"You don't understand."
She pointed at the ledger.
"Those dates aren't death dates."
Ethan frowned.
"Then what are they?"
"Release dates."
Silence.
Richard's smile disappeared.
Ethan looked at the book.
"Release from what?"
Celeste whispered:
"The network."
Ethan didn't understand.
Celeste continued.
"Your father didn't create a murder list."
"He created a list of people who had been controlled."
"Debt."
"Blackmail."
"Threats."
"Secrets."
"The network owned them."
"But your father eventually wanted to free them."
Ethan looked at his mother.
She nodded.
"That's why he died."
"And Gabriel?"
"Gabriel wanted to continue the network."
"Richard?"
"Richard wanted to destroy it."
"Celeste?"
"Celeste wanted control."
Ethan looked at the ledger.
"And Anna?"
His mother whispered:
"Anna wanted to expose everything."
Ethan closed his eyes.
The pieces finally fit.
But one piece was still missing.
"Why was Sophie on the list?"
Nobody answered.
Ethan looked at Richard.
"Why?"
Richard's face changed.
"I don't know."
Celeste whispered:
"Because she knows."
Ethan looked at her.
"Knows what?"
Celeste stared at Sophie.
"She remembers the night of the crash."
Sophie looked frightened.
"Daddy..."
Ethan knelt.
"What do you remember?"
Sophie hesitated.
"Mommy was driving."
Ethan froze.
"What?"
"You weren't driving."
His mother covered her mouth.
Richard stepped closer.
"What else?"
Sophie looked at him.
"Mr. Richard was there."
Richard's face went pale.
"What?"
Sophie continued.
"Celeste was there too."
Ethan's heart pounded.
"And Daddy?"
Sophie shook her head.
"Daddy wasn't there."
Silence.
Ethan stood.
"But I remember driving."
Sophie shook her head.
"That wasn't Daddy."
Ethan's mind went blank.
He looked at Celeste.
She smiled.
Finally.
The smile of someone who had been waiting years for this moment.
"Now you understand."
Ethan whispered:
"Who was driving?"
Celeste answered.
"Your brother."
Ethan froze.
"I don't have a brother."
Celeste looked at his mother.
His mother began crying.
Ethan turned.
"Mom?"
She whispered:
"You had a twin."
Ethan couldn't breathe.
"Where is he?"
His mother looked toward the basement.
"Dead."
"Who killed him?"
She closed her eyes.
"You did."
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
His mother whispered:
"That's the memory they took from you."
Ethan staggered backward.
The house seemed to tilt.
Then Sophie spoke.
"Daddy."
He looked at her.
She held out Anna's photograph.
"I found this in Grandma's room."
Ethan took it.
He turned it over.
There was new writing on the back.
But Anna hadn't written it.
The handwriting was Ethan's.
IF I EVER FORGET MY BROTHER, IT MEANS THEY WON.
Ethan stared at the words.
Then beneath them was another sentence.
THE MAN WHO LOOKS LIKE ME IS NOT MY BROTHER.
Ethan's blood turned cold.
He looked at Richard.
Then at Celeste.
Then at his mother.
"Who is he?"
Nobody answered.
A phone began ringing upstairs.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Ethan ran.
He reached the study.
The phone was on the desk.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
"You're finally remembering."
"Who are you?"
"You've spent years looking for me."
"Tell me your name."
A pause.
Then:
"My name is Ethan Carter."
Ethan froze.
The voice continued:
"But I'm not the Ethan you know."
The call ended.
Ethan slowly lowered the phone.
Behind him, Sophie whispered:
"Daddy..."
He turned.
The hallway was empty.
His mother was gone.
Celeste was gone.
Richard was gone.
And on the floor—
was the second ledger.
Open to the final page.
There was only one sentence.
ONE OF THEM IS STILL LYING.
Ethan stared at it.
May you like
Then he saw the name written underneath.
ANNA.
