Chapter 9 — The Man Austin Was Afraid Of
Chapter 9 — The Man Austin Was Afraid Of
Austin had spent his entire life being afraid of one man.
He had never admitted it.
Not to Claire.
Not to his father.
Not even to himself.
But when he saw the name on Claire's screen, the fear he'd buried for years came rushing back.
Alexander Voss.
Austin remembered the first time he'd heard that name.
He had been seventeen.
His father had taken him into his study after midnight.
Richard Hayes had locked the door.
That alone had frightened him.
His father never locked doors.
Richard placed a photograph on the desk.
A man stood beside a black car.
Silver hair.
Cold eyes.
A scar running beneath his left cheek.
“Remember this face,” Richard had said.
Austin had stared at the photograph.
“Who is he?”
His father had answered with four words.
“The man who wins.”
Austin hadn't understood.
Then Richard had added:
“If you ever see him, run.”
Twenty years later, Austin finally understood why.
He stood outside the Voss estate watching Claire walk toward the gates.
She hadn't listened to him.
She had refused his protection.
And now she was going alone.
Austin sat inside his car, gripping the steering wheel.
He should leave.
Claire had told him to stay away.
But something inside him wouldn't allow it.
Not this time.
He followed her.
From a distance.
He didn't know whether he was protecting her or simply repeating the same mistake he'd made for years—believing he knew what was best for her.
Then the gates opened.
Claire's car disappeared inside.
Austin parked across the road.
He waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Twenty.
Nothing.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Austin answered.
A man's voice spoke.
“You should have listened to your father.”
Austin's blood ran cold.
“Who is this?”
“You know.”
Austin looked toward the estate.
“Alexander.”
A quiet laugh.
“Still afraid of me.”
Austin swallowed.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to leave.”
“I won't.”
“Then you will lose more than your company.”
Austin's jaw tightened.
“You've already taken everything.”
“No.”
The voice became colder.
“I haven't taken anything yet.”
The line ended.
Austin stared at the phone.
Then the estate lights went out.
Inside the mansion, Claire stood in the entrance hall.
Everything was dark.
She called out.
“Hello?”
No answer.
She took another step.
The door closed behind her.
Claire turned.
Locked.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
“Mom?”
A woman's voice came from upstairs.
“Claire.”
Claire froze.
She knew that voice.
Not from memory.
From the recording.
Isabelle.
Claire slowly looked toward the staircase.
A woman appeared at the top.
Gray hair.
Pale skin.
Dark dress.
Older.
But beautiful.
And unmistakably familiar.
Claire couldn't speak.
The woman descended the stairs.
One step.
Then another.
When she reached the bottom, she stopped several feet away.
Neither moved.
Then Isabelle whispered:
“You look like me.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“You're my mother.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Isabelle's face crumpled.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
Claire recoiled.
“Of me?”
“No.”
Isabelle shook her head.
“Of what would happen to you if they knew you existed.”
Claire's voice trembled.
“Who are they?”
Isabelle looked toward the windows.
“The people who built the empire.”
Claire frowned.
“My father?”
“Which one?”
Claire froze.
Isabelle walked toward her.
“That is the question you should have asked twenty years ago.”
Claire wanted to hug her.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to demand every answer.
Instead, she stood still.
“Why did you leave me?”
Isabelle closed her eyes.
“Because Thomas wanted to use you.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Isabelle shook her head.
“You don't.”
“What don't I know?”
“Thomas wasn't trying to steal your inheritance.”
Claire stared.
“Then what?”
“He was trying to transfer the entire Voss network into your name.”
“Why?”
“Because only you could control it.”
Claire frowned.
“And you didn't want me to?”
“I wanted you to have a normal life.”
“You left me.”
“Yes.”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe Thomas was my father.”
“Yes.”
Claire's voice broke.
“And you call that protecting me?”
Isabelle began crying.
“No.”
She whispered:
“I call it surviving.”
Claire walked toward her.
“Who is my father?”
Isabelle didn't answer.
“Mom.”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
Isabelle looked at her.
“Alexander.”
Claire's heart stopped.
“Alexander Voss.”
“Yes.”
“But everyone said he was dead.”
“I know.”
“Then why is he alive?”
“He wasn't.”
Claire frowned.
“What?”
“Alexander Voss died twenty-four years ago.”
“Then who was in the vault?”
Isabelle's expression changed.
Claire immediately noticed.
“You know.”
“Yes.”
“Who was he?”
Isabelle whispered:
“Your father's brother.”
Claire stared.
“Your uncle.”
“Then why did he say he was my father?”
“Because he believed it.”
“Why?”
“Because Alexander's identity was stolen.”
Claire stepped back.
“What?”
Isabelle looked toward the window.
“There was another man.”
“Who?”
“My husband.”
Claire's face tightened.
“Thomas?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Isabelle said:
“Daniel Voss.”
Claire stopped breathing.
The name meant something.
She had seen it before.
On old documents.
On photographs.
In the Voss Legacy Trust.
Daniel Voss.
The name appeared beside millions of dollars.
Beside companies.
Beside properties.
But she'd assumed he was an investor.
Not her father.
“Daniel is my father?”
Isabelle nodded.
“Yes.”
Claire stared.
“Then why did Alexander claim to be him?”
“Because Daniel disappeared.”
“When?”
“The night you were born.”
“Why?”
Isabelle looked at her.
“He was murdered.”
Claire's blood went cold.
“Who killed him?”
Isabelle's eyes filled with tears.
“We don't know.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“I've spent twenty-four years lying to keep you alive.”
Claire's voice became hard.
“Then stop.”
Isabelle looked at her.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because he's still alive.”
Claire froze.
“Who?”
Isabelle whispered:
“The man who killed your father.”
Outside, Austin watched a black SUV pull up.
Three men stepped out.
He recognized one.
Eleanor's former security chief.
Austin reached for his phone.
Then stopped.
Another vehicle arrived.
A man stepped out.
Austin's blood turned cold.
The man had silver hair.
A scar beneath his left cheek.
Alexander.
Austin knew immediately.
He wasn't dead.
And he wasn't coming for Claire.
He was coming for him.
Austin stepped out of his car.
Alexander looked across the road.
Their eyes met.
Alexander smiled.
“You should have stayed home.”
Austin stood his ground.
“Where is Claire?”
“In the house.”
“Let her go.”
Alexander laughed.
“She's not a prisoner.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Austin froze.
“Why?”
“Because your father stole something from me.”
“What?”
“My identity.”
Austin stared.
“I don't understand.”
“You will.”
Alexander walked toward him.
“When Richard Hayes discovered that Daniel Voss was dead, he took advantage.”
“He created a false identity.”
“Alexander Voss.”
“He used my name.”
Austin shook his head.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if you know what your father wanted.”
“What?”
“The Voss network.”
Austin's face changed.
“That's what all of this is about.”
“No.”
Alexander looked toward the mansion.
“It's about Claire.”
Inside, Isabelle heard a sound.
She turned toward the window.
“They're here.”
Claire looked at her.
“Who?”
Isabelle's face went pale.
“Alexander.”
“But you said—”
“I said he wasn't your father.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
Isabelle grabbed Claire's hand.
“Because he's the man who killed Daniel.”
Claire froze.
The lights came on.
The front doors opened.
Alexander walked inside.
Claire turned.
He looked at her.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Alexander smiled.
“Claire.”
Isabelle stepped between them.
“Stay away from her.”
Alexander's smile disappeared.
“You've hidden her long enough.”
Claire stared at him.
“You killed my father?”
Alexander looked at Isabelle.
“She told you.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Answer me.”
Alexander looked at her.
“No.”
Claire frowned.
“No?”
“I didn't kill Daniel.”
“Then who did?”
Alexander's eyes moved toward the doorway.
Austin had entered.
He was breathing heavily.
Alexander pointed at him.
“Ask him.”
Claire turned.
“Austin?”
Austin's face was pale.
“I don't know.”
Alexander laughed.
“Your father knew.”
Austin shook his head.
“My father is dead.”
“He knew.”
“You're lying.”
Alexander walked closer.
“Your father ordered Daniel's death.”
Austin stared.
“No.”
“He wanted the Voss network.”
“He couldn't have it while Daniel lived.”
Austin shook his head.
“You're wrong.”
Alexander looked at Claire.
“Ask your husband what happened twenty-four years ago.”
Claire turned toward Austin.
“Tell me.”
Austin swallowed.
“I was a child.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“I didn't know.”
“What happened?”
“My father disappeared for three days.”
“Where did he go?”
Austin looked at Alexander.
“To the Voss estate.”
Claire's eyes widened.
“What happened there?”
Austin whispered:
“Daniel died.”
Silence.
Isabelle closed her eyes.
Claire looked at her.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you blamed Thomas.”
“Yes.”
“But it was Richard.”
“Yes.”
Claire turned toward Austin.
“Your father killed mine.”
Austin nodded.
“I think so.”
Claire's voice broke.
“And you knew nothing?”
“No.”
“Why should I believe you?”
Austin didn't answer.
Because he knew he had no right to ask for trust.
Alexander suddenly pulled a gun.
Austin moved toward Claire.
“Get down!”
A shot rang out.
The window shattered.
Everyone screamed.
But Alexander wasn't shooting at them.
He had fired at the ceiling.
“Listen!”
Everyone froze.
Alexander lowered the weapon.
“There is another person in this house.”
Claire looked around.
“Who?”
Alexander stared at Isabelle.
“She knows.”
Isabelle's face went white.
Alexander said:
“Tell Claire who her brother really is.”
Claire turned.
“My brother?”
Isabelle shook her head.
“No.”
Alexander smiled.
“Yes.”
Claire's heart raced.
“The boy in the photograph.”
Isabelle began crying.
“He isn't your brother.”
Claire froze.
“Then who is he?”
Isabelle whispered:
“Your son.”
Claire stared at her.
The room went silent.
Austin looked at Claire.
“What?”
Claire shook her head.
“I don't have a son.”
Isabelle stepped forward.
“You did.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Claire's mind went blank.
“No.”
“You were pregnant.”
“I wasn't.”
“You were.”
Claire looked at Austin.
He was as shocked as she was.
“I would know.”
Isabelle whispered:
“They made you forget.”
Claire stepped backward.
“What?”
“Because the child was born with the Voss bloodline.”
Austin looked at Alexander.
“Why would anyone do that?”
Alexander answered:
“Because that boy is the true heir.”
Claire stared at the photograph in her hand.
The little boy's eyes.
Her eyes.
Her mother's eyes.
She suddenly remembered something.
A hospital.
White walls.
A baby's cry.
A nurse whispering:
“He's beautiful.”
Then darkness.
Claire grabbed her head.
Fragments flooded back.
Pain.
Blood.
A newborn crying.
Austin standing beside her.
Then Eleanor.
Holding a document.
Claire screamed.
“I remember.”
Austin stepped toward her.
“What?”
Claire looked at him.
Her face was filled with horror.
“You knew.”
Austin shook his head.
“I didn't.”
“You were there.”
“I don't remember.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“You signed something.”
Austin froze.
A memory surfaced.
A hospital room.
Eleanor placing a document in front of him.
Austin signing.
He had been told it was a medical consent form.
But now he understood.
It hadn't been.
It was a custody agreement.
He had signed away his own son.
Claire stared at him.
“You gave my baby away.”
Austin's face collapsed.
“I didn't know.”
“You signed.”
“I swear—”
“You signed!”
Her scream echoed through the mansion.
Austin couldn't answer.
Isabelle looked at Claire.
“Your son is alive.”
“Where?”
Isabelle pointed toward the stairs.
A small figure stood there.
The boy from the photograph.
He looked at Claire.
And whispered:
“Mom?”
Claire's entire world shattered.
She stepped toward him.
But before she could reach him—
the lights went out again.
A gunshot echoed.
The boy screamed.
Claire ran upstairs.
And when the emergency lights returned, the child was gone.
Only one thing remained on the floor.
A small silver bracelet.
Engraved with two words:
VOSS HEIR.
Claire picked it up.
Her hands trembled.
Austin stood behind her.
And for the first time, neither of them cared about money.
The company.
The inheritance.
Or the empire.
Someone had taken their child.
And Claire finally understood the real game.
Jessica's fake pregnancy had never been the biggest lie.
It had been a cover for the disappearance of a real child.
Her child.
And the person who had ordered the kidnapping had known Claire would eventually come looking.
May you like
Because the entire empire had been built around one secret:
The Voss heir was never supposed to survive.
