CHAPTER 13 — THE TRUTH ABOUT VICTOR
CHAPTER 13 — THE TRUTH ABOUT VICTOR
04:57
The countdown continued.
Victor stared at the glowing numbers.
Ethan was still in his arms.
His son was crying into his shoulder.
"Daddy, what happened?"
Victor looked down.
"It's okay."
But his voice didn't sound convincing.
Nothing was okay.
The Trust was counting down.
Michael had escaped.
And someone inside the mansion had betrayed him.
Someone they had trusted.
Someone who knew exactly where Victor would be.
Evelyn stood several feet away.
She was crying silently.
Victor looked at her.
He felt something.
A strange ache.
A sense that he had lost something important.
But he couldn't remember what.
He touched his temple.
"Why can't I remember you?"
Evelyn looked at him.
"Because you chose to forget."
Victor frowned.
"Why?"
"To save Ethan."
He looked at the countdown.
04:31
Then he turned toward Edward.
"You said the Trust was designed to protect me."
Edward nodded.
"Yes."
"Then why is it trying to kill me?"
Edward didn't answer.
Victor stepped closer.
"Tell me the truth."
Edward looked at him.
"I have been."
"No."
Victor's voice became cold.
"You've been giving me pieces."
Edward lowered his eyes.
"Because the whole truth would have destroyed you."
Victor pointed toward the countdown.
"More destruction than this?"
Edward sighed.
"There is something you don't know about yourself."
Victor waited.
Edward whispered:
"You were never supposed to be Victor Hale."
Silence.
Victor stared.
"What?"
"Victor Hale was a name."
"A constructed identity."
Victor shook his head.
"No."
"You were born under another name."
"What name?"
Edward looked toward Isabella's body.
"Michael."
Victor froze.
"Michael?"
"No."
Edward shook his head.
"Not my brother."
"Your original name was Gabriel."
Victor's face went blank.
"Gabriel Hale."
Edward nodded.
"That was your birth name."
Victor stared at Ethan.
"Then who is Victor?"
Edward answered:
"The identity they gave you."
"Why?"
"Because Gabriel Hale died."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"When?"
"Before you were born."
Victor shook his head.
"That makes no sense."
Edward stepped closer.
"Because the boy named Gabriel wasn't you."
Victor froze.
"What?"
Edward's voice trembled.
"You were born as his replacement."
The room became silent.
Evelyn looked at Edward.
"Stop."
Victor turned.
"Let him finish."
Edward swallowed.
"Your grandfather had a son."
"Gabriel."
"He was the original heir."
"He died at age seven."
Victor stared.
"Then why do I have his name?"
"Because your grandfather refused to accept his death."
Edward continued.
"He found another child."
Victor's face hardened.
"Me."
"Yes."
"Where?"
Edward looked away.
"You were adopted."
"By whom?"
"Isabella."
Victor's eyes widened.
"She wasn't my biological mother."
"No."
Victor stepped backward.
"Then who was?"
Edward said nothing.
Victor shouted:
"Who was my mother?"
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Edward whispered:
"Your mother was a woman named Maria."
Victor froze.
"Maria?"
"She worked in the old estate."
"She gave birth to you."
"Then your grandfather took you."
Victor's breathing became shallow.
"Why?"
"Because you had the same genetic marker."
Victor looked toward Ethan.
"So I was chosen."
"Yes."
"Like an experiment."
"Yes."
Victor's hands trembled.
"Then Isabella..."
"She adopted you."
"To protect me."
"Yes."
Victor stared at her body.
A lifetime of memories suddenly felt like someone else's life.
"Then why did she call me her son?"
"Because you became her son."
Victor looked down.
"She loved me."
Edward nodded.
"More than anyone."
Victor closed his eyes.
For a moment, he remembered Isabella holding him.
Not the laboratory.
Not the Trust.
Not the conditioning.
Just a mother.
A woman telling a frightened little boy:
You are mine. No matter what they say.
Victor opened his eyes.
Then he noticed something.
The countdown.
03:12
He turned sharply.
"Enough."
Edward looked at him.
"Enough what?"
"Enough secrets."
Victor pointed at the countdown.
"How do we stop it?"
Edward hesitated.
Victor stepped closer.
"Tell me."
"The Trust can only be stopped by the original heir."
"That's me?"
"No."
Victor froze.
"Then who?"
Edward looked at Ethan.
Victor's heart sank.
"No."
"Your son."
Victor shook his head.
"You said Ethan was the secondary heir."
"I lied."
"Why?"
"Because I was trying to keep Michael from finding out."
Victor looked at Ethan.
"He's the original heir."
Edward nodded.
"The Trust was designed for him."
Victor's expression hardened.
"Then why did the system identify me?"
"Because you were the guardian."
"Guardian?"
"Yes."
Victor remembered the phrase.
PRIMARY TARGET.
Not primary heir.
Target.
His eyes widened.
"I was never the heir."
"No."
"I was the shield."
"Yes."
Victor looked at the countdown.
"Then Michael's entire plan..."
"Was to force you to activate the Trust."
"And I did."
"Yes."
Victor's face became cold.
"Then he already won."
Edward shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't know the final rule."
Victor waited.
Edward whispered:
"The guardian can transfer the Trust to the heir."
Victor looked at Ethan.
"How?"
"With the second key."
Victor touched his palm.
The symbol was still there.
A faint glow.
Edward continued:
"But the transfer requires one thing."
"What?"
"The guardian must willingly surrender his identity."
Victor stared.
"My identity?"
"Your memories."
"Everything?"
"Everything that belongs to Victor Hale."
Victor's face went pale.
"If I do that..."
"You'll cease to exist as Victor."
"What happens to me?"
Edward hesitated.
"We don't know."
Ethan looked up.
"Daddy?"
Victor crouched.
"I'm here."
"Are you going away?"
Victor forced a smile.
"No."
"You promise?"
Victor hugged him.
"I promise."
But he wasn't sure.
02:41
The mansion shook again.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Clara ran toward them.
"The eastern wing is collapsing."
"How long?"
"Less than three minutes."
Victor stood.
"Get everyone out."
Edward shook his head.
"You have to transfer the Trust first."
Victor looked at him.
"Where?"
"The original chamber."
"Where is it?"
"Below the mansion."
Victor looked at the floor.
"The room beneath us."
Edward nodded.
"Ethan has to activate it."
Victor grabbed his son's hand.
"Then let's go."
Evelyn stepped forward.
Victor looked at her.
She smiled sadly.
"Go."
He hesitated.
"I feel like I should remember something."
"You don't need to."
"What did I forget?"
She wiped her tears.
"How much you loved me."
Victor stared.
The words hurt.
He didn't know why.
Then he nodded.
"Thank you."
Evelyn smiled.
"For what?"
"For saving my son."
She looked at him.
"I saved you too."
Victor turned away.
They descended.
The original chamber was enormous.
It stretched beneath the mansion like an underground cathedral.
Ancient machinery covered the walls.
Hundreds of cables disappeared into the stone.
At the center was a circular platform.
Ethan stepped onto it.
The system activated.
HEIR IDENTIFIED.
Victor stood behind him.
GUARDIAN IDENTIFIED.
Then:
TRANSFER REQUIRED.
Victor stepped forward.
A beam of light surrounded him.
His memories began appearing on the walls.
Childhood.
School.
His first business.
His marriage.
Ethan's birth.
Evelyn.
Serena.
The mansion.
Every lie.
Every betrayal.
Every person he had loved.
Victor watched silently.
Then one memory appeared that he had never seen.
Maria.
His biological mother.
She was young.
Holding baby Victor.
She was crying.
A man stood behind her.
His grandfather.
He took the baby from her.
Maria screamed:
"Please!"
The old man answered:
"He belongs to the family."
Victor watched in horror.
Maria fell to the floor.
Then Isabella entered.
She looked at the baby.
She looked at Maria.
And she said:
"I'll take care of him."
Maria whispered:
"Promise me."
Isabella nodded.
"I promise."
The memory ended.
Victor closed his eyes.
Now he understood.
Isabella had never stolen him.
She had rescued him.
The chamber began to shake.
TRANSFER: 70%.
Victor felt something leaving him.
His memories became blurry.
Ethan looked up.
"Daddy?"
Victor smiled.
"I'm okay."
TRANSFER: 80%.
He forgot the name of his childhood school.
85%.
He forgot his first business partner.
90%.
He forgot his wedding day.
He frowned.
"Wait."
Evelyn's face appeared in his mind.
He couldn't remember her name.
But he remembered her smile.
He remembered feeling safe.
He whispered:
"Who are you?"
Evelyn, watching through the chamber glass, covered her mouth.
95%.
Victor forgot Serena.
Forgot Adrian.
Forgot Michael.
Forgot the Trust.
Only Ethan remained.
99%.
Victor looked at his son.
"What is your name?"
Ethan began crying.
"Ethan."
Victor smiled.
"Ethan."
The machine stopped.
TRANSFER COMPLETE.
The chamber went silent.
Victor collapsed.
Ethan ran to him.
"Daddy!"
Victor opened his eyes.
He looked at the boy.
"Are you okay?"
Ethan nodded.
Victor smiled.
"Good."
Edward stared at the system.
"The Trust is gone."
Victor frowned.
"What Trust?"
Edward's eyes filled with tears.
"You really don't remember."
Victor shook his head.
"Remember what?"
Evelyn stepped into the chamber.
Victor looked at her.
She smiled through tears.
"Hello."
Victor stared at her.
"Do I know you?"
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes."
"Who are you?"
She hesitated.
Then answered:
"Someone who loved you."
Victor looked confused.
But something inside him hurt.
"I don't remember."
"I know."
Then the lights went red.
A message appeared.
TRANSFER INTERRUPTED.
Edward froze.
"No."
Victor looked at him.
"What?"
"The Trust wasn't transferred."
"Then what happened?"
Edward pointed at the screen.
"It duplicated."
Victor frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Edward whispered:
"Victor still has it."
Ethan looked at his father.
Victor's palm began glowing again.
The symbol returned.
But this time—
another symbol appeared on Ethan's hand.
The two symbols connected.
Edward stared.
"Impossible."
Evelyn whispered:
"They split it."
Victor looked at his hand.
"What is happening?"
The system answered.
DUAL HEIRS CONFIRMED.
Victor's face went pale.
VICTOR HALE — GUARDIAN.
ETHAN HALE — HEIR.
Then another line appeared.
PROTECTION PROTOCOL ACTIVE.
Edward stared.
"Protection from whom?"
The system displayed one name.
MICHAEL HALE.
Victor looked toward the entrance.
Michael stood there.
Bloodied.
Smiling.
"You finally understand."
Victor stepped in front of Ethan.
Michael laughed.
"Still protecting him."
Victor raised his weapon.
Michael shook his head.
"Don't."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't come to kill you."
Victor narrowed his eyes.
"Then why are you here?"
Michael held up a small device.
"To show you the truth."
He pressed it.
A recording began.
Victor heard his own voice.
But this recording was different.
It wasn't eighteen years old.
It was from earlier that night.
Victor was standing with Michael.
Alone.
Talking.
Victor's recorded voice said:
"I know what you're doing."
Michael answered:
"And you agreed."
Victor stared at the screen.
"No."
The recording continued.
Victor's voice:
"If anything happens to Ethan, I'll activate the Trust."
Michael:
"And if you forget?"
Victor:
"Then make me remember."
Victor's face went white.
The recording ended.
Michael smiled.
"You made the plan."
Victor stared.
"I don't remember."
"I know."
"Why would I agree?"
Michael stepped closer.
"Because you knew something."
"What?"
Michael's smile disappeared.
"You knew who was really hunting Ethan."
Victor looked at him.
"Who?"
Michael answered:
"Not me."
The chamber went silent.
"Then who?"
Michael pointed toward the doorway.
Everyone turned.
A shadow stood there.
Serena.
But she was holding a gun.
Not aimed at Victor.
Not at Ethan.
At Michael.
Michael's expression changed.
"Serena."
She whispered:
"Run."
Victor stared.
"Why?"
Serena looked directly at him.
"Because the man behind all of this..."
She raised the weapon.
"...isn't Michael."
A second figure stepped behind her.
Edward.
Victor froze.
His father was holding a gun to Serena's head.
Edward smiled.
For the first time—
Victor saw the truth.
The man he had trusted most was the one everyone else feared.
Edward spoke softly.
"Hello, Victor."
Victor's blood ran cold.
"You."
Edward nodded.
"I was wondering when you'd finally remember me."
The chamber doors slammed shut.
And the countdown restarted.
01:00
00:59
00:58
The system displayed one final warning:
May you like
ORIGINAL ARCHITECT IDENTIFIED.
EDWARD HALE.
