Chapter 12 – Desperate Lies
Chapter 12 – Desperate Lies
The rain had stopped by the time Ethan's convoy reached the old Carter estate.
The mansion stood in complete darkness.
Its once-grand gardens had been swallowed by weeds, and cracked marble statues leaned beneath ancient oak trees.
This place had been abandoned since Ethan's grandfather's funeral.
No one had lived here in over ten years.
Yet tonight...
The front gate stood open.
Someone had been expecting them.
A House Full of Ghosts
Ethan stepped through the massive wooden doors, his flashlight cutting through the darkness.
The air smelled of dust and old wood.
Portraits of generations of Carters stared down from the walls.
Marcus Hill motioned to his officers.
"Search every room."
The officers spread out.
Emily remained beside Ethan despite his repeated requests for her to stay in the vehicle.
"I'm not leaving you."
Ethan sighed.
"I know."
Mrs. Brooks paused in front of an old family photograph.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I helped raise you in this house."
She gently brushed the dust from the frame.
"Your grandfather always said..."
"'One day the truth will return here.'"
No one had understood what he meant.
Until now.
The Hidden Chamber
An officer shouted from upstairs.
"Detective!"
"We found something!"
Everyone rushed toward the second floor.
Behind an old bookshelf, a concealed passage had been opened.
A narrow stone staircase descended beneath the mansion.
Marcus switched on a stronger flashlight.
"Stay behind me."
The underground chamber looked untouched by time.
Wooden cabinets lined the walls.
Dust-covered boxes filled every corner.
In the center of the room stood a heavy iron safe.
The door was already open.
Inside...
Nothing.
Except a cassette recorder.
And a blinking red light.
Emily frowned.
"It's still on."
Ethan pressed the Play button.
His grandfather's voice filled the room.
"Ethan..."
"If you're hearing this..."
"...then Damien has returned."
Everyone stood frozen.
"You will hear many lies."
"Some will come from strangers."
"Others..."
"...from those you love."
The old man's voice grew weaker.
"Never forget one thing."
"Truth survives."
"Lies require constant protection."
The recording ended with a soft click.
Silence filled the chamber.
Then—
Slow clapping echoed from the darkness.
Damien Appears
He stepped into the light wearing a black overcoat.
Calm.
Unhurried.
As if he had all the time in the world.
Damien Black smiled.
"I wondered how long it would take."
Marcus immediately drew his weapon.
"Don't move!"
Damien raised his hands casually.
"I'm unarmed."
Several officers surrounded him.
Yet he showed no fear.
Ethan stepped forward.
"It's over."
Damien looked around the chamber.
"Is it?"
He nodded toward the recorder.
"My old friend loved speeches."
"He also loved secrets."
Emily narrowed her eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
Damien's smile widened.
"The biggest lie..."
"...was never mine."
The Desperate Lies
Damien slowly reached into his coat.
Several officers tightened their grip on their weapons.
Instead of a gun...
He removed a worn envelope.
He handed it to Ethan.
"Read it."
Ethan unfolded the fragile paper.
It was another letter.
Written by his grandfather.
But unlike the others...
This one had never been finished.
"Damien was right..."
"I should have told Ethan everything."
"Emily..."
The sentence stopped abruptly.
The page had been torn in half.
Emily frowned.
"My name?"
Damien nodded.
"Interesting, isn't it?"
Ethan looked up.
"What are you trying to prove?"
Damien answered quietly.
"I'm trying to prove..."
"...that your grandfather lied to you."
A Dangerous Story
Damien began walking slowly through the chamber.
His voice remained calm.
"Twenty-three years ago..."
"My wife gave birth to twins."
"You already know that."
Ethan remained silent.
Damien continued.
"Your grandfather believed I had become too powerful."
"He feared what I would do with my children."
"So he took them."
Emily crossed her arms.
"We've heard this before."
"No."
Damien smiled.
"You've heard half of it."
He looked directly at Ethan.
"He promised to protect them."
"He broke that promise."
Marcus interrupted.
"Enough."
"Save it for court."
Damien ignored him.
"The boy disappeared."
"The girl..."
He turned toward Emily.
"...was given a new identity."
Emily laughed once.
"You're saying I'm one of your children?"
Damien said nothing.
His silence was unsettling.
Ethan immediately shook his head.
"Impossible."
Damien nodded.
"Exactly."
"It sounds impossible."
"Which is why your grandfather believed you'd never question it."
Emily Refuses
The room grew tense.
Everyone looked toward Emily.
She slowly walked closer to Damien.
"So this is your plan."
He tilted his head.
"My plan?"
"You've lost your board."
"You've lost your money."
"You've lost your allies."
"So now you're trying to destroy us..."
"...from the inside."
Damien smiled.
"You don't believe me."
Emily answered firmly.
"I believe in evidence."
"Not stories."
She held up the torn letter.
"This proves nothing."
"It raises questions."
"Questions aren't proof."
Damien's smile faded slightly.
Emily continued.
"You've spent months editing videos."
"Forging evidence."
"Manipulating witnesses."
"And now..."
"...you expect us to trust another convenient document?"
The chamber fell silent.
Marcus couldn't help smiling.
Emily had dismantled Damien's argument in less than a minute.
The Betrayer Revealed
Suddenly—
A gunshot echoed through the underground chamber.
Everyone turned.
One of the police officers collapsed.
Chaos erupted.
"Take cover!"
Another shot struck a stone pillar.
Dust exploded into the air.
Marcus shouted,
"Sniper!"
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the chamber.
For several terrifying seconds...
Only gunfire and shouting filled the room.
Then emergency lights flickered on.
Red.
Dim.
Eerie.
Damien was gone.
So was one of the police officers.
Marcus checked the attendance list.
His expression changed instantly.
"No..."
Ethan looked at him.
"What?"
Marcus answered grimly.
"Officer Collins."
"He disappeared with Damien."
The traitor had been standing among them the entire time.
The Truth Hidden in the Lies
After securing the chamber, investigators searched every inch of the room.
Near the hidden tunnel, Mrs. Brooks found something lying on the floor.
The second half of the torn letter.
She carefully handed it to Ethan.
The missing lines read:
"Emily deserves to know..."
"...that none of this was her fault."
"When the time comes..."
"...tell her the truth about the adoption."
Everyone froze.
Emily looked confused.
"Adoption?"
Mrs. Brooks whispered,
"I..."
She struggled to breathe.
"I've kept this secret for twenty-six years."
Ethan turned toward her.
"You know something."
Mrs. Brooks nodded slowly, tears streaming down her face.
"I was there the night Emily was brought to the orphanage."
Emily's heart skipped a beat.
"You knew?"
Mrs. Brooks closed her eyes.
"I recognized you the moment you first walked into Carter Manor."
Silence.
"I never told anyone."
Emily's voice trembled.
"Why?"
Mrs. Brooks answered through tears.
"Because I promised..."
"...to protect you."
Before anyone could ask another question—
Marcus's radio crackled.
"Detective!"
"We've located Damien Black."
Marcus grabbed the radio.
"Where?"
The answer came back immediately.
"He's heading to the international airport."
"He has a private jet waiting."
Ethan looked toward the tunnel where Damien had escaped.
Then at Emily.
Then at the unfinished letter still clutched in his hand.
The lies were beginning to crumble.
But the truth...
May you like
Was still just out of reach.
End of Chapter 12
