Chapter 5 — The Man on the Phone
Chapter 5 — The Man on the Phone
The voice called again at 3:17 a.m.
Victor was awake before the first ring finished.
He had been sleeping in the chair outside Ethan's nursery for three nights.
Not because he was comfortable there.
Because he no longer trusted the walls of his own house.
The phone vibrated on the small table beside him.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
Victor stared at it.
Then answered.
“Who are you?”
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Slow.
Controlled.
Almost amused.
Then the voice spoke.
“You should have left this alone.”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“You should have chosen a better way to threaten me.”
A quiet laugh came through the phone.
“I wasn't threatening you.”
“You threatened Lily.”
“I warned her.”
“You threatened my son.”
“No.”
The voice paused.
“I reminded you what happens when people interfere.”
Victor stood.
“Tell me your name.”
“You already know it.”
“I don't.”
“You will.”
Victor glanced through the nursery window.
Ethan was asleep.
“Why him?”
Silence.
Then:
“Because he is the key.”
Victor's blood ran cold.
“To what?”
“The Blackwood fortune.”
Victor frowned.
“You're after money.”
The voice laughed again.
“Money is only what people like you understand.”
“What do you want?”
“Something your father took.”
Victor stopped breathing for a moment.
“My father?”
“You really know nothing.”
Victor tightened his grip around the phone.
“Then tell me.”
“No.”
“Coward.”
The voice became colder.
“Your father wasn't the man you believed him to be.”
Victor's expression changed.
“What does that mean?”
“You'll find out.”
The call ended.
Victor immediately handed the phone to Harris.
“Trace it.”
Harris was already working.
“I'm trying.”
“Where did it originate?”
“Private routing.”
“Can you break it?”
“Eventually.”
Victor stared at the phone.
“Do it.”
Harris looked up.
“Sir?”
Victor's voice was quiet.
“I want the man on the phone.”
At 7:00 a.m., the Blackwood estate was under lockdown.
No visitors.
No deliveries.
No unauthorized staff.
Every employee had been interviewed.
Every camera had been replaced.
Every entrance had two guards.
Victor had even hired a private cybersecurity team to monitor the estate network.
But the danger still felt close.
Too close.
Lily sat beside Ethan's crib.
She hadn't slept much.
Victor entered.
“How is he?”
“Sleeping.”
Victor nodded.
“Good.”
Lily looked at him.
“You didn't sleep.”
“Neither did you.”
She smiled faintly.
“I've gotten used to it.”
Victor looked at her.
“You shouldn't have had to.”
She lowered her eyes.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Lily said:
“Sir?”
“Yes?”
“Who was the man?”
Victor frowned.
“What man?”
“The one who called me.”
Victor looked at her.
“You heard him?”
“No.”
She hesitated.
“I heard what you said afterward.”
Victor nodded.
“He knows about Ethan.”
Lily's face tightened.
“Does he want money?”
“I don't think so.”
“What does he want?”
Victor looked toward the crib.
“Something my father took.”
Lily stared.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“Wasn't he…”
“Dead?”
She nodded.
Victor's expression was grim.
“Apparently that's more complicated than I thought.”
At 9:15 a.m., Victor's legal team arrived.
Six lawyers entered the conference room.
The atmosphere was tense.
Victor stood at the head of the table.
“Someone has attempted to access my financial accounts.”
One lawyer nodded.
“We've frozen the suspicious transactions.”
“Someone also manipulated security footage.”
Another nodded.
“We're investigating.”
“And someone is threatening my son.”
The room became silent.
Victor placed the phone on the table.
“I want every person connected to these incidents identified.”
His chief attorney, Richard Hale, looked concerned.
“Victor, we should involve federal authorities.”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because someone inside my circle is leaking information.”
Richard frowned.
“Who?”
Victor looked around the table.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
No one spoke.
Victor continued.
“From this moment forward, nobody receives complete information.”
Richard looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“You'll each receive different information.”
“And?”
“If it appears somewhere it shouldn't, we'll know who leaked it.”
Richard nodded slowly.
“A controlled leak.”
“Exactly.”
Victor looked at everyone.
“Whoever is behind this believes they know how I operate.”
He smiled coldly.
“They're about to learn how wrong they are.”
At 11:40 a.m., Serena arrived at a private restaurant.
She wore sunglasses.
A black coat.
No jewelry.
She looked nervous.
Adrian was waiting.
“You're late.”
“I was followed.”
Adrian looked around.
“By whom?”
“I don't know.”
“Victor?”
“Maybe.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“What does he know?”
“Too much.”
“About us?”
“Not enough.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“What did he ask?”
“About the man.”
Adrian froze.
“What man?”
“You know exactly who.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“Did you say anything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Serena stared at him.
“You're not listening.”
“What?”
“He called me.”
Adrian went pale.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“What did he say?”
“That Ethan is the key.”
Adrian leaned back.
For the first time, he looked frightened.
Serena noticed.
“You know what that means.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“Serena, you don't understand what you're involved in.”
“Then explain it.”
Adrian looked toward the window.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if he knows we talked…”
He stopped.
Serena whispered:
“He'll kill us.”
Adrian didn't answer.
She stared at him.
That was answer enough.
At noon, Victor received an unexpected visitor.
His father's former attorney.
Samuel Crane.
Victor hadn't seen him in fifteen years.
Samuel entered slowly.
He was seventy-two.
Thin.
Gray-haired.
His hands trembled slightly.
Victor stared at him.
“What are you doing here?”
Samuel closed the door.
“I need to speak with you.”
“About?”
“Your father.”
Victor immediately became suspicious.
“What about him?”
Samuel sat.
“He wasn't who you think he was.”
Victor felt a chill.
“I've heard that before.”
Samuel looked surprised.
“Who told you?”
“Someone on the phone.”
Samuel's face went white.
“He contacted you?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
Samuel stood abruptly.
“You need to leave.”
Victor stared.
“What?”
“You need to leave the country.”
Victor almost laughed.
“Why?”
“Because they know about Ethan.”
“Who are they?”
Samuel looked toward the windows.
Then lowered his voice.
“People your father fought.”
“What did he take?”
Samuel looked at him.
“You already know.”
“No.”
Samuel shook his head.
“Then he never told you.”
“Told me what?”
Samuel took a small envelope from his coat.
He placed it on the desk.
“Your father left this for you.”
Victor stared at it.
“Why now?”
“Because I thought they were gone.”
“And?”
“They're back.”
Victor opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
His father.
A younger man standing beside another person.
Victor stared at the second man.
His heart stopped.
The man looked almost exactly like his father.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same scar.
But younger.
Victor looked at Samuel.
“Who is this?”
Samuel's voice was barely audible.
“Your father's twin.”
Victor stared.
“My father didn't have a twin.”
Samuel shook his head.
“That's what your family was told.”
“Who is he?”
Samuel whispered:
“Alexander Blackwood.”
Victor sat down.
The name meant nothing.
But somehow it felt dangerous.
“What happened to him?”
Samuel looked at him.
“He disappeared.”
“When?”
“Thirty years ago.”
“And my father?”
“He spent the rest of his life trying to find him.”
Victor looked at the photograph.
Two identical men.
One had been his father.
The other had vanished.
Or so everyone believed.
Victor slowly turned the photograph over.
There was handwriting on the back.
He recognized his father's handwriting.
If Alexander returns, don't trust anyone who claims to know the truth.
Victor read it twice.
Then a third time.
Samuel stood.
“I should never have come.”
Victor looked up.
“You're not leaving.”
Samuel's face changed.
“Victor—”
“Not until you tell me everything.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“You don't understand.”
Victor's voice hardened.
“My son is being hunted.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“Then you're already too late.”
At 2:03 p.m., the nursery alarm sounded.
Victor ran.
Harris was right behind him.
Lily stood frozen in the hallway.
Ethan was crying.
The nursery door was locked.
Victor grabbed the handle.
“Open it!”
Harris used the emergency override.
The door opened.
The room was empty.
Ethan was still in his crib.
But beside him was a small black envelope.
Victor's heart pounded.
He picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
Ethan sleeping.
Taken from above the crib.
On the back:
ONE CHILD. ONE FORTUNE. ONE CHOICE.
Victor's blood ran cold.
Lily began crying.
“How did they get inside?”
Harris looked around.
“No one entered.”
Victor stared at the photograph.
“Someone did.”
“How?”
Victor looked at the ceiling.
“The ventilation.”
Harris immediately examined it.
The vent cover was loose.
Inside was a tiny camera.
Victor stared at it.
“Take it out.”
Harris removed the device.
Victor looked at the camera.
Then at Lily.
“They've been watching him.”
“For how long?”
“I don't know.”
Victor's face hardened.
“But now I know something.”
“What?”
“They're not trying to scare me.”
Lily looked at him.
“They're measuring how close they can get.”
At 5:30 p.m., Victor received another call.
Same number.
He answered.
“You were in my son's nursery.”
The voice laughed.
“You noticed.”
“Who are you?”
“You've been asking the wrong question.”
“What's the right one?”
“Who is your father?”
Victor's expression hardened.
“I know about Alexander.”
Silence.
For the first time, the voice sounded surprised.
“Who told you?”
“Your mistake.”
The voice went quiet.
Victor continued.
“You're Alexander.”
No response.
Victor's heart raced.
“Say something.”
Finally:
“You should not have said that name.”
Victor smiled coldly.
“Why?”
“Because now they know you're looking.”
“Who are they?”
The voice lowered.
“Everyone.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mother.”
Victor froze.
“My mother is dead.”
“So is your father.”
Silence.
Then:
“Yet here we are.”
The call ended.
Victor stared at the phone.
His mother's name hadn't been mentioned in years.
Not by anyone.
She had died when Victor was nineteen.
Or so he believed.
He immediately turned toward Samuel.
“Tell me about my mother.”
Samuel looked terrified.
“Why?”
“Because someone just mentioned her.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“She wasn't your mother.”
Victor stared.
“What?”
Samuel looked up.
“Your mother died when you were three.”
Victor couldn't speak.
Samuel continued.
“Your father took you away.”
“Who raised me?”
Samuel hesitated.
“A woman named Elena.”
Victor's mind raced.
His entire childhood had been a lie.
The woman he called Mother.
The man he called Father.
Everything.
Samuel whispered:
“Victor…”
Victor looked at him.
“Who was Elena?”
Samuel swallowed.
“She was Alexander's wife.”
Victor felt the room spin.
That night, Serena returned to the mansion.
Victor was waiting.
She entered the foyer.
“Victor?”
He stood in the shadows.
“Where were you?”
“At the hotel.”
“With whom?”
“Alone.”
“Wrong.”
She froze.
Victor walked toward her.
“You met Adrian.”
Serena said nothing.
“You talked about my son.”
Still nothing.
Victor stopped inches away.
“You're afraid of him.”
She looked away.
“You don't know what you're talking about.”
Victor's voice was quiet.
“Then tell me who Alexander is.”
Serena's face drained of color.
Victor saw it.
That was enough.
“You know him.”
“No.”
“You reacted.”
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
She backed away.
Victor followed.
“Who is he?”
“Victor…”
“Who?”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because he'll kill me.”
Victor stopped.
“Who?”
Serena looked at him.
“The man you've been calling.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Alexander?”
She nodded.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Serena whispered:
“He isn't your father's twin.”
Victor's blood went cold.
“What is he?”
Serena looked toward the dark hallway.
Then back at Victor.
“He is your father.”
Victor stopped breathing.
“No.”
“He survived.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Victor stared at her.
“You've been working for him.”
Serena nodded.
“For how long?”
“Two years.”
Victor's face hardened.
“Why?”
She began crying.
“Because he promised to give me everything.”
Victor's voice became cold.
“And what did he want?”
Serena looked at him.
“Ethan.”
Behind them, something crashed upstairs.
Victor immediately turned.
“Lily!”
He ran.
Serena followed.
The nursery door was open.
The room was empty.
Ethan was gone.
Victor froze.
The crib was empty.
The blankets were on the floor.
Lily lay unconscious beside the changing table.
Victor's heart stopped.
“No.”
He rushed toward her.
“Lily!”
She didn't respond.
Victor looked around.
The window was locked.
The door had been secured.
No one could have entered.
Then he saw the nursery monitor.
A black screen.
Someone had cut the feed.
Victor's phone rang.
He answered with shaking hands.
The voice spoke.
“Now you understand.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“Bring him back.”
“You can't buy him.”
“I'll give you anything.”
The voice laughed.
“I don't want your money.”
“What do you want?”
“Your father's secret.”
Victor stared at the empty crib.
“What secret?”
“The one he died protecting.”
Victor's voice broke.
“I don't know.”
“You will.”
“How?”
The voice became colder.
“Ask Samuel Crane.”
Victor turned.
Samuel stood at the nursery entrance.
His face was pale.
Victor looked at him.
Samuel whispered:
“Your father left something beneath the old house.”
“What?”
“A vault.”
Victor stared.
“What is inside?”
Samuel looked toward the empty crib.
“The reason your son was born.”
Victor felt a chill move through him.
“What does that mean?”
Samuel's voice trembled.
“Ethan wasn't supposed to inherit your fortune.”
Victor stared.
“Then what?”
Samuel looked directly into his eyes.
“He was supposed to unlock it.”
The phone went dead.
Victor stood frozen beside the empty crib.
The man on the phone had taken his son.
But the worst part wasn't that Ethan had been kidnapped.
It was the realization that the kidnapping had never been about money.
It had been planned before Ethan was even born.
And somewhere beneath the Blackwood family home was a secret powerful enough to make people lie, betray, hurt, and kill for thirty years.
Victor looked at Lily lying unconscious on the floor.
Then at Samuel.
“Get the vault opened.”
Samuel shook his head.
“Victor…”
“Now.”
“You don't know what you're asking.”
Victor's eyes burned.
“My son is in the hands of a man who claims to be my dead father.”
He turned toward the hallway.
“I've spent my entire life believing I knew who my family was.”
His voice became colder.
“I was wrong.”
Victor looked at Samuel.
“So tonight, we're going to find out exactly what my father was hiding.”
And beneath the Blackwood estate, behind a wall no one had touched in decades, something waited.
May you like
Something Ethan had been born to unlock.
Something the man on the phone was willing to destroy an entire family to possess.
