Chapter 10 — The Betrayal Inside the Mansion
Chapter 10 — The Betrayal Inside the Mansion
Daniel did not move.
Marcus's voice remained in his ear.
“Daniel, Vanessa says the person is already inside the mansion.”
Daniel looked toward the library door.
Every light was on.
Every corridor was quiet.
And suddenly the mansion felt less like a home than a cage.
“Where is Vanessa?”
“The old servants' corridor.”
“Keep her there.”
“Already done.”
“Don't let anyone near her.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Daniel, there's something else.”
“What?”
“She said the traitor has been watching us since the first night Emily arrived.”
Daniel's stomach tightened.
“Then find every camera.”
“We're doing that now.”
“No.”
Daniel stood.
“Don't tell anyone what we're doing.”
Marcus understood immediately.
“You think the traitor is listening.”
“I know someone is.”
Daniel walked into the library alone.
Emily was sitting beside Clara.
Michael stood near the fireplace.
Vanessa was nowhere in sight.
Daniel looked at each of them.
Then he smiled.
“We need to talk.”
Emily immediately noticed something was wrong.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel deliberately placed the copy of the will on the table.
“The original is safe.”
Michael frowned.
“Where?”
“Somewhere Eleanor can't reach.”
That was a lie.
The original was hidden beneath Daniel's jacket.
He wanted to see who reacted.
Nobody did.
Then Clara looked toward the door.
Daniel noticed.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She shook her head.
But she looked frightened.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Mom.”
Clara looked at him.
“I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“The night your father died.”
Daniel waited.
“I wasn't alone.”
His expression changed.
“Who was with you?”
Clara hesitated.
“Someone came to the house.”
“Who?”
“I never saw his face.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me to leave.”
“Why?”
“He said David had betrayed everyone.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Did you recognize his voice?”
Clara nodded.
“Years later.”
“Whose?”
She whispered:
“Peter.”
Michael immediately turned.
“But Peter was working for Eleanor.”
Clara nodded.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared.
“Then Peter was there the night Father died.”
“Yes.”
“Did he kill him?”
“I don't know.”
Clara's voice broke.
“But I know one thing.”
“What?”
“Peter wasn't alone.”
In the servants' corridor, Marcus watched the security monitors.
There were twenty-seven camera feeds.
Most were normal.
Kitchen.
Hallway.
Library.
Garage.
Garden.
Then he noticed something.
Camera twelve.
The east corridor.
It showed an empty hallway.
Marcus frowned.
He rewound.
A shadow passed across the screen.
He froze the image.
Someone was standing just outside the frame.
Marcus switched to another camera.
Nothing.
He switched again.
The shadow appeared.
Always one step ahead.
Someone knew exactly where the cameras were.
Marcus whispered:
“Damn it.”
He grabbed his phone.
“Daniel.”
No answer.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Then every monitor went black.
Marcus reached for his weapon.
The security room door slowly opened.
A man stepped inside.
Marcus recognized him.
“Peter.”
Peter smiled.
“You always were difficult to surprise.”
Marcus raised his weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Peter obeyed.
“I don't want to hurt you.”
“You're going to prison.”
Peter laughed.
“You still think this is about prison.”
“What do you want?”
Peter looked at the dead monitors.
“To finish what David started.”
Daniel heard a noise.
He turned.
The library door was closing.
He walked toward it.
Locked.
He tried the handle.
Nothing.
Emily stood.
“Daniel?”
“Stay there.”
Michael moved beside him.
“Someone locked us in.”
Clara whispered:
“Eleanor.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at the ventilation grate.
The air-conditioning had stopped.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message.
LOOK UNDER THE DESK.
Daniel crouched.
A small device had been taped beneath the desk.
A microphone.
He ripped it away.
Emily stared.
“They were listening.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked at the microphone.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
Peter sat across from Marcus in the security room.
Marcus kept his weapon trained on him.
“You killed David.”
Peter shook his head.
“No.”
“You helped Eleanor.”
“Yes.”
“You kidnapped Clara.”
“No.”
“You disappeared Lucas.”
Peter's expression changed.
“No.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then what did you do?”
Peter looked at him.
“I saved Daniel.”
Marcus stared.
“From what?”
“His family.”
Peter leaned forward.
“David wasn't innocent.”
“Don't talk about him.”
“You worship him because he died.”
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“But you never knew what he was planning.”
“What?”
“David intended to expose the entire Carter organization.”
Marcus frowned.
“What organization?”
Peter smiled.
“The legal one.”
Marcus understood.
The Carter fortune wasn't built only through legitimate businesses.
There were hidden companies.
Offshore accounts.
Illegal contracts.
Political connections.
David had wanted to dismantle everything.
Peter continued.
“Eleanor wanted control.”
“David wanted destruction.”
“And I was caught between them.”
Marcus stared.
“Then why kill Nathan Gray?”
Peter shook his head.
“I didn't.”
“Who did?”
Peter looked at the camera.
“Someone who still lives in this mansion.”
Daniel finally broke the library door.
He entered the hallway.
Michael and Emily followed.
Clara stayed behind.
Daniel noticed something.
The house was too quiet.
“Where's Marcus?”
Michael frowned.
“He should be here.”
Daniel called him.
No answer.
He immediately understood.
“Something happened.”
They ran toward the security room.
The door was open.
Marcus was gone.
Peter was gone.
Only a chair remained overturned.
On the floor was a single bloodstain.
Emily gasped.
“Is Marcus dead?”
Daniel knelt.
The blood was fresh.
But there was something else.
A message written across the floor.
ONE DOWN. THREE TO GO.
Daniel's face went cold.
Michael stepped forward.
“This isn't Eleanor.”
Daniel nodded.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Daniel looked toward the mansion.
“Someone who knows exactly how to hurt us.”
They searched every room.
Nothing.
Then Emily found something in the kitchen.
A photograph.
It showed Marcus.
Bound.
Alive.
Behind him was a clock.
Daniel recognized the room.
“The old chapel.”
Michael looked at him.
“There's a chapel?”
“Not on the current property plans.”
Emily picked up the photograph.
On the back was a message.
COME ALONE.
Daniel looked at her.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“I won't let another person disappear because of me.”
Daniel shook his head.
“This isn't your fault.”
“It is.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“Everyone who gets near me gets hurt.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You're my sister.”
“And that's why they're using me.”
He couldn't argue.
Michael stepped forward.
“Then we go together.”
Daniel nodded.
“Fine.”
The old chapel stood beyond the gardens.
Its windows were broken.
Its doors were covered with vines.
Daniel pushed them open.
Inside was darkness.
Then a light came on.
Marcus sat in a chair.
His hands were tied.
Blood stained his shirt.
But he was alive.
Daniel rushed toward him.
Marcus whispered:
“Don't.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
Marcus looked behind him.
“It's a trap.”
A slow clap echoed from the balcony.
Daniel looked up.
A man stepped into the light.
Peter.
“You finally came.”
Daniel stared.
“Where is Eleanor?”
“Gone.”
“You kidnapped Marcus.”
“I needed him.”
“For what?”
“To make sure you listened.”
Peter descended the stairs.
“You have no idea what your father left behind.”
Daniel's voice became cold.
“I know about the will.”
Peter smiled.
“You know nothing.”
“I know you were there the night he died.”
“Yes.”
“You killed him.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Peter stopped.
“The man who ordered it is the same man who has been protecting you.”
Daniel frowned.
“Protecting me?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Peter looked at Michael.
Then Emily.
Then Daniel.
“Your uncle.”
Daniel froze.
“My uncle is dead.”
Peter shook his head.
“Not that one.”
Silence.
“My father's brother?”
“Yes.”
“He died fifteen years ago.”
Peter smiled.
“That's what everyone believes.”
Daniel felt the room tilt.
“What are you saying?”
Peter reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old photograph.
A man stood beside David.
Daniel recognized the face immediately.
His father's older brother.
Richard Carter.
Daniel whispered:
“Richard.”
Peter nodded.
“Your uncle survived.”
Michael stared.
“Where is he?”
Peter looked toward the chapel doors.
“Closer than you think.”
The doors opened.
A man walked inside.
Gray hair.
Tall.
Elegant.
Calm.
Daniel stared.
He knew him.
Everyone did.
The man had been present at family events.
He had attended Daniel's graduation.
He had stood beside him at his father's funeral.
He had helped manage the Carter foundation for years.
Daniel's voice disappeared.
Emily whispered:
“Who is that?”
Daniel answered:
“Thomas.”
His father's oldest friend.
The man who had been advising Daniel since he inherited the company.
Thomas smiled.
“Hello, Daniel.”
Daniel stepped backward.
“You're Richard.”
Thomas nodded.
“For twenty-three years, everyone thought I was dead.”
Peter looked at him.
“Because I helped you disappear.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“You killed my father.”
Richard smiled faintly.
“Your father was going to destroy everything.”
“You killed him.”
“I saved this family.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You destroyed it.”
Richard's expression changed.
“You were always sentimental.”
He looked at Emily.
“Especially where she was concerned.”
Emily stepped forward.
“You knew me.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to frame me.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“That was Vanessa.”
Vanessa suddenly appeared behind him.
Daniel turned.
She looked terrified.
Richard continued.
“She was useful.”
Vanessa's face filled with shame.
“I didn't know he would hurt anyone.”
Richard laughed.
“You knew enough.”
Michael moved toward Vanessa.
“You betrayed us.”
She shook her head.
“I was trying to stop him.”
Richard looked at Michael.
“You were the hardest one.”
Michael frowned.
“You tried to control me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Richard answered calmly.
“Because your father trusted me.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“My father didn't trust you.”
“He trusted me more than he trusted himself.”
Richard reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small key.
The same key Emily had used to open the safe.
Daniel stared.
“You had the other half.”
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To open the final vault.”
Daniel froze.
“There is another vault?”
Richard nodded.
“Your father left one final secret.”
“What?”
Richard looked at Emily.
“The identity of the person who truly controls the Carter fortune.”
Emily's face went pale.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Who?”
Richard smiled.
“Not me.”
He looked toward the chapel doors.
Then said:
“Your mother.”
Daniel froze.
“Eleanor?”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
A woman's voice came from behind them.
“Not Eleanor.”
Everyone turned.
Clara stood in the doorway.
Daniel stared.
“Mom?”
Clara's face was covered in tears.
Richard looked at her.
“Tell them.”
Clara shook her head.
“I can't.”
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Tell me what?”
Clara whispered:
“Your father wasn't the original owner of the Carter fortune.”
Silence.
Daniel felt his entire world collapse.
“Then who was?”
Clara looked at Emily.
Then Michael.
Then Daniel.
“The fortune belonged to your grandmother.”
Daniel frowned.
“My grandmother?”
Clara nodded.
“But she didn't build it.”
“Who did?”
Clara's voice trembled.
“A woman nobody has spoken about for twenty-three years.”
“Who?”
Clara swallowed.
“David's first wife.”
Daniel stared.
“My father was married before?”
“Yes.”
“Who was she?”
Clara looked toward the doorway.
Then whispered:
“Her name was Evelyn.”
Richard's face changed.
For the first time that night—
he looked afraid.
Daniel noticed.
“Who is Evelyn?”
Nobody answered.
Then a phone began ringing.
Richard's phone.
He looked at the screen.
His face went white.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who's calling?”
Richard didn't answer.
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, he picked up.
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
“Richard.”
He closed his eyes.
She continued:
“You've had twenty-three years.”
“It's time to give my children back.”
Daniel's blood ran cold.
He knew that voice.
Everyone did.
Because it belonged to the woman they had believed was dead.
Evelyn Carter.
May you like
And she wasn't calling from outside the mansion.
She was calling from somewhere inside it.
