CHAPTER 10 â The Father Who Failed His Daughter
CHAPTER 10 â The Father Who Failed His Daughter
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the Callahan estate.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Three seconds that felt longer than three years.
Grant Callahan stood frozen in the darkness, staring at the man standing at the end of the hallway.
His brother.
Thomas Callahan.
The man who had attended his daughter's birthday parties.
The man who had held Lily as a baby.
The man who had stood beside Grant at Amelia's funeral and told him:
"We will get through this together."
Now he stood there with a gun in his hand.
And Grant finally understood.
The greatest danger to his family had never been outside the walls.
It had been inside his blood.
"Thomas."
Grant's voice was almost unrecognizable.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
Thomas smiled faintly.
"That's all you have to say?"
His footsteps echoed against the marble floor.
Slow.
Controlled.
Like he owned the house.
Like he had always belonged there.
"After everything I've done for you?"
Grant's eyes narrowed.
"For me?"
Thomas laughed.
"Yes."
He looked around the mansion.
"Look at this place."
"The company."
"The money."
"The name."
"You think any of this existed without me?"
Grant's jaw tightened.
"You stole from me."
Thomas's expression hardened.
"I took what should have been mine."
Lily hid behind Emma.
But she was watching Thomas.
Not like a child watching a stranger.
Like a child watching a nightmare return.
Thomas noticed.
And smiled.
"Still remembers me."
Grant immediately stepped forward.
"Don't look at her."
Thomas raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because she is your niece?"
A cold laugh.
"No."
"Because she's the reason you lost everything."
Grant's face changed.
"What?"
Thomas pointed the gun slightly.
"Everything I did was because of her."
Emma's expression turned furious.
"She's a child."
Thomas looked at her.
"You don't understand."
"No."
Emma replied.
"I understand perfectly."
"You hurt a little girl because you wanted money."
Thomas smiled.
"You think this is about money?"
The words made everyone silent.
Thomas stepped closer.
"This was never about money."
"It was about justice."
Grant stared at him.
"Justice?"
Thomas laughed bitterly.
"You really don't know."
"Do you know why your father chose you?"
Grant said nothing.
Thomas's face twisted.
"Because you were his favorite."
"You were the perfect son."
"The one who smiled for photographs."
"The one everyone admired."
His voice became louder.
"Nobody cared about me."
"Nobody asked what I wanted."
"Nobody cared that I was the one doing the work while you received the praise."
Grant shook his head.
"You could have told me."
Thomas froze.
For a moment...
The anger disappeared.
A wounded child appeared beneath the hatred.
Then it vanished.
"Would you have listened?"
Grant didn't answer.
Because he knew.
Maybe he wouldn't have.
And that was the part that hurt most.
"I was your brother."
Thomas whispered.
"And you never saw me."
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Then Lily spoke.
Quietly.
"Uncle Thomas."
Everyone looked at her.
Thomas's expression changed.
Because she had not called him by his title.
Not with fear.
With sadness.
"You hurt Mommy."
The gun lowered slightly.
Only slightly.
"Lily..."
"You lied."
Her voice shook.
"But Mommy said people who hurt others are usually hurt inside."
Thomas stared.
For one brief second...
He looked like the boy he used to be.
The boy who had wanted to be loved.
Then anger returned.
"Your mother poisoned you against me."
Lily shook her head.
"No."
"Mommy loved you."
Thomas went still.
That sentence hurt him more than anger would have.
Because it was true.
Amelia had always treated him like family.
She had defended him.
She had believed in him.
And he destroyed her anyway.
"You don't understand."
Thomas whispered.
"I had no choice."
Grant looked at him.
"Everyone has a choice."
Thomas smiled sadly.
"No."
"People like us don't."
Then the gunshot came.
But this time, it was not aimed at Grant.
It was aimed at the ceiling.
A warning.
Everyone screamed.
Marcus and the guards rushed from the lower hallway.
Thomas immediately moved toward Lily.
Grant stepped between them.
"No."
Thomas looked at him.
"Move."
"Never."
The two brothers stared at each other.
One protecting.
One destroying.
"You really became a father now?"
Thomas asked.
Grant's expression changed.
"What?"
Thomas laughed.
"Interesting."
"Because three years ago, when Amelia needed you..."
"You weren't there."
The words hit.
Because they were true.
Grant remembered.
The night Amelia called.
He was in a business meeting.
She said:
"Grant, please. This is important."
And he replied:
"I promise we'll talk tonight."
But he never came home.
Thomas saw the pain.
And continued.
"You failed her."
"You failed Lily."
"You were so busy becoming a great businessman..."
"You forgot how to be a father."
Grant lowered his eyes.
Because there was no defense.
Not against the truth.
"I did."
Everyone looked at him.
Grant took a breath.
"I failed."
Thomas seemed surprised.
"I wasn't there when my wife needed me."
"I wasn't there when my daughter was afraid."
"I trusted people who hurt them."
His voice became stronger.
"But I will not fail her again."
For the first time...
Thomas looked uncertain.
Because he expected anger.
He expected excuses.
He expected Grant to deny everything.
But Grant accepted the blame.
And that made Thomas's revenge feel different.
Empty.
Then a sound came from behind Thomas.
A phone ringing.
Thomas glanced down.
His own phone.
The screen lit up.
One name appeared.
Grant saw it.
And his blood ran cold.
Because the person calling Thomas...
Was someone he thought was dead.
Amelia Callahan.
Nobody spoke.
Thomas stared at the screen.
His face lost all color.
"No."
A whisper.
Impossible.
The phone continued ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Thomas answered.
Slowly.
Everyone heard the voice through the speaker.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Calm.
Alive.
"Thomas."
The entire hallway froze.
"Why are you still pretending she died?"
Grant's heart stopped.
Because he knew that voice.
Amelia.
His wife.
The woman he buried three years ago.
Was alive.
Thomas dropped the phone.
And for the first time since entering the house...
May you like
He looked afraid.
End of Chapter 10
