CHAPTER 7 — EWAN'S LAST RECORDING
CHAPTER 7 — EWAN'S LAST RECORDING
My mother had just told me my father was alive.
Not Thomas.
Not the man whose name had haunted every document beneath the conservatory.
Adrian.
My real father.
The man I had buried twelve years ago.
The man whose death certificate I had signed.
The man whose grave I had visited every year since I was seventeen.
Alive.
And protecting me.
I wanted to believe her.
I wanted to believe nothing else.
But after everything I'd discovered in the last forty-eight hours, belief was a luxury I could no longer afford.
I needed proof.
And Ewan had left one.
A recording.
My mother looked at me from her bed.
"Behind the clock."
I turned toward the antique clock beside the window.
I'd seen it my entire life.
It had belonged to my grandfather.
I removed the back panel.
Inside was a small black device.
An old digital recorder.
My name was written across it.
ELIAS — PLAY ONLY WHEN SHE WAKES.
My hands went cold.
Delia whispered:
"Ewan."
I nodded.
I pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then my brother's voice.
Six years younger.
Clear.
Calm.
Alive.
"If you're hearing this, Elias, Mom is awake."
I closed my eyes.
Hearing him was different from knowing he was alive.
For six years, I had remembered his voice from memory.
This was real.
Recorded.
Waiting.
He continued.
"I don't know when you'll hear this. I don't know whether I'll be alive when you do."
I looked at my mother.
Tears were running down her face.
Ewan continued.
"I need you to understand something before you do anything."
A pause.
"Do not try to avenge me."
I stared at the recorder.
"Because if you do, you'll become exactly what Dad wants."
My mother's hand tightened around the blanket.
Ewan's voice continued.
"Power isn't the weapon they're afraid of. It's what happens when you refuse to use it the way they taught you."
I looked at Marcus.
He was listening silently.
Then Ewan said:
"First, find the ledger."
The recording crackled.
"The original ledger isn't at Pier 44."
I frowned.
"Everyone will tell you it was destroyed in the fire."
A pause.
"It wasn't."
I looked at Delia.
She already knew.
Ewan continued.
"It's in the house."
My eyes moved toward the floor.
"The old house."
My mother's expression changed.
"The basement has a false wall."
Ewan's voice lowered.
"Behind it is everything Dad and Thomas ever did."
Then silence.
The recording continued.
"Names. Payments. Orders. Dates."
A breath.
"And one recording."
I leaned closer.
"What recording?"
Ewan answered as if he could hear me.
"The conversation that proves who ordered the fire."
My heart began pounding.
"Not Thomas."
The room went still.
"Adrian."
My mother's eyes closed.
I stopped the recording.
No one spoke.
I looked at her.
"You said Dad was protecting us."
She nodded.
"But Ewan just said Adrian ordered the fire."
She shook her head.
"Let him finish."
I pressed play.
Ewan's voice returned.
"I know what you're thinking."
I almost laughed.
He always knew me too well.
"You're going to think Dad killed me."
A pause.
"He didn't."
I stared at the recorder.
"Adrian didn't order the fire."
I looked at my mother.
"Then why did you say—"
She raised a hand.
I waited.
Ewan continued.
"Thomas did."
Relief came so quickly it almost hurt.
But then Ewan said:
"Adrian took the blame."
I froze.
"He made everyone believe he was involved because it was the only way to keep Thomas from coming after you."
The room was silent.
"Adrian disappeared because Thomas had people everywhere."
Ewan's voice became softer.
"He wanted us to think he was dead."
I looked at my mother.
"Why?"
"Because if Thomas knew Adrian was alive, he'd kill him."
My mother finally spoke.
"Your father saved us."
I pressed play again.
Ewan continued.
"Here's what you need to know about the wedding."
My stomach tightened.
"Celeste was sent to you."
I looked toward the doorway.
Celeste wasn't there.
Good.
"Her father was paid."
"Her family was promised control."
"And she was promised thirty million."
I looked at Marcus.
He nodded.
Ewan continued.
"But Celeste isn't the mastermind."
I frowned.
"She's a weapon."
A pause.
"And the man holding the weapon is Thomas."
The recording crackled.
"Thomas has been preparing this for years."
"He wants the trust."
"He wants the company."
"But more than anything..."
Ewan paused.
"He wants you."
I stopped the recording.
"What does that mean?"
My mother looked at me.
"He wants control of the family through you."
I shook my head.
"No."
Delia spoke.
"Your brother believed Thomas needed you alive."
"Why?"
"Because of your inheritance."
I looked at the recorder.
"What exactly is in the trust?"
My mother answered.
"The Vale."
I frowned.
"The Vale?"
"The family estate."
"I know."
"No."
She shook her head.
"The Vale isn't just a house."
She looked at me.
"It's the legal foundation of the Moretti empire."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"Your grandfather placed the controlling shares of every legitimate family company inside the Vale Trust."
I understood.
"That's why they need my signature."
"Yes."
"And why the wedding matters."
"Yes."
I looked at the recorder.
Ewan's voice came again.
"The marriage isn't designed to give Celeste control."
A pause.
"It's designed to give Thomas control."
I pressed stop.
"How?"
My mother looked at me.
"There's another condition."
"What?"
"Only the spouse of the legal heir can temporarily access the trust."
I understood.
"Celeste."
"Yes."
"Then once she gets access..."
"Thomas gets access through her."
I stood.
"Then the wedding must be stopped."
My mother shook her head.
"No."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because if you cancel it publicly, Thomas will know you understand the plan."
I stared at her.
"What do you want me to do?"
She whispered:
"Let him believe you still don't know."
The words stayed in the room.
I looked at Marcus.
He understood immediately.
"We make them think the wedding is still happening."
I nodded.
My mother looked toward the door.
"That is what Ewan wanted."
I pressed play again.
His final message began.
"If you're hearing this, then you've probably discovered the contract."
His voice sounded tired now.
"I need you to do something difficult."
A pause.
"Trust Celeste."
I stopped breathing.
"No."
My mother looked at me.
Ewan continued.
"Not because she's innocent."
"She's not."
"Not because she loves you."
"She doesn't."
"Trust her because she is afraid."
I looked at Celeste's ring sitting on the desk.
Ewan continued.
"She's been trying to escape her father."
"And Thomas knows."
"She doesn't know everything."
"But she knows enough."
Then came the words that changed everything.
"She's the only person close enough to Thomas to get you inside his network."
I stared at the recorder.
"Use the wedding."
My mother closed her eyes.
"Use Celeste."
"Make Thomas believe you're trapped."
"Make him believe you are exactly the son he wants."
Then the recording crackled.
Ewan's voice dropped to a whisper.
"And when he moves..."
A pause.
"Don't kill him."
I looked at Marcus.
"Why?"
Ewan answered.
"Because if you kill Thomas, you'll never know who helped him."
The recording ended.
Silence.
I sat down.
For several minutes, nobody moved.
Then Marcus spoke.
"There's more."
I looked at him.
He held up the recorder.
"The file has another track."
"What?"
He turned it over.
"There's a second recording."
I looked at my mother.
She nodded.
"Play it."
Marcus pressed the button.
At first there was only static.
Then voices.
A man's voice.
Adrian.
My father.
"I can't do this."
Another voice answered.
Thomas.
"You don't have a choice."
"He's my son."
"He's an asset."
"He's a child."
"He's the heir."
Silence.
Then Adrian spoke again.
"If you touch him, I'll destroy everything."
Thomas laughed.
"You've already destroyed everything."
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
The recording continued.
Thomas said:
"The fire will happen tomorrow."
Adrian's voice became furious.
"No."
"Your son will be blamed."
"No."
"Your wife will be silenced."
"No."
"And when you're gone, I will raise the boy myself."
I stopped the recording.
My hands were shaking.
I looked at my mother.
"What happened next?"
She whispered:
"Your father fought him."
"And the fire?"
"Thomas started it."
"Adrian stopped him?"
She nodded.
"He went into the warehouse."
"To save Ewan."
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
"So why did everyone think Dad was responsible?"
"Because Thomas made sure the evidence pointed to him."
I looked at the recorder.
"And Ewan?"
My mother looked away.
"He saw everything."
"That's why Thomas took him."
She nodded.
I stood.
"Then where was Adrian?"
My mother hesitated.
"After the fire?"
"Yes."
"He came back."
"When?"
"Three years ago."
I froze.
"Three years?"
She nodded.
"Why didn't he come home?"
"Because he couldn't."
"Why?"
"Thomas had people watching."
I stared at her.
"And now?"
My mother looked toward the window.
"Now he's ready."
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice came through.
"Your mother finally woke up."
I froze.
"Who is this?"
The voice laughed softly.
"You've been looking for me."
"Thomas."
"Not quite."
My heart tightened.
"Then who?"
The man answered:
"Someone who knew your father before you did."
I waited.
Then he said:
"Your wedding is still happening."
I stared at the phone.
"Who told you?"
"Your fiancée."
I looked toward the doorway.
Celeste stood there.
She had heard everything.
The caller continued:
"She has until tomorrow night to give me the contract."
I looked at Celeste.
Her face had gone completely white.
"If she doesn't..."
A pause.
"Your brother dies."
The line went dead.
Celeste took one step into the room.
"Elias..."
I held up my hand.
"Don't."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't call him."
"I know."
She stared at me.
"Then who did?"
I looked at the recorder.
Then at my mother.
Then at Celeste.
And finally, toward the dark hallway.
Because somewhere inside my house, someone was listening.
Someone who knew about Ewan.
Someone who knew about the contract.
Someone who knew my mother had awakened.
I lowered my voice.
"The wedding is happening."
Celeste stared at me.
"What?"
I looked directly into her eyes.
"But this time..."
I picked up the contract.
May you like
"...we write the ending."
END OF CHAPTER 7
