Chapter 6 - MY FATHER’S SECRET
My father had always been my hero.
When I was a child, I believed he could fix anything.
A broken bicycle.
A bad dream.
A broken heart.
But now he stood in front of me with a secret that had apparently destroyed lives.
“What did you do?” I asked again.
My father looked at me.
“Years ago, I was involved in a classified operation.”
Claire looked away.
My mother began crying.
My father continued.
“It was supposed to be a rescue mission.”
“Was it?”
“No.”
The room became silent.
He explained that years earlier, he had worked with a private military contractor.
They had been tasked with recovering stolen financial records.
The records belonged to a powerful criminal network.
But someone inside the operation had betrayed them.
People died.
The records disappeared.
And my father had been blamed.
He had survived because someone else took responsibility.
That person was Claire's father.
Claire stared at him.
“My father?”
My father nodded.
“He saved my life.”
Claire began crying.
“And you never told me?”
“I tried.”
“You tried?”
“I was ordered not to.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Everyone always has an order.”
My father looked at me.
“The records contained evidence against powerful people.”
“Who?”
“Politicians. Businessmen. Military officials.”
I looked at Evan.
“And Evan?”
My father nodded.
“His family was involved.”
Evan smiled.
“Now you understand.”
My father turned toward him.
“You were a child.”
“My father wasn’t.”
“Your father was never convicted.”
“Because you buried the evidence.”
My father didn't deny it.
I looked at him.
“Did you?”
He stared at the floor.
“Yes.”
The word destroyed something inside me.
“Why?”
“Because I thought I was protecting you.”
My mother whispered:
“And I thought Evan could protect the family.”
I laughed.
“You both used me.”
Nobody answered.
Then the USB drive began to beep.
A timer appeared on the laptop.
00:59:59
My father froze.
“What is that?”
Claire shook her head.
“Evan designed it.”
The screen displayed a message:
IF THE FILE IS OPENED, THE EVIDENCE WILL BE RELEASED.
My father stared.
Evan smiled.
“You have one hour.”
“One hour for what?”
“To decide who gets destroyed.”
My father looked at me.
“What does he mean?”
Evan answered:
“Your father can save himself.”
My father’s expression hardened.
“How?”
“Give me Emily.”
I stepped backward.
My father moved in front of me.
“Never.”
Evan smiled.
“Then the files go public.”
My father looked at the timer.
The countdown continued.
58:42.
58:41.
I turned toward him.
“What happens if the files go public?”
He said nothing.
My mother whispered:
“Your father will be arrested.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
I looked at my father.
“Is it true?”
He nodded.
“Possibly.”
I felt sick.
“Possibly?”
“There are things I did.”
“Did people die?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
I stepped away from him.
My father looked devastated.
“I was trying to stop something worse.”
“Everyone says that.”
Evan smiled.
“Now you see.”
I turned toward him.
“You don't get to stand there and pretend you're better.”
“I never said I was.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“Yes.”
“You imprisoned Claire.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to destroy Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you telling the truth now?”
Evan looked at me.
“Because I know something your father doesn't.”
“What?”
He smiled.
“The baby isn't Daniel's either.”
My entire body went cold.
Daniel stared at him.
“That’s a lie.”
Evan looked at me.
“Is it?”
I couldn't breathe.
Evan continued:
“Ask Emily where she was the night she became pregnant.”
I closed my eyes.
My memories returned.
A hotel.
A storm.
A man.
A face I had never seen clearly.
I had been drunk.
I had been angry.
I had believed Daniel was gone.
And then…
I opened my eyes.
Daniel was staring at me.
“What happened?”
I couldn't answer.
My father looked at me.
“Emily?”
Evan smiled.
“You don't know who the father is.”
The timer continued.
42:17.
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And then the screen displayed a new message:
PATERNITY TEST: SUBJECT UNKNOWN.
