Chapter 10 - A Father’s Choice
Arthur tore through the house.
No Ethan.
Security footage showed a maintenance vehicle entering through the service gate.
Its authorization code belonged to Daniel.
Arthur turned toward him.
Daniel went pale.
“I didn’t give anyone that code.”
“Who has it?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Charles.”
Arthur nearly attacked him again.
Marcus stopped him.
“We need the boy.”
Arthur forced himself to focus.
Maya was crying.
Elena held her.
Victoria stood alone near the wall.
Arthur looked at her.
“You know your father.”
“Yes.”
“What will he do?”
“He’ll trade Ethan for the drive.”
“And then?”
Victoria didn’t answer.
Arthur stepped closer.
“And then?”
“He’ll remove the remaining witnesses.”
Elena tightened her arms around Maya.
Arthur looked at the flash drive.
They still hadn’t opened it.
Daniel had warned that it might contain tracking software.
Marcus created an isolated system.
They accessed it.
Hundreds of files appeared.
Bank transfers.
Recorded conversations.
Bribery ledgers.
Government officials.
Judges.
Executives.
Police officers.
Charles had documented everything.
Insurance.
Leverage.
Protection.
Then they found a folder labeled A.B.
Arthur Bennett.
Inside were files dating back twenty years.
Arthur opened one.
A photograph of himself and Elena.
Another.
His first company.
Another.
A confidential medical report.
Then an audio recording.
Charles’s voice.
“If Bennett becomes a problem, we use the children.”
Arthur went still.
Another voice responded.
Daniel’s.
Arthur looked at him.
Daniel closed his eyes.
The recording continued.
“Maya is confirmed.”
“The boy?”
“Unconfirmed.”
“Does Bennett know?”
“No.”
“Keep it that way.”
Arthur stopped the recording.
Daniel looked destroyed.
“I was trying to protect you.”
Arthur laughed.
“You’ve said that enough.”
A new message arrived.
Coordinates.
11:00 p.m.
Bring the drive.
Arthur prepared to go.
Elena stopped him.
“You can’t.”
“My son is there.”
Elena looked at him.
“He isn’t biologically yours.”
Arthur turned.
Maya stared at her mother.
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“Never say that again.”
Elena froze.
Arthur pointed upstairs.
“That boy has lived under my roof.”
“He trusted me.”
“He asked me if I was his father.”
“I told him yes.”
Arthur picked up the drive.
“I don’t care what a laboratory says.”
“If Ethan believes I’m his father, then tonight I’m his father.”
Maya began crying.
Victoria looked away.
At 10:58 p.m., Arthur arrived at an abandoned shipping warehouse.
Alone.
Or apparently alone.
Marcus’s team remained hidden blocks away.
Arthur entered.
Charles stood under a single light.
Sebastian was beside him.
Arthur froze.
Sebastian was not restrained.
Arthur looked between them.
“You.”
Sebastian’s expression was unreadable.
Charles smiled.
“Families are complicated.”
Arthur gripped the drive.
“Where is Ethan?”
A door opened.
Ethan walked out.
Unharmed.
Arthur exhaled.
“Come here.”
Ethan looked at Sebastian.
Then Arthur.
Charles smiled.
“He knows.”
Arthur’s stomach tightened.
“Knows what?”
“That Sebastian is his father.”
Ethan’s eyes filled.
Arthur looked at him.
“Ethan.”
The boy whispered.
“Did you lie to me?”
Arthur stepped forward.
“No.”
“You said you were my dad.”
“I believed I was your biological father.”
“So you’re not.”
Arthur’s voice softened.
“That doesn’t change anything.”
Charles laughed.
Arthur ignored him.
“Come here.”
Ethan hesitated.
Then Sebastian placed a hand on his shoulder.
Arthur’s expression changed.
“Take your hand off him.”
Sebastian didn’t.
Arthur stared at him.
May you like
Sebastian finally spoke.
“I’m taking my son.”
