PART 17 — THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
I couldn’t stop staring at the photograph.
My grandfather.
Walter Hale.
Alive.
Standing somewhere I had never seen before.
The date on the picture was impossible.
Yesterday.
My mind refused to accept it.
For three years, everyone had believed he was gone.
There had been a funeral.
There had been tears.
There had been a goodbye.
But now…
he was alive.
“Where did you get this?”
My voice shook as I looked at Adrian.
For the first time, he didn’t look confident.
He looked cautious.
“That picture came from someone who wanted you to know the truth.”
“Who?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
My father stepped forward.
“Olivia, you need to leave.”
I turned toward him.
“Why?”
“Because if Walter is alive, why are you afraid?”
My father remained silent.
And that silence told me more than words ever could.
“You knew.”
His expression changed.
“Dad…”
“You knew my grandfather was alive.”
He looked away.
That was enough.
My heart sank.
“How long?”
My father whispered:
“Three years.”
I felt like the room was spinning.
“Three years?”
“You let me believe he was dead for three years?”
My father’s eyes filled with regret.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone always says that.”
“No one ever has a choice.”
My father looked at me.
“But I really didn’t.”
“Why?”
He took a deep breath.
“Because Walter asked me to.”
The room went silent.
I looked at Adrian.
Then back at my father.
“Why would my grandfather ask you to pretend he was dead?”
My father didn’t answer.
So Adrian did.
“Because Walter discovered something.”
“What?”
Adrian smiled.
“The person who tried to destroy the Hale family…”
“Was much closer than anyone imagined.”
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?”
Adrian looked at my father.
And I immediately understood.
“No.”
My father shook his head.
“No, Olivia.”
But Adrian continued.
“Your grandfather discovered that the person responsible for everything was not Alexander.”
“Not Daniel.”
“Not even me.”
My breathing stopped.
“Then who?”
Adrian leaned closer.
“The person sitting closest to him.”
My eyes moved toward my father.
I hated that I even considered it.
Because after everything…
I didn’t know what was true anymore.
My father looked hurt.
“You really think I could do that?”
I wanted to say no.
I wanted to believe him.
But too many secrets had already been uncovered.
Before I could answer, my phone rang.
A number I didn’t recognize.
I answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
Older.
Calm.
But unmistakable.
“Olivia.”
My entire body froze.
“Grandfather?”
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Walter Hale was on the phone.
“Don’t trust anyone in that room.”
My heart raced.
“What?”
His voice became serious.
“Not your father.”
“Not Adrian.”
“Not even the person you think protected you your entire life.”
I looked at my mother.
Because suddenly…
I knew.
There was still one person missing from this conversation.
My mother.
“Grandfather, where are you?”
A long pause.
Then he answered:
“Somewhere I should have never been hidden.”
“What does that mean?”
“Olivia…”
His voice softened.
“You need to find the original Hale Family Trust documents.”
“Not the copies.”
“The originals.”
“Why?”
Another pause.
“Because the person who changed your family’s future…”
“also changed your identity.”
My blood turned cold.
“My identity?”
Before I could ask another question…
the call ended.
I stood there frozen.
My grandfather was alive.
My father was hiding something.
Adrian had his own agenda.
And now…
someone had changed my identity?
I looked at the people around me.
The people I had trusted.
The people I loved.
And for the first time…
I realized the biggest secret in my family was not about money.
It was not about the company.
It was not about power.
It was about me.
TO BE CONTINUED…
