Chapter 7: My Father Told Me Not to Trust My Sister
For several seconds, Marcus couldn't move.
The man standing in Elias Morgan's doorway looked older than the photographs Marcus remembered, but there was no mistaking his face.
The same dark eyes.
The same broad shoulders.
The same small scar above his left eyebrow.
His father.
James Bennett.
The man Marcus had watched being buried when he was nine years old.
"Son," James repeated.
"Don't trust your sister.""
Olivia immediately stood.
"What did you just say?""
James didn't look at her.
He kept his eyes fixed on Marcus.
"There's something you need to understand before we go any further.""
Marcus slowly rose from his chair.
"You've been alive for twenty-seven years.""
James nodded.
"And you let us believe you were dead.""
"I had reasons.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"Reasons?""
His voice cracked.
"Do you know how many times Olivia asked Mom when you were coming home? Do you know how many birthdays I spent wondering why you never came back?""
James lowered his eyes.
"I know.""
"No, you don't.""
"Marcus—"
"Don't say my name like you have any right to comfort me.""
Olivia stepped between them.
"Why are you telling him not to trust me?""
James finally looked at her.
"Because someone used your identity to access your mother's trust.""
"Someone forged my identification!""
"That's what they want you to believe.""
Olivia stared.
Marcus turned toward his father.
"Explain yourself.""
James looked at Elias.
The old investigator nodded reluctantly.
James entered the room and closed the door.
"I disappeared because Richard Cole wanted the original partnership agreement. Your mother discovered that he had been moving money through companies that didn't exist. When she confronted him, he threatened our family.""
Marcus folded his arms.
"Why didn't you go to the police?""
"I tried.""
"And?""
James looked at the floor.
"The investigator assigned to the case was working for Richard.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Do you have evidence of that?""
James nodded.
"Some.""
"Where?""
James ignored the question.
He looked at Marcus.
"Your mother arranged for me to disappear. She believed Richard would stop if he thought I was dead.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Mom told us you died in an accident.""
"She had no choice.""
"She had a choice to tell us the truth.""
James's expression softened.
"She wanted you to have a normal childhood.""
Marcus looked away.
He remembered his mother sitting beside his bed after the funeral, holding his hand while he cried.
He remembered asking whether his father had been scared.
His mother had kissed his forehead and told him that his father hadn't suffered.
Had even that been a lie?
Olivia wiped her eyes.
"If Mom knew you were alive, why did she never tell me?""
James looked at her.
"Because you were the one person Richard could use against me.""
Olivia frowned.
"What does that mean?""
James took a breath.
"When you were sixteen, someone approached you at school. A man who claimed to know your father.""
Olivia's expression changed.
"That was years ago.""
"Did he give you anything?""
She shook her head.
"Just a business card.""
"Did you keep it?""
Olivia stared at him.
"I don't remember.""
James turned toward Marcus.
"Someone has been watching this family for years. Your sister may have been approached long before Vanessa entered your life.""
Marcus looked at Olivia.
She appeared genuinely frightened.
"Marcus, I never knew any of this.""
He wanted to believe her.
But his father's warning remained between them.
Daniel finally interrupted.
"Mr. Bennett, with respect, we need evidence. We have a forged authorization, a suspicious property transfer, and a company connected to Richard Cole. We cannot assume Olivia is involved simply because her identification was used.""
James nodded.
"Agreed.""
Then he reached inside his jacket and removed a small flash drive.
"This contains copies of the original financial records.""
Daniel accepted it.
"What is on it?""
"The transactions Richard tried to hide. The original trust documents. And the names of everyone involved.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Does it include the person who arranged your disappearance?""
James looked at him.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
James hesitated.
Before he could answer, Olivia's phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
Marcus immediately gestured for her not to answer.
But James raised his hand.
"Let it ring.""
The call ended.
A second later, a message appeared.
Olivia read it.
Her face turned white.
"What does it say?"" Marcus asked.
She handed him the phone.
The message contained a photograph.
It showed Marcus, Olivia, Daniel, and James standing outside the warehouse earlier that afternoon.
Someone had followed them.
Beneath the photograph were seven words.
*Your father should have stayed dead.*
Marcus looked toward the window.
Samuel moved immediately.
"Everyone away from the glass!""
A second message arrived.
This time, it contained a video.
Marcus pressed play.
The footage showed the outside of Olivia's house.
A man was standing beside her front door.
He was holding a folder.
Marcus recognized the folder.
It contained the documents they had left inside her house.
Olivia gasped.
"How did he get those?""
James grabbed Marcus's arm.
"That's Richard's associate.""
"Who?""
James's expression hardened.
"Tyler Reynolds.""
Meanwhile, Vanessa was sitting in her car outside a quiet hotel.
She had spent the afternoon trying to reach Tyler.
He hadn't answered.
Patricia had stopped responding to her messages.
And now Marcus's name was appearing in every notification on her phone.
She opened social media.
Someone had posted a photograph of the abandoned wedding reception.
The caption read:
Atlanta businessman Marcus Bennett cancels wedding after mysterious altar confrontation.
Vanessa stared at the comments.
Some people sympathized with her.
Others questioned why she had refused to sign the agreement.
Then a private message arrived from an unfamiliar account.
Your father is alive. Ask your mother what she did in 2017.
Vanessa felt her throat tighten.
She called Patricia.
No answer.
She tried again.
Still nothing.
Then she received a message from Tyler.
Meet me at the old warehouse. Come alone.
Vanessa hesitated.
She typed:
Where are you?
His response arrived immediately.
You want answers? Come find them.
She started the car.
Back at Elias's house, Marcus was trying to understand the new threat.
"Why would Tyler have access to Olivia's house?""
James shook his head.
"He shouldn't.""
Daniel looked at the flash drive.
"Can we examine these files?""
"Not here," James answered.
"We need somewhere secure.""
Marcus turned toward his father.
"Where have you been living?""
"Outside Savannah.""
"Doing what?""
"Keeping an eye on Richard.""
Marcus stared.
"All these years?""
James nodded.
"And trying to find the original agreement.""
"Why didn't you contact us?""
James's eyes filled.
"Because the people who arranged my disappearance were still watching you.""
Marcus's anger returned.
"So you let Mom raise us alone?""
James didn't answer.
"She worked two jobs. She sold her jewelry to pay for Olivia's school. She spent every Christmas pretending she wasn't waiting for you.""
James lowered his head.
"I know.""
"Then why?""
"Because if I returned, Richard would have come after all of you.""
Marcus looked at the older man.
"Mom is dead.""
James closed his eyes.
"I know.""
"She died believing she had to protect us from something you refused to explain.""
For the first time, James began to cry.
"I loved your mother.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Then you should have trusted her enough to let her decide what risks to take.""
Nobody spoke.
Then Elias slowly stood.
"There's something you should all see.""
He walked toward a locked cabinet and removed a thick brown folder.
Inside were newspaper clippings, bank statements, and photographs.
He placed one photograph on the table.
It showed a group of five people outside the Bennett family home.
James.
Richard.
Evelyn.
Patricia.
And another man.
Marcus leaned closer.
He recognized him.
It was his grandfather's attorney, Walter Hayes.
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"That's impossible.""
Marcus turned.
"Why?""
Daniel pointed to the man.
"Walter Hayes died in 2009.""
Elias shook his head.
"No. His death was reported in 2009.""
Marcus looked at the old investigator.
"Are you telling me he's alive too?""
Elias nodded.
"And he's the person who signed the original agreement.""
Marcus felt a chill.
"Where is he?""
Elias opened his mouth.
But James answered first.
"He's been working for me.""
Marcus looked at his father.
"Then why are you warning me about Olivia?""
James looked toward the window.
"Because Walter told me something before I came here.""
"What?""
James swallowed.
"Your sister has been meeting him.""
Olivia stepped backward.
"That's a lie.""
James reached into his pocket and removed another photograph.
It showed Olivia entering a restaurant.
Across from her sat Walter Hayes.
The date was from two weeks earlier.
Marcus stared at his sister.
"Olivia?""
She looked at the photograph.
Then she began to cry.
"I can explain.""
Marcus's voice became almost a whisper.
"How long have you known him?""
Olivia looked at him.
And before she could answer, the lights in Elias's house went out.
A crash came from the back door.
Samuel shouted.
Then someone screamed.
When the emergency lights came on, Olivia was gone.
May you like
And on the table, beside the photograph, was a handwritten note.
*BRING THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT IF YOU WANT YOUR SISTER BACK.*
