Chapter 13: The Man Who Should Have Been Gone
For three seconds, I couldn't move.
I stared at the security camera feed.
My mansion.
My living room.
My daughter.
And the man standing behind her.
My father.
Richard Sterling Sr.
The same face I remembered from every childhood photograph.
The same cold eyes.
The same expression that never revealed what he was thinking.
But that was impossible.
He had been buried five years ago.
"Dad...""
The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it.
Jonathan looked at the screen.
His face turned pale.
"That's not possible.""
I grabbed my phone.
"Call security.""
Jonathan didn't move.
"Richard.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He swallowed.
"If that is your father...""
He didn't finish.
Because we both knew what it meant.
I rushed out of the office.
The entire drive home, my mind fought with itself.
Part of me knew what I was seeing.
Another part refused to accept it.
Dead people didn't walk into houses.
Dead people didn't stand beside their grandchildren.
But someone had been controlling everything.
Someone had been hiding.
And now that person was standing next to Sophie.
When I arrived, security surrounded the mansion.
I ran inside.
"Sophie!""
"Daddy!""
Her voice came from the library.
I rushed in.
She was sitting on the sofa.
Safe.
I grabbed her and held her tightly.
Then I looked up.
The man standing near the window turned around.
My father.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakable.
For the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes.
"Richard.""
I stepped in front of Sophie.
"You are dead.""
He sighed.
"I know what it looks like.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You think?""
Sophie looked between us.
"Daddy, is that Grandpa?""
I looked at her.
"Go with Maria.""
She hesitated.
"But...""
"Now, Sophie.""
Maria quickly took her upstairs.
The room became silent.
My father looked at me.
"I never wanted you to find out this way.""
"You never wanted me to find out anything.""
His face tightened.
"Your mother and I...""
"My mother?""
I stepped forward.
"Don't talk about my mother. Don't talk about Emily. Don't talk about my family like you protected us.""
He looked down.
"I made mistakes.""
"Mistakes?""
I pointed toward the hallway.
"My daughter was starving because of people connected to you.""
His expression changed.
"I didn't know about that.""
"You expect me to believe you?""
Silence.
Then he said:
"Vanessa was never my plan.""
I froze.
"What?""
He sat down slowly.
"She was Jonathan's mistake.""
My anger stopped for a second.
"Explain.""
He looked at me.
"After Emily discovered the financial records, she was going to expose everything.""
"Your father.""
He nodded.
"But Jonathan tried to control the situation.""
I felt sick.
"Jonathan?""
My father continued.
"He brought Vanessa into your life.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Yes.""
He looked exhausted.
"He thought she could influence you.""
Every memory came rushing back.
The perfect timing.
The perfect smile.
The way Vanessa appeared when I was vulnerable.
My father reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small device.
"Emily recorded a message.""
My breathing stopped.
"Where?""
He handed it to me.
"She left it for Sophie.""
I stared at the device.
"Why didn't you give this to me?""
His eyes filled with regret.
"Because I was afraid.""
I looked at him.
My father.
The man I spent my life trying to impress.
Afraid.
"Afraid of what?""
He whispered:
"That the truth would destroy everything.""
I pressed the device.
A familiar voice filled the room.
Emily.
My wife.
My daughter's mother.
"Richard...""
My knees almost gave out.
The recording continued.
"If you are hearing this, then something went wrong.""
I held my breath.
"Please remember one thing.""
A pause.
"Don't trust the person who tells you they are protecting your family.""
The recording stopped.
Then restarted.
A second voice appeared.
A man's voice.
A voice I recognized.
May you like
Jonathan.
My heart dropped.
