Chapter 8: The Truth Hidden Behind Damian’s Name
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Not Damian.
Not Sofia.
Not even Vivian.
The words remained in the room like a weapon nobody knew how to put down.
"I was trying to warn him.""
Damian stared at Sofia.
The woman who had spent the last two years quietly walking through his home.
The woman who had cleaned his rooms.
The woman who had served his meals.
The woman who had looked him in the eyes and told him she feared him.
And now he was discovering that before she became his maid...
she had been trying to protect his brother from him.
"Explain.""
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Sofia knew that voice.
It was the voice Damian used when he was trying to control emotions powerful enough to destroy everything around him.
She took a breath.
"The night before Ethan died, I went to Cross Industries because he wasn't answering my calls.""
Damian's eyes narrowed.
"You called him?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he asked me to contact him if I found anything.""
"Found what?""
Sofia looked at Vivian.
Then back at Damian.
"The person following him.""
Silence.
"You knew someone was following Ethan.""
"Yes.""
"And you went to my company.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Sofia hesitated.
Because the truth sounded impossible.
Because she knew how it would look.
"I saw something.""
Damian waited.
"Three days before Ethan died, someone broke into his apartment.""
His expression changed.
"What?""
"I was there.""
"Why?""
Sofia looked down.
"Ethan asked me to help him.""
The answer bothered Damian.
Not because she helped him.
Because Ethan trusted her.
"Why would Ethan trust you?""
Sofia looked at him.
"Because I saved his life.""
The room went quiet again.
But Damian didn't look angry.
He looked wounded.
His brother had been suffering.
Investigating.
Fighting alone.
And Damian had never known.
"What happened at Cross Industries?""
Sofia swallowed.
"I arrived late.""
"How late?""
"Almost midnight.""
"Who was there?""
"No one.""
"That's impossible.""
"I thought so too.""
She remembered that night.
The empty building.
The dark hallways.
The feeling that something was wrong.
"I found Ethan's office open.""
Damian immediately turned.
"His office?""
"Yes.""
"What did you see?""
Sofia closed her eyes.
"The documents were everywhere.""
"What documents?""
"The ones he was investigating.""
Damian stepped closer.
"What were they about?""
"Your father.""
His jaw tightened.
"And?""
"Victor Hale.""
The name again.
Always the same name.
"Where was Ethan?""
Sofia's voice became quieter.
"He wasn't there.""
"Then why did you think he was in danger?""
"Because someone had been there before me.""
"How do you know?""
She looked at him.
"Because they left a message.""
Damian froze.
"What message?""
Sofia hesitated.
Then answered:
"Stop looking for the truth, or your brother dies.""
The words hit him.
Because the message wasn't a threat about Ethan's future.
It was a warning.
Someone knew Ethan was searching.
Someone knew Sofia was helping him.
Someone was already watching them.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
Sofia looked at him.
"Because after Ethan died, I received another message.""
Damian's face hardened.
"What message?""
"They told me if I spoke about what happened, people I cared about would suffer.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"You never saw them?""
"No.""
"But you believed them.""
Sofia nodded.
"Yes.""
Damian looked away.
For the first time, he understood.
She hadn't stayed silent because she was weak.
She stayed silent because someone had convinced her that speaking would get people killed.
Something inside him shifted.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But understanding.
Vivian watched them quietly.
Then she spoke.
"There is something else.""
Both Damian and Sofia looked at her.
Damian's expression hardened.
"You've had enough secrets for one night.""
Vivian ignored him.
"Ethan wasn't just investigating your father.""
"What else?""
"He was investigating you.""
Sofia's heart stopped.
Damian stared.
"What?""
Vivian stepped closer.
"He believed someone was using your name.""
"What does that mean?""
"It means the person behind everything wanted Ethan to believe you were responsible.""
The room became silent.
Sofia understood first.
"They were framing you.""
Damian looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because you were the easiest target.""
Vivian continued.
"Everyone knew Ethan trusted you.""
Damian looked at her.
"And if Ethan believed I betrayed him...""
"He would never come to you.""
Exactly.
The plan wasn't just to kill Ethan.
It was to separate the brothers.
To destroy trust before destroying a life.
Damian walked toward the window.
His reflection stared back at him.
For years, he believed Ethan's last warning was about him.
Now he wondered if Ethan had been warning him about something wearing his face.
"Who had access to my identity?""
Vivian answered.
"Everyone close to your father.""
"Names.""
"Victor Hale.""
A pause.
"Your mother.""
Damian turned.
"My mother?""
Vivian looked uncomfortable.
"She knew more than she admitted.""
The room changed.
Again.
Every answer created another question.
Damian hated that.
He hated that his family had become a maze.
A place where every door opened into another lie.
"My mother protected me.""
"Maybe.""
Vivian said softly.
"But protecting someone and telling them the truth are not the same thing.""
Damian looked at her.
For a moment, Sofia saw something.
Not anger.
Pain.
Because deep down, Damian had always believed his family was the one place where honesty existed.
Now he was discovering it was just another illusion.
His phone rang.
Marcus.
Damian answered.
"What?""
A pause.
Then his expression changed.
"Where?""
Sofia watched him carefully.
"What happened?""
Damian ended the call.
"They found Victor Hale.""
Nobody spoke.
Sofia felt cold.
"He's alive?""
Damian nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
His eyes moved toward the front doors.
"Outside Cross Manor.""
The room went silent.
A security alarm suddenly sounded.
Everyone froze.
Marcus' voice came through the communication system.
"Sir, we have movement at the east gate.""
Damian immediately moved.
"Lock down the house.""
The entire mansion changed.
Doors locked.
Security teams moved.
Employees were escorted away.
The peaceful appearance of Cross Manor disappeared.
The truth was finally forcing its way inside.
Damian reached the security room.
The cameras showed a single man standing outside the gate.
Older.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
A black ring on his hand.
Sofia stopped breathing.
"It's him.""
Damian looked at her.
"Victor?""
She nodded.
"The man from the accident.""
Damian stared at the screen.
For six years, everyone believed Victor Hale was dead.
But there he was.
Standing outside his home.
Waiting.
"Open the gate.""
Marcus immediately turned.
"Sir?""
"You heard me.""
"No.""
Damian looked at him.
Marcus didn't move.
"That man may have killed your brother.""
"I know.""
"Then why would you let him inside?""
Damian's eyes hardened.
"Because I want answers.""
Sofia stepped forward.
"That's what he wants.""
Damian looked at her.
"What?""
"He wants you angry.""
A pause.
"He wants you emotional.""
She looked at the screen.
"That's how people like him win.""
Damian studied her.
Six years ago, Ethan had trusted her.
Now he understood why.
She didn't just see what happened.
She understood people.
"Then what do you suggest?""
Sofia looked at Victor.
"Make him think he has control.""
Damian almost smiled.
Almost.
"You're telling me how to handle Victor Hale.""
"I'm telling you how Ethan would.""
The mention of his brother stopped him.
Then Damian looked at Marcus.
"Bring him in.""
Marcus hesitated.
"But keep weapons trained.""
"Understood.""
Minutes later, Victor Hale entered the mansion.
He looked exactly like Sofia remembered.
Older.
Calm.
Almost friendly.
That was what terrified her.
Danger rarely looked dangerous.
Victor removed his coat.
"Damian.""
His voice carried through the room.
"After all these years.""
Damian stared at him.
"You should be dead.""
Victor smiled.
"That was the idea.""
No one moved.
Sofia stood behind Damian.
Victor noticed.
And smiled wider.
"So.""
His eyes moved to her.
"The little witness survived.""
Damian's entire expression changed.
"You know her.""
Victor looked amused.
"I know everyone who matters.""
Sofia felt fear rise.
Not for herself.
For Damian.
Because Victor wasn't surprised.
He had expected this.
"You killed Ethan.""
Damian's voice was quiet.
Victor sighed.
"Still blaming the wrong people.""
"What does that mean?""
Victor looked around the room.
"Your father built an empire.""
A pause.
"But Ethan wanted to destroy it.""
Damian stepped closer.
"My brother wanted the truth.""
"No.""
Victor smiled.
"Your brother wanted justice.""
"Same thing.""
"Not in your world.""
Silence.
Then Victor looked at Sofia.
"He never told you, did he?""
Damian turned.
"Told her what?""
Victor smiled.
"The reason Ethan trusted her.""
Sofia froze.
"What?""
Victor looked at her.
"Ethan didn't meet you by accident.""
Her blood ran cold.
"What are you talking about?""
Victor stepped closer.
"Ethan chose you because you were the only person outside the family who knew the truth.""
Damian looked at Sofia.
"What truth?""
Victor smiled.
"The truth about your mother.""
The room froze.
Sofia felt her heartbeat stop.
Damian stared.
"My mother?""
Victor nodded.
"Your mother wasn't protecting you.""
A pause.
"She was protecting herself.""
And in that moment, Damian Cross realized the deepest secret of all...
May you like
was not who killed his brother.
It was why Ethan had been desperate to expose the Cross family before he died.
