Chapter 10: The Uncle Who Returned From the Shadows
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The voice on the phone remained silent.
Waiting.
As if he knew exactly what those words would do to me.
Your grandmother has been lying to you.
I looked across the room at Robert.
He immediately noticed something was wrong.
"Daniel?""
I held up my hand.
The man on the phone spoke again.
"I know you're confused.""
"Who are you really?""
"I already told you.""
"No.""
My voice became sharper.
"I mean why are you calling me?""
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
"You sound like your father.""
I froze.
Nobody had said that to me before.
Not like that.
"What do you know about my father?""
"I knew him better than anyone.""
I looked at Robert.
His face had gone pale.
That scared me more than the call itself.
Because Robert knew who this man was.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere we can talk privately.""
"I'm not meeting a stranger.""
Another laugh.
"Daniel, I am your uncle.""
"That doesn't mean I trust you.""
"Good.""
The answer surprised me.
"Don't trust people easily. Your grandfather taught you that.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"You keep mentioning my grandfather.""
"Because he was the reason everything happened.""
"What happened?""
Silence.
Then:
"The night the company almost disappeared.""
My heart raced.
The same phrase.
The same secret.
Everyone kept talking about that night.
But nobody would tell me what happened.
"Tell me.""
"I will.""
A pause.
"But not over the phone.""
I almost refused.
Then he said:
"Because someone is still listening.""
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Robert immediately asked:
"Who was it?""
I looked at him.
"My uncle.""
He closed his eyes.
For a moment, he looked exhausted.
"Michael.""
I nodded.
"You know him.""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me he existed?""
Robert looked away.
"Because your grandfather didn't want you to know.""
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
My frustration finally broke.
"Everyone keeps deciding what I can handle.""
I stood.
"Grandma hides things. Grandpa hides things. Dad hides things. You hide things.""
My voice shook.
"But somehow I'm supposed to trust everyone?""
Robert didn't argue.
Because he knew I was right.
"I understand.""
"No, you don't.""
I grabbed the letter.
"I spent my entire life thinking my family was simple.""
I looked down.
"But apparently everyone was carrying secrets.""
Robert sighed.
"Daniel, your grandfather wasn't trying to hurt you.""
"Maybe not.""
I looked at him.
"But secrets hurt too.""
For the first time, Robert had no answer.
I met Michael Carter that evening.
Not because I trusted him.
Because I needed answers.
The restaurant he chose was quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of place where important conversations happened.
He was sitting in the corner.
The moment I saw him, I understood why people remembered him.
He looked like my father.
Not exactly.
But enough.
Same eyes.
Same expression.
Same way of sitting like he was carrying something heavy.
He stood.
"Daniel.""
I didn't shake his hand.
"Michael.""
He accepted that.
Actually, he looked like he expected it.
"You're angry.""
"Should I not be?""
"No.""
He sat down.
"I deserve that.""
That caught me off guard.
Most people who claimed they had answers usually acted superior.
Michael didn't.
He looked tired.
"Why did you come back?""
He looked down.
"Because your grandfather is gone.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
"No.""
He sighed.
"I stayed away because he asked me to.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He told me never to contact the family again.""
"Why?""
Michael looked at me.
"Because he believed it was the only way to protect everyone.""
"From what?""
"From me.""
The answer shocked me.
"You?""
He nodded.
"I made mistakes.""
"What kind?""
Michael looked toward the window.
"The kind that hurt people.""
I waited.
"Your grandfather and I built parts of the company together.""
I frowned.
"I thought Victor did.""
"Victor did too.""
"So there were three of you?""
"Yes.""
Michael leaned back.
"Your grandfather was the heart. Victor was the ambition. I was the numbers.""
I listened.
"My job was protecting the finances.""
"And?""
"And I failed.""
His voice became quiet.
"Someone used my access to move money.""
I immediately thought of the documents.
"Victor?""
Michael shook his head.
"No.""
"Then who?""
He looked at me.
"That is the question your grandfather spent years trying to answer.""
I felt a chill.
"So Grandpa didn't know?""
"He knew someone close to him was involved.""
"Who?""
Michael looked away.
"I don't know.""
I stared at him.
"You called me here to tell me you don't know?""
"No.""
He reached into his coat.
And placed an old envelope on the table.
My name.
Again.
My heart sank.
"Where did you get that?""
"Your father gave it to me.""
"When?""
"The night before he died.""
Everything stopped.
"You saw my father?""
Michael nodded.
"He asked me to keep it safe.""
"Why didn't you give it to me before?""
"Because I promised him.""
"Then why now?""
Michael looked directly into my eyes.
"Because your grandmother found the company documents.""
I didn't understand.
"What does that mean?""
"It means she knows you're searching.""
"She should know.""
Michael shook his head.
"No.""
His voice lowered.
"She should be afraid.""
When I returned home, Grandma was awake.
Waiting.
She knew.
I could tell.
"You met him.""
I stopped.
"How did you know?""
She looked at the envelope in my hand.
Her expression changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Michael.""
The room became silent.
"You shouldn't have met him.""
I felt anger rising again.
"Why?""
"Because he is dangerous.""
"Everyone says that about everyone who has information.""
She looked hurt.
"Daniel.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"I need the truth.""
Grandma looked at me for a long time.
Then she said something I never expected.
"I was wrong.""
I froze.
"What?""
"I thought hiding everything would protect you.""
She sat down.
"But I was protecting the wrong thing.""
I stared.
"What does that mean?""
Her hands trembled.
"The company was never the biggest secret.""
"What was?""
She looked at me.
"Your father.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"What about him?""
Grandma took a deep breath.
"Your father did not die because of an accident.""
The world seemed to stop.
"What?""
She looked away.
"He was investigating something.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Investigating what?""
May you like
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"The person who destroyed our family.""
