Chapter 15: Two Fathers, One Lie
The old chapel stood on the edge of the original Cross estate.
Its stone walls were covered in ivy, and the wooden doors had begun to rot. Damian remembered visiting it as a child, when his mother still believed the family could be something other than a kingdom built on fear.
He entered with Vivian behind him.
Ethan had refused to stay away.
Despite Damian's warning, he had followed them from the hospital.
"You're not going in without me," Ethan said.
Damian turned.
"You're injured.""
"I'm not dead.""
"That's debatable.""
Ethan gave him a humorless smile.
"Then let's settle it.""
They entered together.
The chapel was empty.
A single candle burned near the altar.
On the floor lay an old photograph.
Damian picked it up.
Two identical boys stood beside a woman wearing a white dress.
One boy was Alexander.
The other was Arthur.
Their mother, Rose Voss, stood between them.
Damian stared at the photograph.
"Rose was their mother?""
Vivian nodded.
"Yes. Alexander and Arthur were born into the Voss family. They changed their names after Rose died.""
Ethan frowned.
"Then why did Alexander marry Margaret?""
"Because she inherited the remaining Voss property," Vivian replied.
"And because he wanted access to the trust.""
Damian looked at the photograph again.
"Which one became my father?""
Vivian didn't answer.
A voice came from behind the altar.
"That's an excellent question.""
A man stepped into the candlelight.
He looked exactly like Alexander.
But his expression was different.
Older somehow. More tired.
Damian raised his gun.
"Stop.""
The man lifted his hands.
"Please, Damian. Don't shoot your father.""
Ethan moved beside his brother.
"Which one are you?""
The man smiled sadly.
"I'm the one who tried to save your mother.""
Damian's jaw tightened.
"Name.""
"Arthur Cross.""
Ethan swore.
"You're supposed to be dead.""
"So was I.""
Arthur lowered his hands.
"Your uncle Victor was not the only one your father buried. Alexander had a talent for making people disappear.""
Damian kept his weapon trained on him.
"Where is Alexander?""
Arthur looked toward the altar.
"He's already here.""
The chapel doors slammed shut.
A hidden speaker crackled.
Alexander's voice filled the room.
"Hello, boys.""
Damian looked up.
"Show yourself.""
A screen lowered from the ceiling.
Alexander appeared on it, sitting in a leather chair.
Beside him sat Margaret.
Sofia stood behind her, pale but unharmed.
Isabella was there too.
"Now," Alexander said, "we can finally discuss the family.""
Damian stepped toward the screen.
"Let them go.""
"Of course. Once you give me the ledger.""
"You have the pendant.""
"I have a copy.""
"Then what do you need from me?""
Alexander smiled.
"Your signature.""
A document appeared on the screen.
It was a transfer agreement for the Cross empire.
Damian read it.
He was being asked to transfer every company, property, and financial holding into a new trust.
The beneficiary was Adrian Cross.
Damian looked at the camera.
"You want me to give him everything?""
"Adrian is the only one of my children who understands loyalty.""
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"You abandoned him.""
"I prepared him.""
"You left him to believe we let him die.""
"And he learned to hate weakness.""
Damian's voice dropped.
"You destroyed a child to build a weapon.""
Alexander leaned back.
"I built an heir.""
Sofia stepped forward on the screen.
"You're a monster.""
Alexander looked at her.
"Careful, daughter.""
Sofia's face hardened.
"Don't call me that.""
"Your mother called you that.""
"My mother was Elena.""
"Your mother was Margaret.""
Margaret suddenly stood.
"Enough, Alexander.""
He turned toward her.
"You have always been sentimental.""
"And you have always been afraid.""
For the first time, Alexander's expression changed.
Margaret continued.
"Rose knew what you and Arthur were planning. She knew you wanted to steal the Voss trust. That's why she changed the beneficiary.""
Damian looked at Arthur.
"What did she do?""
Arthur answered quietly.
"She left everything to her granddaughter.""
"Margaret.""
"No," Arthur said.
"The granddaughter who had not yet been born.""
Sofia went still.
Margaret looked at her through the screen.
"Your grandmother knew I was pregnant. She changed the trust before you were born.""
Damian looked at Sofia.
"So she really is the heir.""
Alexander laughed.
"Only if she can prove who her father is.""
Sofia stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Alexander's expression became almost tender.
"It means Elena lied to you.""
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
A young Elena stood beside a man.
The man was not Alexander.
He was Damian's uncle Arthur.
Sofia stepped backward.
"No.""
Alexander smiled.
"Your mother had an affair with my brother. You are not my daughter, Sofia. You are Arthur's.""
The chapel fell silent.
Damian turned toward Arthur.
"Is it true?""
Arthur closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
Ethan stared at him.
"You're her father?""
Arthur nodded.
"I didn't know she was alive until Elena contacted me.""
Sofia looked at the screen.
"Why didn't you come for me?""
Arthur's voice cracked.
"Because Alexander threatened to kill you if I did.""
Alexander laughed.
"Such a convenient excuse.""
Arthur looked toward the screen.
"You took everything from me.""
"I took what was necessary.""
"You stole Rose's estate. You destroyed Margaret's life. You made two brothers believe the other was dead.""
"And I built an empire.""
Damian slowly lowered his weapon.
He was beginning to understand.
The Cross family had never been a family.
It had been a war between two brothers, fought through children, marriages, lies, and graves.
Then Arthur stepped toward Damian.
"There's something else you need to know.""
Damian turned.
"What?""
"Elena didn't simply hide Sofia from Alexander. She hid her from me, too.""
Sofia stared at him.
"Why?""
Arthur looked at the floor.
"Because I was the one who gave Alexander the information that led to the attack on her.""
Sofia's face drained.
"You betrayed my mother?""
"I was trying to protect her.""
"You gave them her location.""
Arthur nodded.
"I thought they would frighten her into surrendering the ledger. I never imagined they would hurt you.""
Damian raised his weapon again.
"You got her mother killed.""
Arthur didn't defend himself.
"Yes.""
The screen flickered.
Alexander leaned closer to the camera.
"Now you see why I wanted all of you in one place.""
A red light began blinking beneath the altar.
Vivian looked down.
"Damian.""
He followed her gaze.
A bomb.
Ethan grabbed Vivian and pulled her away.
Arthur shouted.
"Get down!""
The chapel exploded.
When Damian opened his eyes, dust covered everything.
The screen had fallen.
The candles were gone.
He heard Ethan calling his name.
"Damian!""
"I'm here.""
Ethan pulled him upright.
Vivian was lying near the doorway, blood running down her forehead.
Arthur was nowhere to be seen.
Damian looked toward the altar.
A section of the floor had collapsed, revealing a narrow staircase.
At the bottom, a light was still burning.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message from Sofia.
*WE'RE ALIVE. BUT MARGARET IS GONE.*
Another message followed.
*ADRIAN TOOK HER.*
Damian typed quickly.
*WHERE ARE YOU?*
The reply came after several seconds.
*THE OLD VOSS HOUSE.*
Then a final message appeared.
*DAMIAN, DON'T TRUST ARTHUR. HE KNOWS WHERE YOUR REAL FATHER IS.*
Damian stared at the screen.
Behind him, Ethan was helping Vivian stand.
"What's wrong?""
Damian looked toward the dark staircase.
"Everything.""
He turned on his flashlight and descended.
At the bottom was a small underground room.
A metal cabinet stood against one wall.
On it was a name engraved in brass.
*ALEXANDER CROSS — ORIGINAL RECORDS.*
Damian opened it.
Inside lay dozens of documents, photographs, and medical reports.
At the very bottom was a sealed envelope.
His name was written across it.
He opened it.
The letter contained only three lines.
Damian,
The man who raised you is not your father.
Your real father is the one you buried.
Damian read the words twice.
Then he looked at the photograph beneath the letter.
It showed a younger Alexander Cross standing beside a newborn baby.
The baby was Damian.
But the man holding him was not Alexander.
It was Ethan.
May you like
And written on the back, in his mother's handwriting, were the words:
*The firstborn son belongs to the man who never came home.*
