CHAPTER 2 – The Family Lie That Lasted Two Decades
The priest slowly sat across from Ethan.
"Your grandmother spent the rest of her life protecting you."
Ethan gripped the letter tighter.
"What happened to my parents?"
The priest hesitated.
"They discovered something that powerful people were willing to kill for."
His voice barely rose above a whisper.
"The accident... was staged."
Ethan's heart pounded so loudly he could barely hear the next words.
"Your father was gathering evidence against members of his own family."
"What family?"
"The Harper family."
Ethan laughed nervously.
"We don't have any family left."
The priest slid one final photograph across the table.
It showed Ethan's parents standing beside three elegantly dressed people.
On the back was written:
'The Harper Board of Directors – One week before everything changed.'
Board of Directors?
His family had owned a corporation?
That made no sense.
His grandmother had spent years working as a librarian.
They had barely enough money to survive.
Then Ethan noticed something hidden beneath the photograph.
A tiny brass key.
Attached was another note.
"Everything they stole still exists."
"Locker 217. Union Station."
"Trust no one with the Harper name."
Before Ethan could ask another question—
His phone rang.
Unknown Number.
He answered cautiously.
A calm voice spoke only one sentence.
"You should've buried that box with your grandmother."
The line went dead.
At that exact moment...
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Someone outside the mansion began trying to force the front door open.
To be continued...
