CHAPTER 5: The Father’s Final Recording
The phone call lasted only twenty-three seconds.
But it shattered twenty-four years of certainty.
Alexander stood frozen, the satellite phone still trembling in his hand.
"Father chose which son deserved to live."
The words echoed in his mind like a curse.
Sophia stared at him.
"Dad... who was that?"
Alexander couldn't answer.
Because deep inside...
He already knew.
Only one person in the world could have spoken those words.
Ethan.
The brother everyone believed had died.
Back at the mansion, the underground bunker was sealed off by investigators.
Every document was photographed.
Every fingerprint collected.
Every hidden compartment searched.
Hours passed.
Nothing.
Then Rich stopped in front of an old wooden desk.
The dog sniffed once.
Twice.
Then scratched the floor beneath it.
Daniel frowned.
"Move the desk."
Four guards pushed it aside.
Underneath was a loose floorboard.
Hidden below...
A small iron box.
Its lock had almost rusted away.
When they finally forced it open, everyone leaned closer.
Inside were only three things.
A silver pocket watch.
A faded family photograph.
And...
A VHS videotape.
Written across the label in black ink were six chilling words:
"Only if both sons survive."
Silence filled the room.
Alexander's breathing became heavier.
"My father recorded this?"
No one answered.
The tape was rushed to a media lab.
Minutes later...
The old recording flickered onto a large screen.
Static.
Then an elderly man appeared.
Older.
Weaker.
But unmistakable.
Richard Grant.
Alexander's father.
He looked directly into the camera.
"If you're watching this..."
"...then everything has gone terribly wrong."
Alexander's heart nearly stopped.
His father continued.
"My sons..."
"If one of you is missing..."
"...do not believe anything you've been told."
Sophia grabbed Alexander's hand.
The old man coughed before speaking again.
"The fire..."
"...was never an accident."
Everyone in the room exchanged shocked glances.
"It was arranged."
Alexander whispered,
"No..."
The old man nodded sadly.
"There are people who wanted control of the Grant fortune."
"They knew I was dying."
"They needed one heir."
"So they decided..."
"...to eliminate the other."
Alexander's eyes filled with tears.
"My God..."
The recording continued.
"If I failed to protect both of you..."
"...I'm sorry."
"I trusted the wrong people."
The image suddenly distorted.
Static covered the screen.
Then...
One final sentence appeared before the tape ended.
"Never trust the man with the raven."
The screen went black.
No explanation.
No names.
Only silence.
Daniel looked around the room.
"Who is 'the man with the raven'?"
Nobody knew.
Except Rich.
The dog suddenly growled.
He wasn't looking at the television.
He was staring out the window.
Into the darkness.
As though someone...
Was already there.
At exactly 2:17 A.M...
One of the estate guards screamed.
Everyone rushed outside.
The front gate stood wide open.
The guard lay unconscious.
Pinned to his uniform with a hunting knife...
May you like
Was a single black feather.
TO BE CONTINUED...
