CHAPTER 8 — "MY FATHER LEFT A VIDEO... AND THE REAL MONSTER FINALLY HAD A FACE."
The next morning...
Nathan, Emily, Grace, Victor, and Harold gathered inside the temporary study.
The fire had destroyed Richard's office...
But the flash drive had survived.
Nathan plugged it into his laptop.
A single video file appeared.
FOR NATHAN — IF YOU ARE SEEING THIS, I AM ALREADY GONE.
Nathan hesitated.
Then pressed PLAY.
Richard Whitmore appeared on the screen.
He looked older.
More tired than Nathan remembered.
If anyone is watching this besides my son...
It means my greatest fear has become reality.
Nathan's eyes filled with tears.
His father continued.
Nathan...
I need you to understand something.
Your mother made terrible choices.
But she was never the mastermind.
She believed she was protecting you.
She never realized she had become someone else's weapon.
The screen changed.
Security footage appeared.
Edward Whitmore.
Meeting secretly with Margaret.
Handing her thick envelopes of cash.
Showing her forged legal documents.
Whispering in her ear.
Richard's voice continued.
Edward convinced her that Emily would destroy our family.
He convinced her that Grace was a threat.
He convinced her that anyone Richard loved had to disappear.
Nathan's fists tightened.
The next clip appeared.
Edward bribing a hospital administrator.
Another clip.
Edward paying a private investigator to follow Emily.
Another.
Edward meeting the masked man who had set Richard's office on fire only hours earlier.
Emily whispered,
"My God..."
Grace could barely breathe.
Victor quietly nodded.
"This is what Richard died trying to expose."
Then came the final recording.
Richard looked directly into the camera.
Nathan...
If Edward realizes you've found this...
He won't run.
He'll attack.
Protect Emily.
Protect Oliver.
Protect Grace.
The company doesn't matter anymore.
Only your family does.
The screen went black.
No one spoke.
Nathan slowly closed the laptop.
His voice was calm.
"Call every board member."
Harold nodded.
"Immediately."
Nathan looked toward Victor.
"I've spent my whole life protecting a company."
He turned toward Emily and gently lifted Oliver into his arms.
"But my father was right."
"My family comes first."
Just then...
The mansion's security chief burst through the door.
"Mr. Whitmore!"
Nathan looked up.
"What happened?"
The guard was breathing hard.
"The guards at the front gate..."
"They've all been knocked unconscious."
Victor stood instantly.
"How many intruders?"
The guard swallowed.
"We don't know."
"But every security camera outside the nursery..."
"...has gone offline."
Emily's face turned white.
She instinctively clutched Oliver.
Nathan slowly looked toward the second floor.
The nursery.
His expression hardened.
Edward had stopped hiding.
And for the first time...
May you like
The battle was no longer about money.
It was about who would reach the baby first.
