CHAPTER 4: THE BILLIONAIRE WHO ATTENDED HIS OWN FUNERAL
The church doors swung open.
A tall man in a charcoal suit stepped inside, flanked by four bodyguards.
Every conversation stopped.
Every camera turned toward him.
Ethan's hands began to shake.
It couldn't be.
The man looked exactly like the portrait hanging in the lobby of Blackwood Global.
Jonathan Blackwood.
The billionaire who had supposedly died fifteen years ago.
Richard Vale stumbled backward.
"No..."
"That's impossible."
Jonathan removed his sunglasses.
His piercing blue eyes locked onto Richard.
"You seem disappointed to see me alive."
Richard's face turned as white as marble.
Sophia whispered, "Dad... who is he?"
Richard couldn't answer.
Jonathan slowly walked toward Ethan.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jonathan smiled sadly.
"You've grown into the man your mother always hoped you'd become."
Ethan swallowed hard.
"Are... are you really my father?"
Jonathan nodded.
"I've wanted to tell you that every single day for twenty-six years."
Margaret burst into tears.
"I'm sorry..."
"I had no choice."
Jonathan gently took her hand.
"You kept our son alive."
"That's all that mattered."
The entire church was silent.
Reporters rushed outside, broadcasting the unbelievable news live across the country.
BILLIONAIRE DECLARED DEAD RETURNS DURING WEDDING.
Within minutes, millions were watching.
Richard suddenly laughed.
"You think you've won?"
He pulled a small remote control from his pocket.
"I planned for this day."
A loud alarm echoed through the cathedral.
Jonathan's head snapped toward the ceiling.
"Everyone get down!"
BOOM!
A massive explosion shattered the stained-glass windows.
Smoke filled the church.
People screamed as pieces of stone crashed onto the floor.
Jonathan threw himself over Ethan and Margaret, shielding them from the falling debris.
When the smoke finally cleared...
Richard Vale was gone.
So was the old homeless woman.
The detective shouted into his radio.
"Seal every exit!"
"No one leaves this city!"
Ethan noticed something lying beneath the broken altar.
The silver pocket watch.
It had cracked open during the explosion.
Inside...
Hidden beneath the photograph...
Was a tiny folded piece of paper.
Jonathan carefully unfolded it.
His expression instantly changed.
Margaret gasped.
"No..."
Ethan grabbed the note.
Only six handwritten words appeared on the yellow paper.
"THE REAL TRAITOR IS BESIDE YOU."
Everyone instinctively looked around.
Then...
One bodyguard quietly reached inside his jacket.
Jonathan noticed too late.
The man pulled out a silenced pistol...
...and pointed it directly at Jonathan's back.
The bodyguard smiled.
"I've been waiting twenty years for this."
BANG!
May you like
END OF CHAPTER 4
Continue to Chapter 5... because the shot wasn't fired at Jonathan—it hit someone no one expected, exposing the mastermind behind the entire conspiracy.
