CHAPTER 6 – The Son Raised to Hate His Own Family
The photograph passed from hand to hand.
No one could breathe.
The young man looked strikingly familiar.
His eyes...
His smile...
Even the shape of his jaw resembled Richard Ashford.
Victoria whispered,
"He looks exactly like Dad."
The detective immediately ordered facial recognition.
Within minutes, the computer displayed a shocking result.
99.8% biological match with the Ashford family DNA.
Benjamin was alive.
But he had never known who he really was.
Edward had stolen him as a baby...
Raised him under another name...
And spent twenty-five years poisoning his mind.
To Benjamin...
Richard and Eleanor weren't loving parents.
They were monsters.
The detective's phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
His expression changed instantly.
"What?"
"When?"
He slowly lowered the phone.
"We've located Edward."
Daniel stood.
"Where?"
The detective swallowed.
"At Ashford Global Headquarters."
Everyone rushed toward the company skyscraper.
Police cars surrounded the building.
Helicopters circled overhead.
Inside the executive office on the top floor, Edward stood beside the panoramic windows.
Across from him stood the young man from the photograph.
Benjamin.
Tall.
Confident.
Completely unaware of the truth.
Edward handed him a pistol.
"Listen carefully."
"In a few minutes, strangers will come through that door."
"They'll claim they're your real family."
"They're lying."
"They murdered your parents."
"They want to steal everything from you."
Benjamin gripped the weapon tightly.
"I won't let them."
Edward smiled.
"That's my boy."
Seconds later...
The elevator doors opened.
Eleanor stepped out first.
The moment she saw Benjamin, tears flooded her eyes.
She recognized the tiny birthmark behind his left ear.
The same mark she had kissed every night before he disappeared.
She whispered through trembling lips,
"My baby..."
Benjamin slowly raised the gun.
Pointing it directly at her heart.
Edward smiled in silence.
May you like
Because after twenty-five years...
His final revenge was only seconds away.
