Chapter 20 — The Door That Never Closed
Richard stood in the doorway.
Nobody spoke.
Alex looked at his father.
The man who raised him.
The man who protected him.
The man who had lied to him.
Again.
"Father..."
Richard looked broken.
"I can explain."
Alex laughed.
A painful laugh.
"Everyone always says that."
Claire finally arrived at the church.
She stopped when she saw Richard.
Her expression changed.
Because she knew.
This was the moment everything would end.
Or begin.
Richard walked forward.
"I didn't kill Elizabeth."
Alex stared.
"Then why are you here?"
Richard looked at Daniel.
"Because he knows the truth."
Daniel remained silent.
For the first time...
He looked afraid.
Richard continued.
"Fifteen years ago, Elizabeth discovered the person behind everything."
A pause.
"She discovered that Daniel wasn't the threat."
"Victoria wasn't the mastermind."
"Neither was I."
Everyone waited.
Richard looked at Alex.
"The person controlling all of us..."
He swallowed.
"Was your mother."
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Alex stared.
"My mother?"
Richard nodded.
"Elizabeth planned everything."
Claire shook her head.
"No."
Richard looked at her.
"She knew she was dying."
A pause.
"She created a plan to expose everyone after her death."
Emma looked confused.
"Why?"
Richard answered:
"Because she knew the person closest to her was the only one powerful enough to destroy us all."
The church lights flickered.
Then Alex's phone received a message.
From an unknown number.
A photo appeared.
A woman.
Alive.
Older.
Standing outside a window.
Below the picture were five words:
"You found the wrong enemy."
Alex looked at the image.
His hands began shaking.
Because the woman in the photograph...
Was Elizabeth Ashford.
His mother.
May you like
The woman everyone believed was dead.
THE END... OR THE BEGINNING?
