Chapter 9 The File They Would Kill to Hide

Chapter 9: The File They Would Kill to Hide

The moment Samuel ended the call, Ethan's expression turned icy. He had expected Victor Graves to make a move, but he hadn't expected the attack to come so quickly.

"Turn the car around," Ethan ordered.

The driver immediately changed direction, and the limousine surged through the night traffic toward Carter Manor.

Samuel was already issuing commands through his phone.

"Lock down every entrance."

"No one enters or leaves without my approval."

"Review every security camera from the last twelve hours."

"Search the grounds again."

The responses came one after another.

"Yes, Mr. Brooks."

"Understood."

"We're on it."

Ethan remained silent, watching the city lights race past the window. Victor's invitation had been nothing more than a calculated distraction. While they were talking, someone had slipped into Carter Manor looking for a file hidden fifteen years ago.

That file had to contain something powerful enough to threaten the people behind the conspiracy.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have risked exposing themselves.

The limousine stopped in front of the estate less than twenty minutes later.

Security guards surrounded the vehicle before Ethan even stepped out.

Their captain walked over immediately.

"Young Master."

"What happened?"

The captain lowered his head.

"One of our patrol teams discovered signs of forced entry near the chairman's private study. The intruders disabled two cameras, climbed over the western wall, and escaped before we reached them."

"Were they identified?"

"No, sir."

"They wore masks and professional equipment."

Ethan walked toward the mansion without slowing down.

"What about my grandfather?"

"He's safe."

"He never left his bedroom."

Inside the mansion, William Carter was already waiting in the study.

Despite the late hour, he looked calm.

"I knew they would come," he said as Ethan entered.

"You knew?"

William nodded.

"They've been searching for that file for years."

He slowly walked toward an old painting hanging above the fireplace.

With a gentle push, the painting swung open, revealing a hidden safe built into the wall.

Samuel's eyes widened.

"I never knew this existed."

William smiled faintly.

"Only two people did."

He entered the combination and removed a weathered brown envelope tied with a faded red ribbon.

"This is what they wanted."

Ethan accepted the envelope carefully.

It felt surprisingly light.

"What is it?"

William looked at him with a mixture of sadness and determination.

"The truth."

Ethan untied the ribbon and opened the envelope.

Inside were several photographs, handwritten notes, old bank records, and a single flash drive.

The first photograph immediately caught his attention.

It showed William Carter standing beside three men at the groundbreaking ceremony of Carter Group's first headquarters nearly twenty-five years earlier.

Ethan recognized William.

He recognized one of the other men as Victor Graves.

The third face made him stop breathing.

Gregory Hawthorne.

Ethan slowly looked up.

"My former grandfather-in-law?"

William sighed heavily.

"Long before the Hawthorne family became wealthy, Gregory and I were business partners."

Samuel's face turned pale.

"That's impossible."

William nodded.

"It was supposed to remain a secret."

He pointed toward another document.

"Read the dates."

Ethan quickly scanned the papers.

Every financial transaction connected Gregory Hawthorne to Carter Group during its earliest years.

The partnership had ended abruptly fifteen years ago—the same year Ethan disappeared.

"So Gregory was involved from the beginning."

William slowly shook his head.

"Not exactly."

"He knew pieces of the truth."

"But I never discovered whether he was a victim... or a willing participant."

The room fell silent.

Ethan's thoughts immediately returned to Isabella.

Had she known any of this?

No.

He was certain she hadn't.

She had been a university student when everything happened.

She couldn't have been part of the conspiracy.

But Gregory...

That was another matter.

Samuel carefully examined one of the photographs.

"Young Master..."

He pointed toward the background.

"There."

Standing several feet behind the three businessmen was a young employee wearing a company badge.

His face was partly hidden.

Only his eyes were clearly visible.

William's expression darkened.

"His name was Adrian Wolfe."

"The head of Carter Group's internal security."

"He disappeared the night you vanished."

Samuel frowned.

"We searched for him years ago."

William nodded.

"And never found him."

Ethan stared at the photograph.

"If Adrian disappeared..."

"Then someone helped him."

Before anyone could continue, the study door burst open.

A security officer rushed inside, breathing heavily.

"Young Master!"

"What is it?"

"We've captured one of the intruders."

Samuel immediately stepped forward.

"Alive?"

"Yes."

"He was injured while escaping over the wall."

Ethan closed the envelope and handed it back to William.

"Lock this away again."

William nodded.

"Be careful."

"I always am."

Minutes later, Ethan entered the estate's security building.

A masked man sat handcuffed to a chair, his injured shoulder wrapped in bandages.

His eyes remained cold despite the guards surrounding him.

Ethan pulled up a chair and sat directly across from him.

Neither man spoke for several seconds.

Finally, Ethan broke the silence.

"Who sent you?"

The prisoner smiled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Ethan wasn't surprised.

Professional operatives rarely talked.

Samuel placed several photographs on the table.

"Your fingerprints match a former military contractor."

The man's smile disappeared.

"You've done your research."

"I always do."

Ethan leaned forward slightly.

"I'll ask once more."

"What were you looking for?"

The prisoner remained silent.

One of the guards stepped forward angrily.

"Young Master, let me handle him."

Ethan raised a hand.

"No."

He looked back at the prisoner.

"You're loyal."

"I respect that."

The man frowned, clearly confused.

"But loyalty only matters if the person you're protecting values your life."

Ethan nodded toward the television mounted on the wall.

Samuel turned it on.

Breaking news immediately appeared.

Police have discovered an abandoned vehicle connected to tonight's attempted break-in. Authorities believe the suspects fled before officers arrived.

The prisoner's expression remained unchanged.

Then another image appeared.

The vehicle suddenly exploded into flames.

The news anchor gasped as firefighters rushed toward the wreckage.

Ethan quietly watched the prisoner's face.

For the first time...

Fear appeared.

"They tried to kill their own men," Ethan said calmly.

"They wanted to erase every trace."

The prisoner's breathing became uneven.

"They were never coming back for you."

"They left you here to die."

Silence filled the room.

After nearly a minute, the prisoner's shoulders slowly dropped.

"You don't understand," he whispered.

Ethan met his eyes.

"Help me understand."

The man hesitated before speaking again.

"I've never met the real boss."

"I only receive orders."

"From whom?"

The prisoner's lips trembled.

He slowly whispered two words.

"The Shepherd."

Samuel frowned.

"I've never heard that name."

Neither had Ethan.

But judging from the fear in the man's eyes...

Whoever "The Shepherd" was, even Victor Graves answered to someone else.

The conspiracy Ethan believed centered around one powerful businessman had suddenly become something far darker.

Somewhere in the shadows...

There was another enemy.

And that enemy had been patiently pulling the strings all along.