Part 6: The Truth Nathan Never Told Me
The airport suddenly felt unbearably quiet.
Hundreds of people moved around us.
Announcements echoed from the speakers.
Suitcases rolled across the floor.
But all I could hear was Victor Kane’s voice.
"Ask Nathan why he never told you the truth about Lucas's real father."
I turned slowly.
My eyes found Nathan.
The man I had spent two years mourning.
The man I had just started to believe again.
His face was pale.
His silence was an answer before he even spoke.
"Nathan..."
My voice trembled.
"What did he mean?"
Nathan looked at Lucas.
Then at me.
"I wanted to tell you."
I stepped back.
"Then why didn't you?"
His eyes filled with regret.
"Because I was afraid."
Victor smiled.
That same cold smile.
The smile of a man who enjoyed watching people break.
"You see, Maria..."
"He didn't disappear because I forced him."
"He disappeared because he had his own secret."
Detective Harris moved closer.
"Victor, you might want to be careful."
"You are already surrounded."
Victor ignored him.
His eyes stayed on Nathan.
"Tell her."
Nathan closed his eyes.
For a moment, he looked defeated.
Then he whispered:
"Lucas isn't only my son."
My heart stopped.
The words didn't make sense.
"What?"
Nathan swallowed.
"He is my biological son."
I stared at him.
"Then what are you saying?"
He looked at Lucas.
"The DNA marker Victor wanted..."
"It wasn't from me."
Everyone was silent.
Nathan continued.
"Before I met you, I was investigating Victor."
"I discovered the research."
"I discovered the experiments."
"And I discovered someone else was involved."
"Who?"
Nathan looked at me.
"The woman who created the research."
My stomach tightened.
"Who?"
He answered:
"Your mother."
The world seemed to stop.
My mother had been gone for years.
She was the woman who raised me.
The woman who taught me kindness.
How could she be connected to Victor?
"No."
I shook my head.
"That's impossible."
Nathan gently replied:
"I wish it was."
He explained.
My mother had been a brilliant scientist.
She worked on genetic research.
At first, she believed she was helping people.
She wanted to create treatments for inherited diseases.
But Victor took her research and twisted it.
He turned medical information into a tool for power.
"When your mother discovered what Victor was doing..."
Nathan said,
"She tried to stop him."
"She destroyed her own work."
"But one thing remained."
Lucas.
My son was born with a rare genetic marker.
Not because of an experiment.
Not because he was created.
But because of a natural inheritance from my mother's research.
Something Victor couldn't recreate.
"So he wanted Lucas because..."
Detective Harris finished the sentence.
"Because Lucas was proof."
Nathan nodded.
"Proof that Victor stole the research."
Victor laughed.
"Still making yourself the hero, Nathan?"
Everyone turned.
Victor looked amused.
"You forget one thing."
He pointed at Nathan.
"He knew."
Maria looked at Nathan.
"Knew what?"
Victor smiled.
"He knew your mother was involved."
"He knew Lucas was special."
"And he still came into your life without telling you."
The accusation hit hard.
I looked at Nathan.
"Is that true?"
Nathan didn't answer immediately.
That hurt more than anything.
Finally...
"Yes."
I felt betrayed.
After everything.
After losing Lucas.
After believing I had finally found the truth.
There was still another lie.
"You used me."
Nathan shook his head.
"No."
"I loved you."
"Then why?"
He looked broken.
"Because I was afraid that if you knew everything..."
"You would hate me."
I laughed through tears.
"I hate you more for lying."
For a moment, Nathan accepted it.
He didn't defend himself.
Maybe because he knew I was right.
Then Victor suddenly moved.
Fast.
He grabbed a nearby officer's weapon.
The entire terminal erupted.
People screamed.
Security rushed forward.
Victor pointed the gun.
Not at Detective Harris.
Not at Nathan.
At Lucas.
My entire body froze.
"No!"
I pulled Lucas closer.
Nathan stepped in front of us.
"Victor!"
Victor's expression was cold.
"Move."
"No."
Nathan said.
"You're not touching him."
The moment stretched.
Everyone waited.
Then Victor laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"What?"
Victor looked at Maria.
"The boy was never the only thing I needed."
He lowered the weapon slightly.
"I needed his mother."
Detective Harris stared.
"What are you talking about?"
Victor smiled.
"Because Maria..."
"She is the missing piece."
Everyone looked at me.
I felt confused.
"What missing piece?"
Victor answered:
"Your mother didn't destroy the research."
"She hid it."
"And only one person can unlock it."
My blood ran cold.
"Who?"
Victor pointed at Lucas.
"No."
Then he looked at me.
"You."
The terminal went silent.
Because the truth was finally revealed.
Victor wasn't trying to control Lucas.
He was trying to control me.
And somewhere inside my mother's old research...
Was something only I could access.
Something my entire family had been hiding.
Something that could bring down Victor Kane forever.
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But first...
I had to survive long enough to uncover it.
