Chapter 8 - Ronan Finally Confronted Daniel—Only to Discover the Deadly Secret About His Father
Daniel disappeared for forty-eight hours.
Ronan tore apart every warehouse, office, and safe location connected to him.
Nothing.
Then Tessa found something.
The photograph.
The black crescent.
She realized the symbol appeared on the ring Daniel wore.
She remembered seeing it in an old photograph from Eda's house.
She enlarged the image.
There was another person wearing the same ring.
Ronan's father.
But there was something else.
A date.
The night Julian died.
Tessa showed Ronan.
His expression hardened.
"My father and Daniel were working together."
"Yes."
"Then why did Daniel kill him?"
"Because he betrayed him."
Ronan looked at her.
"My father wasn't innocent."
"No."
"Neither was mine."
They stood silently.
For the first time, their families seemed connected by the same tragedy.
Tessa reached for his hand.
Ronan looked down.
He didn't pull away.
"You don't have to carry all of this alone."
"I've carried it fourteen years."
"That doesn't mean you have to keep doing it."
He looked at her.
Something changed.
Not love.
Not yet.
Something quieter.
Trust.
Then Ronan's phone rang.
Daniel.
"Come to the old Callahan estate."
Ronan answered.
"Why?"
"Because you deserve the truth."
"You've had fourteen years."
"I've been waiting for you to be strong enough."
Ronan's expression became cold.
"I'll be there."
They arrived at midnight.
The estate had been abandoned since the fire.
The walls were blackened.
The windows broken.
But Daniel stood in the center of the old dining room.
On the table was a bowl.
The same dish Tessa had cooked.
Daniel smiled.
"Your mother made it beautifully."
Ronan raised his weapon.
"Talk."
Daniel sighed.
"I loved Margaret."
Ronan laughed bitterly.
"You murdered her."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she discovered everything."
"Everything?"
"Your father had joined the Saint Crescent to protect the family."
Ronan stared.
"He was trying to keep us safe."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
"He was trying to control it."
"He became ambitious."
"Margaret wanted out."
"Julian wanted out."
"Your father refused."
Daniel's eyes moved toward Tessa.
"Evelyn stole the records."
"She planned to expose everyone."
"So your father ordered her death."
Tessa felt sick.
Ronan stared at Daniel.
"You're lying."
Daniel shook his head.
"Ask Thomas."
"Thomas told me."
Daniel smiled.
"But he didn't tell you the worst part."
He pulled out a file.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Tessa's.
The father's name had been altered.
Ronan looked at it.
Then at Tessa.
Daniel whispered.
"Your father wasn't Thomas Rowe."
Tessa froze.
"Who?"
Daniel pointed at Ronan.
"Julian Callahan."
Silence.
Ronan stepped backward.
"No."
Daniel smiled.
"Your mother was carrying Julian's child when she died."
Tessa's eyes widened.
"Then..."
Ronan looked at her.
He couldn't speak.
Daniel laughed.
"You spent your entire life thinking you were unrelated."
Tessa shook her head.
"This is impossible."
Daniel opened another file.
DNA results.
Julian Callahan was Tessa's father.
Ronan was Julian's younger brother.
Tessa was Ronan's niece.
Everything stopped.
The strange familiarity.
The protectiveness.
The connection.
All of it suddenly had a name.
Family.
Not romance.
Not coincidence.
Family.
Ronan lowered his weapon.
Daniel smiled.
"Now you understand."
But Tessa looked at the papers.
Something bothered her.
"The date."
Daniel frowned.
"The DNA test."
She pointed.
"It was performed two years ago."
Daniel went silent.
"Julian died fourteen years ago."
Tessa looked at him.
"How did you get his DNA?"
Daniel's expression changed.
Ronan understood.
"You kept samples."
Daniel stepped backward.
"Who gave them to you?"
Nobody answered.
Then a voice came from the doorway.
Thomas.
"You did."
Daniel turned.
Thomas was holding a gun.
Ronan stared.
Thomas said quietly.
"Julian isn't dead."
Daniel's face went white.
The lights came on.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Older.
Scarred.
But unmistakably alive.
Julian Callahan.
Tessa covered her mouth.
Ronan couldn't move.
May you like
Julian looked at him.
"Hello, little brother."
