Revenge Of The Hidden Heir.

Chapter 8: Unveiling The Past, Forging A New Identity.

(flashback)

After serving his sentence for months, Jonathan stumbled upon a man who appeared to know a lot about his past family's. This man helped him find evidence to show that he had been framed. 

They made arrangements with the detective to claim that Jonathan had died in prison, unable to cope with the bullying of the inmates. Upon leaving prison, Jonathan decided to find who had framed him and learn more about his family. 

He vowed to change everything about himself, including his appearance, determined never to be weak again. Mitchell Adams, the man who had helped him and appeared to be a good friend of his father's, promised to assist him.

"Before that, I have to tell you about your family," Mitchell said.

Mitchell took Jonathan to his father's old house, where he had lived before being banished from the Levi family. As they entered, Jonathan couldn't believe his eyes. The house was a penthouse, more fashionable and luxurious than the Anderson mansion. He raised his hand to pinch his cheeks, wondering if he was dreaming.

"You're not dreaming, Young Master Levi," Mitchell assured him. "This was your father's house before he was banished and disowned by your grandfather."

"Please, Mr. Adams, I want to know everything that happened to my parents," Jonathan begged.

Mitchell began, "Your dad was a nice man. When he was younger, he looked a lot like you—kind face, hazel eyes, and brown hair."

"Dad had hazel eyes? How come I never knew about it?" Jonathan asked, surprised.

"That's because your dad always wore contact lenses to cover the color of his eyes," Mitchell explained. "Your eye color is particular to every single person in the Levi bloodline. It's like a birthmark for your family. Once a child is born, he has those eyes. Every male in the family has them."

"But why would Dad cover his?" Jonathan inquired.

Mitchell sighed. "It reminded him of everything he went through at the hands of your grandfather. Your father was nice and calm but stubborn when it came to what he wanted. He married your mother without the permission of your grandfather or great-grandfather, and your mother was from a rival business company."

Mitchell continued, "Your grandfather thought that your mother's role in your dad's life was to infiltrate his business, to learn about how it was run, its profits, losses, and debts. Your father, ever young and vibrant, stood up to your grandfather and told him to his face that he wasn't going to leave your mother. Your dad had a very big fight with your grandfather that day, which made your grandfather leave this very house we're in. On his way back to his own house, he got into an accident."

"Your great-grandfather, hearing this, was so angry he disobeyed his own father and even had an argument with him. Your great-grandfather blamed your dad for the death of his son and banished him away. Your mother's father never accepted the marriage either. This made the couple decide to live their life away from their families. They decided to start afresh, and since your father had savings, it wasn't hard for him to settle down. A few times, your great-grandfather tried reaching out, but your father, stubborn as always, turned him down," Mitchell explained.

"Father never told me any of this happened," Jonathan said, stunned. "So, how's great-grandfather now?" he asked.

"Your great-grandfather is about 100 years old now and will be dying soon. He sent me to find you, which is why I had to leave my station and come here to work as a warden, monitoring you and trying to find evidence. I'm sorry I didn't do a very good job of monitoring you; some bullies still got to you," Mitchell replied apologetically.

"Take me to great-grandfather now," Jonathan demanded.

They traveled to see the elder Levi. When they arrived at his mansion, they found him staring at pictures of his son and grandson. 

"Great-grandfather?" Jonathan called out.

Mr. Levi turned around. Seeing Jonathan reminded him so much of his son. He beckoned Jonathan to come closer, his weaker bones preventing him from moving quickly. Jonathan rushed to give him a warm embrace, tears in his eyes. After a while, they sat down to have a long talk about the family and its business.

Jonathan wasn't happy to learn that his father had been abandoned. He couldn't help but think that if his dad hadn't been cast out, he might still be alive, and Jonathan's life wouldn't have taken such a drastic turn. 

But he needed the money and power that came from becoming the CEO of the Levi establishment, an enterprise far larger than Anderson's. 

He needed to find out who had actually framed him. Now that he had heard about his family, he couldn't help but wonder if one of his father's or grandfather's old enemies had decided to take it all out on him. 

Whatever the case might be, he was determined to get to the root of everything.

"What are you thinking about?" Mitchell asked.

"I'm wondering who framed me. Now that I've found out so much, I think one of my father's enemies could have been responsible," Jonathan replied.

Mitchell sighed. "I think this is the right time to tell you this. While I was investigating, trying to find proof of your innocence, I discovered that the person who framed you was in that family. But they were good enough to cover their tracks so well that you can't tell who it was."

"Look, boy, right now everyone is a suspect, including your ex-wife Sophia. You can't trust anyone in that family," Mitchell warned.

Jonathan felt a surge of anger at the revelation that someone in the family had actually framed him. He remembered the look in everyone's eyes when he was sentenced, and when management rights were given back to the Andersons. He could see their joy and happiness.

"Mr. Adams, where can I get very good black hair dye and black contact lenses?" Jonathan asked suddenly.

"For what?" Mitchell inquired, puzzled.

"I need them if I want my revenge to be perfect, without revealing my real identity," Jonathan explained.

Mitchell called one of the household staff to fetch the items. When they arrived, Jonathan applied them, dramatically changing his appearance.

"From henceforth, when going out of this house, I am Ethan Blackwood," Jonathan declared. "Jonathan Levi is dead to the outside world."

As he looked at his transformed reflection, Jonathan felt a mix of determination and sadness. He was leaving behind not just his appearance, but also the naive, trusting person he had once been. 

The weight of his family's complicated history and the betrayal he had suffered settled on his shoulders, fueling his resolve for justice and revenge.

***