THE SON THEY BURIED WAS THEIR ONLY HEIR

Chapter Forty Six: The Name Daniel Left Behind

Benedict returned to Aurelia City before dawn.

He'd been up most of the night, digging through all of Daniel Cross's old files and records, trying to find something that would finally make sense.

The more he read, the less certain he became.

Daniel had left behind fragments.

Dates.

Names.

Addresses.

But never the complete truth.

Benedict sat alone in his apartment, staring at one particular page.

Leah Morgan.

Daniel's daughter.

If she was still alive, she might be the only person who knew what Daniel had hidden.

His phone rang.

Mara.

"Benedict."

"Yes?"

"I found something."

He sat straight.

"What?"

"Daniel Cross had a daughter."

"I know."

Mara paused.

"How?"

"I found her name in his private records."

"Then you know more than I do."

"Where is she?"

"Still in Aurelia City."

Benedict stood.

"Send me the address."

"I will."

"Anything else?"

"Yes."

Mara's voice lowered.

"She changed her name."

Benedict frowned.

"To what?"

"Leah Morgan."

The same name.

He closed his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

A message arrived with the address.

Benedict looked at it.

A small private bookshop in one of Aurelia City's older districts.

He picked up his coat.

The shop was quiet when Benedict arrived.

Rows of old books filled the walls.

A young woman stood behind the counter, reading.

As she lifted her eyes, the sound of the bell above the door filled the air, signaling the arrival of someone new.

"Can I help you?"

Benedict studied her.

Late twenties.

Dark hair.

Reserved expression.

There was something about her eyes that reminded him of Daniel.

"Are you Leah Morgan?"

The woman closed her book.

"Who wants to know?"

"My name is Benedict."

Her expression changed slightly.

"Do I know you?"

"No."

"Then why are you asking for me?"

"Because I knew your father."

She became completely still.

"You knew Daniel?"

"I knew of him."

"That's not the same thing."

"No."

Benedict approached the counter.

"I'm trying to understand what happened twenty-five years ago."

Leah's eyes narrowed.

"What happened?"

"The fire."

She immediately looked toward the shop's front windows.

Then back at him.

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

Benedict placed a photograph on the counter.

Daniel.

Young.

Seriously.

Standing outside Ashcroft Manor.

Leah stared at it.

"Where did you get that?"

"It belonged to your father."

She didn't touch it.

"Why are you looking for him?"

"Because he left questions."

"And you think I have the answers?"

"I think you might have some."

She gave a nervous laugh.

"You should leave."

"Leah."

"I said leave."

Benedict didn't move.

"Did Daniel ever tell you about a child?"

The color drained from her face.

That was enough.

Benedict knew he had found the right person.

"What child?"

"The child connected to the Ashcroft family."

Leah stared at him.

"Who are you really?"

"Benedict Ashcroft."

She stepped backward.

The name clearly meant something to her.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Why?"

"My dad warned me to never bring up what happened that night with anyone from the Ashcroft family."

Benedict's heart tightened.

"Which night?"

"The night of the fire."

Silence filled the shop.

"Your father knew what happened."

"Yes."

"What did he know?"

Leah looked toward the locked back door.

"Everything."

Benedict's pulse quickened.

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because he made me promise."

"What promise?"

I'll never tell what he left behind, unless I'm sure the person asking isn't connected to his family.

Benedict stared at her.

"I'm not working for them."

She gave him a skeptical look.

"You carry the Ashcroft name."

"I've spent years being treated as though I don't belong there."

Something in his voice made her pause.

Benedict continued.

"I've worked for that family most of my life. I've watched people receive opportunities I never had. I watched the company grow while nobody bothered to ask what I wanted."

Leah studied him.

"Then why stay?"

"Because I wanted to understand why."

"Understand what?"

Benedict hesitated.

"My place in all of it."

Leah looked down.

For the first time, her expression softened.

I remember my dad saying that the Ashcroft had this way of making you feel like you didn't quite belong. It was as if they had a knack for pushing people to the outside, looking in.

Benedict's jaw tightened.

"He knew them well."

"He feared them."

"Why?"

He thought someone in the family wanted the kid to disappear.

Benedict's heartbeat quickened.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"You must."

Leah shook her head.

"My father never told me."

"Did he tell you who the child was?"

She looked at him.

"He said the child was important."

"An heir?"

Her silence answered him.

Benedict lowered his voice.

"Was the child killed?"

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Benedict froze.

"You know that?"

"My father told me he survived."

His chest tightened.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"Did Daniel?"

"Maybe."

Benedict looked at her.

"What does that mean?"

Leah walked toward a shelf.

She pulled down an old book.

Inside it was a narrow compartment.

She removed a sealed envelope.

"My father gave it to me this year ago."

Benedict stared at it.

"What's inside?"

"I don't know."

"You never opened it?"

"No."

"Why?"

He said to me, "Don't open this unless someone shows up asking about the kid."

Benedict's eyes remained fixed on the envelope.

"Then why are you showing it to me?"

Leah looked directly at him.

"Because you're the first person who has come looking without asking for money, power, or the Ashcroft inheritance."

Benedict said nothing.

She placed the envelope on the counter.

Just as he was about to grab it, her phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence.

She looked at the screen.

Her face changed.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't answer.

The call ended.

Then another came.

Same number.

Leah rejected it.

Benedict noticed the fear in her eyes.

"Who's calling?"

"I don't know."

"Leah."

She finally whispered,

"They've found me."

Leah's phone rang again.

She stared at the screen.

Benedict noticed the number was blocked.

"Don't answer."

"I wasn't going to."

The ringing stopped.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

Leah made her way to the front window, and with a gentle touch, she pulled the blind down.

"How long have they known about you?" Benedict asked.

"I don't know."

"You said they've found you."

"My father warned me this could happen."

"When?"

"Before he died."

Benedict looked at the envelope.

"What exactly did Daniel tell you?"

Leah returned to the counter.

He told me that someday, my past would catch up with me.

"Did he tell you who would come?"

"No."

"Did he mention Victor Ashcroft?"

She shook her head.

"Damian?"

"No."

"Anyone else?"

Leah hesitated.

"One name."

Benedict waited.

"Magnus."

The name meant nothing to Benedict.

"Who is Magnus?"

"I don't know."

"Then why did your father mention him?"

He warned that Magnus was the last person you could trust.

Benedict absorbed that.

It got added to the list of things that still didn't make sense.

But he didn't let it distract him.

"Open the envelope."

Leah looked at it.

"I've been afraid to."

"So have I."

She gave him a faint smile.

"At least you're honest."

She broke the seal.

Inside was a single folded document.

Leah handed it to Benedict.

He unfolded it carefully.

The handwriting was Daniel's.

If anyone from the Ashcroft family gets this message, please know that the child wasn't left behind on purpose. The truth is, someone close to the child, a family member, wanted him harmed, and that's why he was taken away.

Benedict's eyes hardened.

He continued reading.

The person who saved him was not acting alone. Three people knew the truth. One protected the child. One protected the records. One protected the family from the truth.

Benedict looked up.

"Who were they?"

Leah shook her head.

"The names aren't here."

He continued.

In the end, if the child pulls through, the truth will finally come to light because of the Ashcroft inheritance.

Benedict stopped.

"The inheritance."

Leah nodded.

"Keep reading."

Benedict unfolded the remaining section.

The real document was hidden in a place where the family wouldn't think to look. Don't rely on copies, because they might not have all the information. The original document is the one that reveals the name of the child's father, and that's what makes it so important.

Benedict's pulse quickened.

"Where is it?"

Leah pointed to the bottom of the page.

A single address was written there.

Not a street.

Not a building.

A specific room number can be found inside the old headquarters of the Ashcroft Group.

Benedict stared.

"Daniel hid it inside the company."

"That's what it says."

"Why?"

He thought no one would look for clues about the family in their own files.

Benedict almost smiled.

That sounded exactly like the kind of strategy an Architect would respect.

Then his expression changed.

It's possible that someone is already searching for this record, if it still exists.

Leah nodded.

"That's why my father told me never to trust anyone."

A sound came from outside.

Both of them froze.

A car door slammed.

Benedict walked over to the window, but he didn't look out right away, he just stopped in front of it.

"Stay here."

Leah grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't."

He looked at her.

If someone is keeping an eye on your store, it's possible they're waiting for the perfect moment to act, and that moment might be when you're not around.

"Then we'll leave another way."

The shop had a narrow rear entrance.

Benedict checked it.

Locked.

Leah pulled a key from beneath the counter.

"This leads into the alley."

"Good."

Benedict took one last look at the document before they headed out.

"Leah."

"Yes?"

"Your father wrote that three people knew the truth."

"Yes."

"One protected the child."

"Yes."

"One protected the records."

"Yes."

"And one protected the family from the truth."

Leah's expression tightened.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know yet."

He folded the document.

"But I'm going to find out."

They stepped into the alley.

Benedict's phone vibrated.

A message from Damian.

Victor is waiting for you at the main office, he needs to see you right away.

Benedict stared at the message.

Then at Daniel's document.

The old Ashcroft headquarters.

The hidden record.

The company's present-day problems.

For the first time, the pieces seemed connected.

Someone was attacking the Ashcroft Group.

Someone had begun moving assets through an old inheritance structure.

Daniel had kept the original record hidden within the company itself.

Benedict looked at Leah.

"I'm going to Ashcroft headquarters."

She shook her head.

"My dad had warned me to stay away from that place."

"Maybe that's why we need to."

Before she could answer, Benedict's phone vibrated again.

This time around, the message showed up from a number that didn't look familiar.

Don't open Room 17.

Benedict stared at the screen.

Leah whispered,

"What does it say?"

Benedict looked at her.

"Someone knows what Daniel left behind."

He put the phone away.

Now they're worried we'll actually discover it.

He turned toward the street.

For years, Benedict had believed his connection to the Ashcroft was simply the result of circumstance.

Things were starting to get really confusing, and he was beginning to think it was a lot more complicated than he initially thought.

The company.

The inheritance.

The missing child.

His own unanswered past.

They were not separate mysteries.

They were pieces of the same design.

Deep within the Ashcroft Group's headquarters, a crucial document was hidden, holding the key to the answer he had been searching for.

.