THE SON THEY BURIED WAS THEIR ONLY HEIR

Chapter Sixty Six:The Two Heirs

The manor shook again.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Damian rushed toward the window.

“Someone is attacking the main gate.”

Victor turned to the security officers.

“Lock every entrance.”

“They've already breached the outer grounds.”

Victor's expression hardened.

“How many?”

“We don't know.”

Benedict remained beside Daniel.

For the first time, neither brother looked like a stranger.

They looked like men who had finally discovered the same enemy.

Grace slipped the verification seal into her pocket.

“We have to leave.”

Victor looked at her.

“Where?”

“The old chapel.”

Victor's face changed.

“No.”

Benedict noticed.

“Why?”

Victor shook his head.

That's where your grandfather stored the old records.

Grace nodded.

“And that's where the attackers will look first.”

Damian frowned.

“Then why go there?”

“Because the original succession document isn't there.”

Everyone turned toward Grace.

“Where is it?”

Grace looked at Benedict.

“Your mother moved it before she disappeared.”

Benedict's eyes narrowed.

“Where?”

Grace hesitated.

“She trusted only one person with its location.”

“Who?”

Grace looked toward Victor.

Damian's expression hardened.

“My father?”

Victor said nothing.

Benedict stepped toward him.

“Did you have it?”

“No.”

“Then where is it?”

Victor's face tightened.

"Before she passed away, your mom had given it to someone."

“Who?”

Victor looked at Daniel.

That person was meant to keep you both safe.

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

“Mara?”

Victor shook his head.

“No.”

“Then who?”

Victor looked toward the floor.

“The person who became the second Witness.”

Grace's expression changed.

“You knew?”

“I discovered it years ago.”

“Why didn't you tell us?”

"When the truth finally comes out, that person will be in the crosshairs."

Damian looked at his father.

“And now?”

Victor looked toward the burning courtyard.

“Now everyone is a target.”

Another explosion shook the manor.

A security officer ran into the room.

“Chairman!”

Victor turned.

“The eastern gate has fallen.”

“How long?”

“Minutes.”

Victor nodded.

“Then we leave now.”

Damian grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

Victor looked at him.

"Didn't you mention that the original document was actually with the second witness?"

“Yes.”

"We have to track down that person before Magnus gets to them."

Benedict nodded.

“Agreed.”

Grace looked at the brothers.

“There is something else.”

Daniel frowned.

“What?”

“The second Witness isn't hiding from Magnus.”

Benedict stared at her.

“Then what are they doing?”

Grace's voice lowered.

“Waiting.”

“For us?”

“For both heirs.”

Silence.

Damian looked at Benedict.

“Where?”

Grace reached into her coat again.

She pulled out a tiny note.

She handed it to Benedict.

Only three words were written on it.

COME ALONE, BENEDICT.

Daniel immediately shook his head.

“No.”

Benedict looked at him.

“You're coming.”

The two brothers exchanged a look.

Daniel's expression softened.

“Good.”

Victor stepped toward them.

“You can't go together.”

Benedict frowned.

“Why?”

"If the Witness specifically asked for Benedict by himself, then there must be a reason for that."

Daniel shook his head.

“That's exactly how they separated us before.”

Victor went silent.

Damian looked at him.

“He's right.”

Benedict folded the paper.

“We go together.”

Grace nodded.

“Then there's no turning back.”

Jonathan appeared at the doorway.

“We have another problem.”

Damian turned.

“What?”

Jonathan looked at Victor.

“The attackers aren't trying to destroy the manor.”

Victor's expression changed.

“What are they doing?”

“They're searching for something.”

Benedict's eyes narrowed.

“The east wing.”

Jonathan nodded.

“They're already inside.”

Grace looked at Benedict.

“They know about the Witness.”

Victor's voice became grim.

“Then we have minutes.”

Benedict looked at Daniel.

“Ready?”

Daniel nodded.

“Let's finish what they started.”

The brothers moved toward the hidden passage.

Damian followed.

Victor stopped him.

“Damian.”

He turned.

“Stay behind.”

Damian stared at his father.

“No.”

“This isn't your fight.”

Damian's expression hardened.

That's when it hit me, it became my battle, my struggle, the moment you forced me to live a life that wasn't true, a life that was a lie.

Victor said nothing.

Damian followed his brothers.

Behind them, Grace looked at Victor.

“You've lost control.”

Victor stared at the burning manor.

“I lost control twenty-five years ago.”

Grace shook her head.

“No.”

She looked toward the passage.

Things changed forever when your boys finally connected with each other.

Another explosion thundered through the house.

Then the lights went out.

Deep within the east wing, a door creaked open, its sound echoing softly through the empty hallway.

Someone had reached the hidden archive.

The old mansion trembled and creaked as yet another blast rocked its hidden passageway.

Damian grabbed the wall.

“How long before they reach us?”

Jonathan checked his phone.

“Five minutes. Maybe less.”

Benedict looked at Daniel.

“Then we don't waste any.”

They moved deeper into the passage.

Grace followed closely.

Victor remained behind with the security team.

“Where are you going?” Damian asked.

Victor looked at him.

“To slow them down.”

Damian stopped.

“You're staying?”

“Someone has to.”

Benedict looked at Victor.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Benedict said quietly,

"Don't leave me before I've heard the whole story."

Victor's eyes hardened with emotion.

“I'll try.”

The hidden door closed behind them.

The passage ended beneath the old chapel.

Benedict pushed open the stone door.

Cold air entered.

The chapel had been abandoned for years.

Dust covered the wooden benches.

At the front stood a large stone cross.

Daniel looked around.

“This is where Grandfather used to pray?”

When they were kids, Victor would tell them all these stories about the old chapel.

But Daniel remembered something else.

A woman brought him here.

A woman's hand covering his eyes.

A whispered warning.

Don't look yet.

Daniel suddenly stopped.

“I remember this place.”

Benedict turned.

“What?”

“My mother brought me here.”

“Evelyn?”

Daniel nodded.

“She hid something.”

Grace's eyes widened.

“What did she hide?”

Daniel walked toward the altar.

He placed his hand against the stone.

Nothing happened.

Then he pressed the second stone.

A hidden compartment opened.

Inside was a small wooden box.

Daniel stared at it.

Benedict stepped beside him.

“Open it.”

Daniel lifted the lid.

Inside was an old document wrapped in cloth.

Benedict carefully removed it.

His hands trembled.

Grace whispered,

“The original succession.”

Damian stared.

“This is what everyone has been killing for.”

Benedict unfolded the first page.

The old Ashcroft seal appeared at the bottom.

But beside it was another symbol.

The Vandross mark.

Daniel leaned closer.

“Two seals.”

Grace nodded.

“Because there were two heirs.”

Benedict read the names.

Then stopped.

Daniel noticed.

“What?”

Benedict looked at him.

“Our names.”

Daniel's expression changed.

Both names were written beneath the succession clause.

Neither was crossed out.

Neither was replaced.

Damian whispered,

“So the family lied.”

“Yes,” Benedict said.

“The original document was never changed.”

Grace looked toward the chapel doors.

“Then we have to leave.”

Benedict folded the document.

“Why?”

“Because now they know where it is.”

A sound came from outside.

Footsteps.

Damian looked toward the entrance.

“We're surrounded.”

Grace shook her head.

“Not yet.”

She pointed toward the altar.

“There is another passage.”

Daniel looked at the floor.

“I remember.”

He moved a stone near the altar.

A section of the floor opened.

Benedict stared.

"What lies hidden beneath this house, and how many secrets has this family kept concealed over the years?"

“Enough to bury generations,” Grace replied.

They descended.

The path we were on was smaller compared to the one that ran underneath the big house.

Behind them, the chapel doors opened.

Men entered.

One of them spoke into a radio.

“They're gone.”

Another voice answered through the radio.

“Find the document.”

The passage opened into an underground chamber.

A single lamp burned in the center.

Someone was waiting.

An elderly man sat beside a wooden table.

Benedict stopped.

Daniel froze.

Grace lowered her head.

“The Witness.”

The man looked up.

His eyes settled on Benedict.

Then Daniel.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Finally, he stood.

“I wondered how long it would take.”

Benedict approached.

“You have the original records.”

The old man nodded.

“I protected them.”

“Why?”

“Because your mother asked me to.”

Benedict's voice hardened.

“Why did she trust you?”

The old man looked at Daniel.

"You were the last person my grandfather thought would turn against him."

Daniel frowned.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Samuel Vale.”

Damian stared.

“Vale?”

Samuel nodded.

“I served your grandfather for thirty-one years.”

Benedict looked at the document in his hand.

“Then you know what happened to us.”

“I know most of it.”

“Tell me.”

Samuel's expression darkened.

“Your grandfather discovered that Evelyn intended to unite the Ashcroft and Vandross inheritances.”

Benedict nodded.

“And he stopped her.”

“He tried.”

“What happened?”

“She created the succession as a safeguard.”

Samuel looked at Daniel.

“Then your grandfather separated the children.”

“Why?”

“Because together, you were impossible to control.”

Daniel's jaw tightened.

“So he made us enemies.”

“Yes.”

“And Benedict was made to disappear.”

Samuel nodded.

“And I was given another identity.”

Samuel looked at Daniel.

“You were sent away because your grandfather believed you could be controlled more easily than your brother.”

Daniel looked down.

“Was I?”

“No.”

Samuel's answer was immediate.

“You were the reason Evelyn created the second succession.”

Daniel looked up.

“Why me?”

Samuel's eyes softened.

“Because you carried the Vandross bloodline through her.”

Benedict frowned.

“But I did too.”

“You carried both.”

Samuel paused.

“That's why your grandfather feared you.”

Silence.

Benedict looked at the document.

“So why was Daniel named as a second heir?”

“Because Evelyn wanted neither child to stand alone.”

Samuel looked at both brothers.

“The inheritance was designed to activate only when the brothers stood together.”

Damian exhaled.

“So Magnus needs both of them.”

“Yes.”

“And if he gets the document?”

Samuel shook his head.

“The document isn't enough.”

Grace stepped forward.

“The verification seal.”

Samuel nodded.

“And the Witness.”

Damian looked confused.

“What does the Witness have to do?”

Samuel smiled sadly.

The person in charge needs to make sure that both people who will get something are still alive.

Benedict's expression changed.

“And you're the Witness.”

“Yes.”

A sudden gunshot echoed through the passage.

Everyone turned.

Samuel's face hardened.

“They found us.”

Daniel reached for the weapon at his side.

Benedict carefully folded up the document and tucked it away inside his coat, making sure it was safe and secure.

“How many?”

Samuel looked toward the entrance.

“Enough to make escape difficult.”

Benedict looked at Daniel.

Daniel nodded.

For once, neither needed to speak.

They stood together.

Samuel watched them.

Then he smiled faintly.

“Your mother would have been proud.”

Benedict looked toward the passage.

“We're not staying here.”

Samuel shook his head.

“No.”

He ducked down and grabbed another paper from under the table.

“The real fight begins now.”

Benedict took it.

“What is this?”

Samuel looked at him.

“The list of everyone who helped your grandfather rewrite the family history.”

Damian's eyes widened.

“Names?”

“Every one of them.”

Another gunshot echoed.

The underground door began to shake.

Benedict looked at the brothers.

“Then let's expose them.”

Daniel stepped beside him.

“Together.”

The door shook again.

And this time—

it began to open.