Chapter 38

Eden’s pov.

With trembling hands, I opened the door to the file, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the countless photos inside. Photos of Brandon with some of his female friends, all of whom were merely platonic companions. Confusion and concern crept over me as I delved deeper into the file, trying to make sense of why my grandpa had been keeping tabs on Brandon since we first got together.

As I scrutinized each piece of information, a frown etched its way onto my face. The file contained details about Brandon's mother, a strong and resilient woman who had raised him and his younger siblings after a tragic accident took their father. She ran a small business, and it appeared that my grandpa had thoroughly investigated her.

Then, I stumbled upon a series of old messages and documents that sent a chill down my spine. It was clear that my grandpa had gone to extreme lengths to gain control over Brandon's life. The messages revealed sinister threats aimed at destroying Brandon's mother's business, leaving her and the rest of the family in a vulnerable position. My grandpa had exploited their financial hardships, knowing that Brandon couldn't bear to see his family suffer.

“No, no, no,” I whispered, digging deeper into the pile but all I saw was Grandpa already contacting some of his contacts that would easily cause troubles with his mother’s company, more and more evidence that it was Grandpa’s fault Brandon left the first time.

I had hoped that the shocking revelations would end there, but fate had a different plan for me. It was as if the universe conspired to keep throwing curveballs my way. As I sifted through the file my grandpa had kept on Brandon, my heart sank further with each piece of information I uncovered. The photos of our secret meetings were there, a constant reminder of the love we had once shared, but it was the evidence he had dug up on Brandon's mother that sent shivers down my spine.

Unable to bear the weight of this burden alone, I knew I had to talk to Brandon about it. I had to confirm things.

With trembling hands, I dialed his number, my heart racing with anticipation and fear. What if he refused to talk to me? What if he had moved on and didn't want anything to do with me anymore? The questions gnawed at my mind as I waited for him to answer.

“Eden?” His voice was confused.

I got straight to the point. “Brandon, don’t you dare fucking lie to me. Tell me if my grandfather is the reason you left.”

“Eden…” Brandon sounded conflicted then sighed, “Yeah.”

“Both times?” I wondered, feeling my heart ache start over again.

“The first time he threatened to have my mother’s business shut down. He wanted me out of your way and even paid for my transfer. Eden, I loved you, but understand that I wouldn’t be able to help my mom with my younger sisters,” Brandom began to explain, speaking in one flow as if this had been weighing on him for a while.

“Tell me about the last time.” I cleared my throat, refusing to let him know how I was feeling.

“He uhm… He found out that my mother had two employees that weren't mentioned and uh that she had been evading taxes,” Brandon explained.

“He blackmailed you to leave me?” I wondered.

“He did. I love you, but...” Brandon began to speak but I couldn’t take this. How could he? How could my grandfather do this to me?

I ended the call. That was it. I believed he was only bitter. I never expected him to be a fucking villain. All this time he had been playing me like a pawn, moving me around for him to get the big prize.

My hands trembled as I placed the file back into the safe, but my curiosity got the better of me when I saw another folder labeled "Sinclair." I couldn't resist; I had to know what else my grandpa had hidden away. With a mix of apprehension and urgency, I snatched the file and began going through its contents.

As I delved deeper, the pieces of a disturbing puzzle started coming together. The file contained information about a nurse named Tracy Whitney, and my grandpa had paid her a substantial amount. But why? My heart raced as I discovered payments made to a young couple over several years. The couple had a child out of nowhere, and my grandpa had conducted follow-ups on the child. My mind struggled to comprehend what I was reading.

And then, my eyes fell upon a name that sent shockwaves through my entire being—Valerie Reynolds. It was the name of the Sinclair granddaughter who had been abducted, the same child Tracy Whitney had helped my grandfather abduct all those years ago. It was as if the ground beneath me was slipping away, and I was left grappling with the horrifying truth.

My grandpa, the man I loved and trusted, was involved in something dark and sinister. He had played a role in the abduction of an innocent child, and I couldn't fathom why. Questions and doubts swirled in my mind, and I knew I had to confront him immediately.

Without hesitation, I dialed his number, my voice firm and demanding as I demanded that he come home. There was no room for excuses or evasions; he owed me the truth, no matter how ugly it might be.

As I closed the safe and carefully returned the books to their places, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal and heartache that consumed me. I sat at the desk, waiting anxiously for his arrival, trying to prepare myself for the confrontation that awaited us.

When he arrived he joined me in his office.

“What is this?” I asked, throwing the folder onto the table and looking over at him.

“So you found my last step,” he hummed, looking at the folder and then back up.

“Did you kidnap their baby?” I asked, fearing the answer.

“I did what I had to ensure our wealth,” Grandpa defended himself. “A union of Sinclair and Martinez would easily throw us down back then and I had to prevent it from happening,” he added.

“So you kidnapped their child?”

“Yes and if you fail to break the couple up we can plant this evidence on the Martinez, we can ruin their trust once more and they will fall divided, can’t you see how good this will be for us? Valerie will feel betrayed and the Sinclairs would finally work with us, we can truly benefit from this,” he continued, sounding like a true villain and I realized somewhere in his head he had justified everything he did.

I nodded along, pretending I wasn’t sick to the stomach with this newly shared information. I knew what I’d do. I would destroy this man who called himself ‘my one and only family.’

I’d make him pay for hurting the Sinclairs and the Martinezes... and for taking away the one man I truly loved.