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THE OLD TRAIN STATION 🚉 😊

HIS POSSESSION

Chapter 40; THE OLD TRAIN STATION

The old train station had been abandoned for almost twenty years.

Ethan knew that because Adrian had told him three times.

“You don’t have to keep reminding me.”

Adrian glanced at him.

“You keep looking at the exit.”

“Because I like exits.”

“You’ve been staring at that one for five minutes.”

Ethan looked away.

“Maybe I find it attractive.”

Adrian’s mouth twitched.

Ethan caught it.

“There.”

“What?”

“That smile.”

Adrian sighed.

“You really need to stop monitoring my face.”

“You smile around me.”

“Perhaps I’m regretting it.”

Ethan smiled.

“Too late.”

Adrian’s gaze lingered on him for a moment.

Then his expression became serious.

“Stay close.”

Ethan’s smile faded.

“I know.”

“No wandering.”

“I know.”

“If anything feels wrong”

“I tell you.”

Adrian nodded.

“Good.”

They were sitting inside a black SUV parked several metres from the station.

From the outside, it looked as though Ethan had arrived alone.

Adrian had made sure of that.

His men were positioned around the perimeter, far enough away to remain unseen.

Ethan looked toward the dark station.

“You really think my father could be alive?”

Adrian didn’t answer immediately.

“I think someone wants you to believe he is.”

Ethan swallowed.

“That’s not the same thing.”

“No.”

Ethan looked down at his hands.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if he is.”

Adrian looked at him.

“Whatever happens, you won’t face it alone.”

Ethan’s eyes lifted.

“You say that a lot.”

“Because you keep needing to hear it.”

Something warm moved through Ethan’s chest.

He looked away.

“Come on.”

Adrian opened his door.

Ethan followed.

The station was colder than Ethan expected.

Broken lights hung from the ceiling.

Old benches lined the platform.

A faded timetable remained behind cracked glass.

Everything smelled like dust and rain.

Ethan shivered.

Adrian noticed immediately.

“You cold?”

“No.”

Adrian removed his jacket.

Ethan stared.

“Adrian.”

“Put it on.”

“I’m fine.”

“Ethan.”

“You’re going to freeze.”

“I won’t.”

“You’re already shivering.”

Ethan looked at him.

“Do you always have to win?”

“Yes.”

Ethan took the jacket.

“Annoying.”

Adrian’s mouth curved.

They continued walking.

A sound echoed from somewhere ahead.

Ethan stopped.

Adrian immediately moved in front of him.

“Who’s there?”

Nothing.

Then

A light switched on.

At the far end of the platform.

Ethan’s heart jumped.

A figure stood beneath it.

A man.

Older.

Tall.

Wearing a dark coat.

His face was hidden by the shadows.

Ethan’s fingers tightened around Adrian’s jacket.

Adrian noticed.

“Stay behind me.”

The man stepped forward.

Ethan stared.

There was something familiar about him.

The way he stood.

The slight tilt of his head.

The scar near his jaw.

Ethan’s breath caught.

“No.”

Adrian looked at him.

“What?”

Ethan couldn’t speak.

The man stepped into the light.

And Ethan saw his face.

His heart stopped.

He knew him.

Not from memory.

From photographs.

From the old picture his mother kept hidden.

From the face he’d seen only once.

His father.

Ethan whispered:

“Dad?”

Adrian went completely still.

The man stared at Ethan.

His expression broke.

“Ethan.”

Ethan couldn’t move.

The man took one step closer.

Adrian immediately blocked him.

The man’s eyes moved to Adrian.

“You’re Adrian De Luca.”

Adrian’s hand moved toward his weapon.

“Who are you?”

The man gave a bitter laugh.

“You know exactly who I am.”

Adrian’s gaze hardened.

“Prove it.”

The man looked past him.

At Ethan.

“Ethan, your mother used to sing when she cooked.”

Ethan froze.

“She hated thunderstorms.”

His voice trembled.

“She used to pretend she wasn’t afraid.”

Ethan’s eyes filled.

The man continued.

“She had a scar on her left hand from when you were four.”

Ethan stared at him.

Nobody knew that.

Or at least

Nobody Ethan had ever spoken to.

The man whispered:

“She called you her little star.”

Ethan’s breath broke.

“Dad.”

He moved.

Adrian caught his arm.

Ethan turned sharply.

“Let me go.”

“We don’t know if he’s”

“I know him!”

“You don’t.”

Ethan stared at Adrian.

Something in Adrian’s expression softened.

But his grip remained.

The man looked at them.

“He’s right.”

Ethan turned.

The man’s face was pained.

“You don’t know me.”

Ethan’s eyes filled.

“Then tell me.”

The man swallowed.

“My name is Daniel Brooks.”

Ethan stared.

“You’re my father.”

Daniel’s eyes closed briefly.

“Yes.”

The word shattered something inside Ethan.

He stepped forward.

Adrian finally released him.

Ethan walked toward Daniel.

One step.

Then another.

Daniel didn’t move.

When Ethan reached him, he stopped.

Twenty seven years.

Twenty seven years of believing he’d been abandoned.

Twenty seven years of questions.

And now

“Why did you leave?”

Daniel’s face crumpled.

“I didn’t.”

Ethan’s tears finally fell.

“Then why weren’t you there?”

Daniel looked at him.

“Because I was trying to keep you alive.”

Ethan shook his head.

“Everyone says that.”

Daniel frowned.

“Who?”

“My mother. Isabella. Adrian.”

Daniel’s eyes moved to Adrian.

Then back to Ethan.

“Adrian’s father?”

Ethan nodded.

Daniel’s expression changed.

“You’re with him?”

Ethan looked back at Adrian.

Adrian was watching him.

Daniel noticed.

Something unreadable crossed his face.

“You’re trusting a De Luca?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened.

“Don’t.”

Daniel looked surprised.

Ethan stepped closer.

“You don’t get to disappear for twenty-seven years and come back telling me who I can trust.”

Daniel flinched.

Ethan immediately regretted it.

But the anger was too deep.

“Why did you leave me?”

Daniel’s eyes filled.

“Because they wanted you.”

Ethan froze.

“Who?”

“The De Lucas.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“My father?”

Daniel looked at him.

“Yes.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“Why?”

Daniel laughed bitterly.

“Because your father believed Ethan was the key.”

Ethan looked down at the pendant around his neck.

“The pendant?”

Daniel’s eyes followed it.

“No.”

Ethan frowned.

“Then what?”

Daniel looked at him.

“You.”

Silence.

Ethan’s blood ran cold.

“What do you mean?”

Daniel took a breath.

“Your mother was pregnant when she discovered what the archive contained.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

Daniel continued.

“She realized the archive wasn’t just records.”

“What was it?”

Daniel looked at Adrian.

“Names.”

Adrian went still.

“Names of what?”

“Everyone your father had bought.”

A pause.

“Politicians. Police officers. Judges. Businessmen.”

Ethan’s stomach tightened.

Daniel looked at him.

“People who helped him build his empire.”

Adrian’s expression became unreadable.

“And my father wanted those names destroyed.”

“Yes.”

“Why Ethan?”

Daniel’s face changed.

“Because your mother discovered something else.”

Ethan’s voice was barely audible.

“What?”

Daniel looked at him.

“The archive had been moved.”

“Where?”

Daniel hesitated.

Ethan stepped closer.

“Where?”

Daniel’s eyes shifted toward Adrian.

“The original archive was never beneath the chapel.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“Then where is it?”

Daniel looked at Ethan.

“Your mother hid it.”

Ethan’s heart pounded.

“Where?”

Daniel reached inside his coat.

Adrian instantly raised his weapon.

“Don’t.”

Daniel stopped.

Then slowly removed a small envelope.

He held it out.

“For Ethan.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

Ethan took it.

The envelope had his name written across it.

In handwriting he recognized immediately.

His mother’s.

Ethan’s breath caught.

“Mom.”

He couldn’t open it.

His fingers trembled.

Daniel looked at him.

“She wanted you to have it when you were old enough.”

Ethan stared at him.

“Why didn’t you give it to me?”

Daniel’s face hardened.

“Because I was afraid.”

“Of what?”

Daniel looked toward the darkness behind them.

“Of the man who has been hunting your family for twenty seven years.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“Who?”

Daniel didn’t answer.

A gunshot exploded through the station.

Daniel staggered.

Ethan screamed.

“Dad!”

Adrian grabbed Ethan and pulled him down.

Another shot.

Then another.

Adrian dragged Ethan behind a concrete pillar.

“Stay down!”

“Daniel!”

“He’s alive.”

Ethan looked at him.

“How do you know?”

Adrian’s eyes moved toward the platform.

“Because he’s moving.”

Daniel crawled behind a bench.

Adrian pulled out his weapon.

“Ethan, stay here.”

“No.”

Adrian looked at him.

“This time, you’re listening.”

Ethan grabbed his arm.

“Don’t leave me.”

Adrian froze.

The fear in Ethan’s eyes erased every argument.

He lowered his weapon slightly.

“I’m not leaving.”

A figure appeared on the opposite platform.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

The shooter stepped into the light.

Ethan couldn’t see his face.

But he heard the voice.

The same voice from his childhood memory.

“Take the boy.”

Ethan’s blood ran cold.

He looked at Adrian.

“That’s him.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

“What?”

“The man from my memory.”

The figure smiled.

Then slowly lowered the weapon.

“Hello, Ethan.”

Adrian raised his gun.

“Who are you?”

The man laughed.

“You really don’t recognize me?”

He stepped closer.

Ethan stared.

Something about his face.

His voice.

His presence.

A memory began forcing its way through the fog.

A kitchen.

His mother crying.

Daniel shouting.

A woman screaming.

A little Ethan hiding beneath a table.

And the man standing over him.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

He knew that face.

Not from a photograph.

Not from a dream.

From childhood.

He whispered:

“Grandpa.”

Adrian’s gun lowered slightly.

Daniel stared at the man.

And the stranger smiled.

“Hello, little star.”

End of chapter 40 🖤