Chapter 10: The Enemy Within
955 Words
The living room fell into a suffocating silence.
Ethan stood at the entrance, his dark eyes locked on Richard Blackwood.
Richard, however, looked completely at ease. He leaned back against the sofa, crossed one leg over the other, and smiled as though he were greeting an old friend instead of a rival.
"So," Richard said calmly, "aren't you going to welcome your uncle home?"
"This isn't your home," Ethan replied coldly.
Mrs. Blackwood stepped between them.
"Ethan..."
Richard raised a hand.
"It's alright. I expected this reception."
He slowly stood and walked toward Ethan.
"You've grown into quite the businessman."
"And you've become exactly what Father warned me about."
Richard's smile faded for a split second.
"What did you say?"
"I said nothing."
The two men stood face to face.
Neither of them blinked.
Neither of them moved.
Ava watched nervously.
She had never seen Ethan like this before.
His entire body was tense, as though he were preparing for a fight.
Richard finally laughed.
"Relax."
"I'm not here to argue."
"I came to celebrate your marriage."
"I don't believe you."
"You don't have to."
Richard's eyes drifted toward Ava.
"You chose a beautiful wife."
Ava forced a polite smile.
"Thank you."
Richard studied her carefully.
"So young."
"So innocent."
"I wonder how long that innocence will last."
Ethan stepped between them.
"Enough."
Richard chuckled.
"You're very protective."
"I always protect what's mine."
Ava glanced at Ethan in surprise.
For a brief second, their eyes met.
Neither of them looked away.
---
Dinner that evening was painfully awkward.
The enormous dining table could seat twenty people.
Yet only five chairs were occupied.
Mrs. Blackwood sat at one end.
Richard sat opposite Ethan.
Ava remained beside her husband.
Every servant in the room sensed the tension.
Nobody dared make unnecessary noise.
Richard casually picked up his wine glass.
"So, Ava..."
"Tell me."
"What did Ethan tell you about our family?"
Ava hesitated.
"Not much."
Richard smiled knowingly.
"I thought so."
Ethan placed his fork down.
"She doesn't need to know."
Richard laughed.
"That's your biggest weakness."
"You think hiding the truth protects people."
"It doesn't."
"It only delays the pain."
Ava looked between them.
"What truth?"
Neither man answered.
Mrs. Blackwood quietly said,
"Let's not discuss family business over dinner."
Richard ignored her.
Instead, he reached into his suit pocket.
He removed an old photograph.
He slid it across the table toward Ava.
"You should see this."
Ethan immediately grabbed the photograph before Ava could.
His face turned pale.
"You've crossed the line."
Richard shrugged.
"Have I?"
Ava frowned.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
She stood.
"No."
"It's obviously something."
She reached for the photograph.
This time Ethan didn't stop her.
Ava slowly turned it over.
Her heart skipped.
The picture showed a young Ethan standing beside a smiling woman.
Next to them stood Richard.
But another man was in the photograph.
A man whose face had been deliberately scratched out.
Only the outline remained.
At the bottom of the picture were handwritten words.
Blackwood Family – One Week Before the Tragedy.
Ava looked up.
"What tragedy?"
Richard answered before Ethan could.
"The night Ethan's father died."
The room became completely silent.
---
Ava could barely breathe.
She looked at Ethan.
"Is it true?"
He nodded once.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to."
"When?"
"When all of this was over."
She shook her head.
"You keep saying that."
Richard leaned back.
"See?"
"You built your marriage on secrets."
Ethan slammed his hand onto the table.
"That's enough!"
The crystal glasses rattled.
Even the servants flinched.
Richard stood slowly.
His expression was no longer friendly.
"You think I'm your enemy."
"I'm not."
"The real enemy..."
"...has been inside this family all along."
Without another word, he walked out of the dining room.
---
Later that night...
Rain hammered against the mansion windows.
Ava couldn't sleep.
She stood in the hallway outside her bedroom.
Voices drifted from Ethan's study.
She recognized Ethan's voice.
And Richard's.
Curiosity overcame caution.
She quietly approached the slightly open door.
"I warned you years ago," Richard was saying.
"If the truth comes out, Blackwood Group will collapse."
Ethan answered firmly.
"I won't let innocent people suffer because of Father's mistakes."
Richard laughed bitterly.
"You still believe your father was innocent?"
Ava's heart pounded.
"What do you mean?" Ethan demanded.
Richard's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Ask yourself one question."
"If your father wasn't guilty..."
"Why was he running the night he died?"
Silence.
Ava pressed closer to the door.
Then...
A floorboard creaked beneath her foot.
Both men stopped talking.
The door suddenly swung open.
Ethan stood there.
"Ava?"
She froze.
"I..."
"I wasn't trying to..."
Richard smiled.
"It seems your wife enjoys listening to family conversations."
Embarrassed, Ava lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Ethan sighed.
"It's late."
"You should rest."
She nodded and walked away.
But before reaching her room, she heard Richard speak one final sentence.
One sentence that sent a chill down her spine.
"Be careful, Ethan."
"The people who killed your father..."
"...have started moving again."
---
Far from the mansion...
Inside an abandoned church on the outskirts of the city...
A hooded figure lit a single candle.
Several photographs were spread across a wooden table.
Ethan.
Richard.
Mrs. Blackwood.
Victoria.
And finally...
Ava.
The figure picked up Ava's photograph.
A knife slowly pierced the center of it.
A distorted voice whispered into the darkness,
"The girl was never supposed to become part of this family."
"Now..."
"She must disappear."
The candle flickered violently as footsteps echoed through the empty church.
Someone else had arrived.
And whoever was hiding in the shadows knew one thing for certain—
The Blackwood family's deadliest secret was about to surface.
- Writer
