The Secret Between Us

CHAPTER 11 : THE OLD REYES MANSION

THE SECRET BETWEEN US

Chapter 11 — The Old Reyes Mansion

The old Reyes mansion stood at the end of a long, winding road.

For years, Ethan had avoided the place.

It was where his family had spent holidays, celebrated birthdays, and gathered for important occasions.

It was also where his mother had lived before her death.

Now, the mansion looked abandoned.

The windows were dark.

The garden was overgrown.

The iron gate hung slightly open.

Ethan parked the car outside.

Adrian looked at the building.

"Are you sure nobody lives here?"

"My family hasn't used it in years."

"Then why would someone ask us to come here?"

"Because they know I'll come."

Adrian turned toward him.

"And because they know you'll bring me."

Ethan sighed.

"I wish you would stay in the car."

Adrian shook his head.

"You already know I'm not going to."

Ethan smiled faintly.

"Yes."

They stepped out of the car.

Ethan took Adrian's hand.

"Stay close."

"I will."

They walked through the gate.

The sound of their footsteps echoed across the stone path.

When they reached the front door, Ethan noticed something.

The door was unlocked.

He slowly pushed it open.

The smell of dust and old wood filled the air.

Adrian looked around.

"This place feels like nobody has been here for years."

Ethan nodded.

"My mother used to love this house."

"Why?"

"She said it was the only place where she could forget about the company."

Adrian smiled.

"She sounds like a good person."

"She was."

Ethan looked around.

"I miss her."

Adrian squeezed his hand.

"I know."

---

They entered the main hall.

Old photographs covered the walls.

Ethan's childhood.

His parents.

Family gatherings.

Business celebrations.

Adrian stopped in front of one photograph.

It showed Ethan at around ten years old.

Beside him was another boy.

Adrian stared.

"That's me."

Ethan turned.

"What?"

Adrian pointed.

"That's me."

The photograph showed the two boys standing together.

Adrian was holding a toy car.

Ethan was holding a small red balloon.

Their fathers stood behind them.

Adrian looked confused.

"I don't remember this."

"Neither do I."

They examined the photograph.

Written at the bottom was a date.

Twenty years earlier.

Adrian's eyes widened.

"That's the year we first met."

Ethan nodded.

"Maybe our memories were deliberately erased."

"But how?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly, a light turned on upstairs.

Both men froze.

Ethan immediately pulled Adrian behind him.

"Who's there?"

No answer.

Another light turned on.

Then another.

Someone was moving through the hallway.

Ethan reached for his phone.

"No signal."

Adrian checked his.

"None."

The lights suddenly went out again.

A voice came from upstairs.

"Ethan."

Ethan froze.

He knew the voice.

It was his mother's.

Adrian looked at him.

"Was that...?"

"My mother."

The voice came again.

"Ethan."

They slowly walked toward the stairs.

"Mom?"

No response.

Ethan climbed the stairs.

Adrian followed.

At the end of the hallway was his mother's old bedroom.

The door was open.

Inside, a recording was playing.

Her voice filled the room.

"If you're hearing this, Ethan, you finally came back."

Ethan stopped.

Adrian looked at him.

"This is a recording."

Ethan nodded.

They entered.

A small speaker sat on the desk.

The recording continued.

"I knew one day you would return here."

Ethan's eyes filled with tears.

"I left something for you."

The recording paused.

Then:

"Look beneath the floorboard."

Ethan looked around.

Adrian searched the floor.

"There."

One wooden floorboard looked different.

Ethan knelt and lifted it.

Underneath was a metal box.

Inside was a collection of letters.

The first letter was addressed to Ethan.

The second was addressed to Adrian.

Adrian stared.

"Why would she write to me?"

Ethan didn't know.

He handed him the letter.

Adrian opened it.

His hands trembled.

«Dear Adrian,

If you are reading this, then Ethan has brought you here.

I don't know what the future will look like, but I know one thing.

You and Ethan were never meant to be enemies.

Your families were once united.

Something happened that changed everything.

I tried to stop it.

I failed.»

Adrian continued reading.

«Please forgive me for keeping the truth from you.

I did it because I believed keeping you apart would keep you alive.

But I was wrong.

Sometimes, secrets don't protect people.

They destroy them.»

Adrian's tears fell onto the paper.

Ethan gently touched his shoulder.

The letter continued.

«If you and Ethan have found each other again, don't let anyone separate you.

The person behind everything will try.

He has already done it once.

He will do it again.»

Adrian looked at Ethan.

"She knew."

Ethan nodded.

"She knew about us."

---

Suddenly, the recording changed.

His mother's voice became quieter.

"There is one more thing."

Ethan leaned closer.

"Roberto is alive."

Adrian's breathing stopped.

The recording continued.

"I helped him disappear."

Adrian covered his mouth.

"He trusted me because he knew I would protect you."

Ethan looked at Adrian.

"Where is he?"

The recording answered.

"He is hiding in a place neither of you would expect."

Then the recording stopped.

Adrian stared at the speaker.

"That's it?"

Ethan checked it.

The battery was dead.

Then he noticed something.

A small envelope was attached to the bottom.

Inside was a map.

Adrian unfolded it.

The location was marked with a red circle.

Ethan recognized it.

"The old Santos property."

Adrian looked at him.

"My grandparents' house?"

"Yes."

"We have to go."

---

Before they could leave, the front door slammed shut.

Ethan turned.

"Someone's here."

They heard footsteps downstairs.

Adrian whispered:

"Could it be Mason?"

"I don't know."

Ethan grabbed the box.

"Stay behind me."

They moved toward the staircase.

A shadow appeared below.

Then a man stepped into view.

Ethan froze.

"Daniel?"

Daniel looked exhausted.

His shirt was stained with blood.

Adrian rushed toward him.

"You're alive."

Daniel nodded.

"I barely escaped."

Ethan stared at him.

"Who shot you?"

Daniel looked toward the windows.

"They know you're here."

"Who?"

Daniel shook his head.

"No time."

He walked closer.

"I found Roberto."

Adrian's eyes widened.

"Where?"

"He's alive."

"I know."

Daniel looked surprised.

"How?"

Ethan showed him the map.

Daniel stared.

"Your mother left this?"

"Yes."

Daniel took a breath.

"Then you need to leave immediately."

"Why?"

"Because the person behind this already knows."

Adrian's voice trembled.

"Knows what?"

"That Roberto is going to reveal everything."

Ethan's expression hardened.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

Adrian stepped forward.

"Where?"

Daniel looked at the map.

"At the old Santos property."

---

They left the mansion immediately.

The drive was silent.

Daniel sat in the back seat.

Ethan drove.

Adrian sat beside him.

After several minutes, Daniel spoke.

"There is something else."

Ethan looked in the mirror.

"What?"

"The person behind everything isn't simply trying to hide the financial scandal."

Adrian turned.

"Then what does he want?"

Daniel looked at him.

"He wants control of both families."

Ethan frowned.

"Why?"

"Because your families own more than the company."

"What else?"

"Land. Properties. Investments. Hidden accounts."

Adrian's eyes widened.

"And Roberto knows where everything is."

Daniel nodded.

"That's why they need him."

Ethan looked at Adrian.

"And that's why they're trying to find him."

---

They reached the old Santos property before midnight.

The house was dark.

Adrian stepped out of the car.

He looked at the place where he had spent his childhood.

"This is where my father used to bring me."

Ethan stood beside him.

"Then maybe he left something here."

They entered.

The house was empty.

But there was a strange feeling in the air.

Someone had been there recently.

A cup of coffee sat on the table.

Still warm.

Adrian froze.

"Someone is here."

A voice came from behind them.

"Adrian."

He turned.

His eyes widened.

A man stood in the doorway.

Older.

Tired.

But unmistakable.

Adrian's breath caught.

"Dad?"

The man stared at him.

Tears filled his eyes.

"Adrian."

Adrian couldn't move.

For years, he had imagined this moment.

For years, he had dreamed about hearing his father's voice.

Now it was happening.

He slowly stepped forward.

"Dad?"

Roberto nodded.

"My son."

Adrian ran toward him.

They embraced.

Adrian cried against his father's shoulder.

"I thought you were dead."

"I know."

"Why didn't you come back?"

"I wanted to."

"Then why?"

Roberto looked toward Ethan.

"Because I was protecting you."

He then looked at Ethan.

"And protecting him."

Ethan stepped closer.

"From who?"

Roberto's expression became serious.

"The man who destroyed both our families."

"Who?"

Roberto looked at them.

"You already know him."

Ethan's face tightened.

"Mason?"

Roberto shook his head.

"No."

Adrian held his father's arm.

"Then who?"

Roberto looked toward the dark window.

"The person you should fear is not Mason."

He paused.

"It's someone much closer."

Before anyone could ask another question, the lights suddenly went out.

A gunshot shattered the silence.

Roberto fell.

"DAAAAD!"

Adrian screamed.

Ethan caught him as he collapsed.

Daniel rushed toward the window.

"Get down!"

Another shot struck the wall.

Ethan held Adrian tightly.

Roberto was bleeding.

Adrian cried.

"Someone help him!"

Ethan looked toward Daniel.

"Call an ambulance!"

Daniel checked his phone.

"No signal."

Ethan looked at the door.

Outside, footsteps were approaching.

Someone was coming.

And whoever it was had finally found Roberto.

TO BE CONTINUED...