Entangled Decision (Episode Four)
I couldn’t breathe. My mind was spinning, and my hands trembled as I clutched the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. I had just escaped Henry’s office, but the weight of what I had heard—the plot to get rid of Richard—pressed down on me like a hundred-pound anchor.
What had I just stumbled into? And what was Henry really capable of? I thought I had known him. I thought I had understood him, at least as much as a girlfriend could understand her boyfriend’s father. But everything had changed in an instant. The man who had once seemed kind and powerful, who I thought had just been overly protective of his son, was now a cold, calculating monster who was willing to kill his own flesh and bl00d.
I needed to talk to someone, someone who might understand what I was up against. Sophie would never believe me if I told her everything. Not about the plot, and certainly not about the baby. But I couldn’t let this go. I couldn’t go back to pretending like nothing had happened. The secret in my chest burned too hot to ignore.
I pulled into a quiet parking lot near a small café I used to visit with Richard on lazy weekends. The place was always empty in the evenings, a perfect place to think. I didn’t have a plan, but I knew I had to figure out what to do next.
As I sat there, the events of the past few days played out in my head like a film reel. Henry’s face, his smug expression as he spoke about getting rid of Richard, was burned into my memory. I could still hear his words echoing in my ears: *“If he gets in the way, we’ll deal with it.”*
But then there was the picture in his office—the one with his wife and young Richard. Henry’s coldness, the way his wife seemed so distant… it all felt wrong. It didn’t add up.
The more I thought about it, the more questions surfaced. Was Richard really Henry’s son? The resemblance between them was uncanny, but what if it wasn’t a biological connection? What if Richard had been something else entirely a tool, an heir to Henry’s empire, but not truly his child?
I took a shaky breath and reached for my phone. There was one person I could turn to. Someone who might have the answers.
I dialed the number quickly, my heart hammering in my chest. It rang for what felt like an eternity before someone picked up.
“Hello?” a familiar voice answered.
“Mark,” I whispered, my voice cracking.
There was a slight pause on the other end before Mark’s voice softened. “Debbie? What’s wrong?”
I swallowed hard. “I need your help. I… I think I’m in over my head.”
Mark had been Richard’s friend since childhood, so I thought maybe he was also someone who knew a lot about the Montgomery family. If anyone could help me untangle this mess, it was him.
“Tell me everything,” he said, his voice steady despite the urgency in my tone.
I didn’t hold back. I told him everything, from the dinner at Henry’s house to the pregnancy, to my discovery of the spare key and the horrifying conversation I’d overheard. Every word that had come from Henry’s mouth seemed like a new weight added to my shoulders, and by the time I finished, I felt drained.
Mark was silent for a moment, processing what I had said. “ Jesus! Are you serious?? I knew something was off about Henry,” he said finally in a shocked tone, his voice tight. “But this… this is beyond what I imagined.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Mark, I don’t know what to do. Richard doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve to be used like this. And I can’t keep this secret from him.”
“You’re right,” Mark said, his tone soft but firm. “Richard deserves the truth. But I think you’re missing something here, Deb. Henry may not be Richard’s biological father.”
My stomach dropped. “What?”
[Written by: Yung Tyga Stories]
“I’ve seen the way Henry treats Richard. It’s not the way a father treats his son. It’s like… like he’s trying to mold him into something. But if you’ve really been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed that Richard never quite fits into Henry’s world. There’s something off about their relationship.”
I sat there, stunned. “So you think… Richard isn’t his son?”
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s not Henry’s biological son. But he’s definitely more of a pawn than an actual child. Look, I don’t have the answers, but I know that whatever Henry’s been hiding, it’s something much darker than we realize.”
I felt a cold shiver run through me. Could it be possible? Could Henry have adopted Richard? Or had something happened to the real heir to his legacy?
Before I could respond, Mark added, “You need to be careful, Debbie. If Henry’s as dangerous as you think, and if he’s involved in whatever business he’s got going on, then you’re a target too. You can’t keep playing around with fire.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I know. I just… I need to protect Richard. And I need answers.”
“You can’t do this alone,” Mark said. “We’ll figure this out together. But you have to be smart. You can’t let Henry suspect you know too much. If you push too hard, you might find yourself in deeper trouble than you’re prepared for.”
I let out a shaky breath, the weight of it all starting to settle on me. “Okay. I’ll be careful. But I need to get to the bottom of this, Mark. For Richard’s sake.”
He sighed. “Alright. I’ll help where I can. But be careful. Henry’s got eyes everywhere.”
The line went silent, and I felt the reality of Mark’s words sink in. I was in too deep. But I couldn’t back out now.
I had to find out the truth.
—
The next few days were a blur. Every moment spent in Richard’s presence felt like walking a tightrope. I could feel the tension in the air, like a storm ready to break. Richard had no idea what was happening behind the scenes, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep it from him.
I had made a decision. I would confront Henry again. But this time, I would be prepared. I needed to know everything. I needed answers, and I would do whatever it took to get them.
—
That night, as I sat in my apartment, staring at the phone in my hand, the doorbell rang. My pulse spiked, and I hesitated before getting up to answer it.
When I opened the door, Richard stood there, looking more serious than I’d ever seen him. His eyes were dark, his face tense.
“Debbie,” he said softly. “We need to talk.”
My stomach twisted. I had been avoiding this conversation for days. But now, it seemed, it was inevitable.
“About what?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“About my father,” he replied, his gaze unwavering. “I know you’ve been hiding something from me. And I think it’s time you told me the truth.”
To Be Continued.
