Page 5 of Marko

Sadly, my mum passed away when I was ten from an aneurysm. She collapsed one day with no warning. One minute we were in the garden enjoying the sunshine, the next she was complaining of a headache and within a few minutes, she had collapsed and died.

Dad and I became even closer after that, although neither of us ever got over her loss. And now he was gone, too.

Closing my eyes, a sad smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, and I bit back the tears that threatened as I thought about my parents. God, how I missed them.

“Martin?” a gruff voice called, pulling me from my thoughts.

Turning around, I saw a taxi stopped at the side of the road. The driver said again, “Martin?”

“Yes,” I nodded.

As I sat inside the taxi on the way back to my apartment, I peered at my name on the envelope.

Mr Fitzpatrick was not aware of the contents and could only provide me with some basic information about the man he was acting for. He told me he had simply been instructed to give me the envelope six months after Aiden Mathieson’s death or disappearance and to transfer money from a bank account, which had been originally set up in my mother’s maiden name, to me.

Everything felt surreal. Finding out who my biological dad was had been a bolt out of the blue, after all of these years of not having a clue and frankly not giving a damn. Nevertheless, learning he’d been missing for six months was a huge shock and the size of the legacy he’d left me was an even bigger whammy. I was suddenly a few million pounds richer, but I wasn’t sure that any of this had actually sunk in yet.

Tracing the letters on the front of the padded envelope with shaky fingertips, I wondered again what was inside and what sort of man Aiden Mathieson really was. It seemed odd that someone would make plans for the possibility that they might disappear, and that worried me greatly.

Who were you and what were you involved in?

My insides churned, making me feel queasy, and although I couldn’t wait to open the envelope, I was also dreading it. I wanted to know what it contained, yet I was suddenly scared to find out. For some reason, I had a genuine fear that the money wasn’t my only legacy and that whatever I learned from this envelope was going to change my world forever. And after all the changes that had occurred in my life recently, I wasn’t sure I could cope with any more.

When I returned home, I spent the day completing an assignment for college and ignoring the envelope, my fear of the unknown overshadowing any curiosity I had about the contents.

Finally, after dinner, I couldn’t delay it any longer. My hands shook, and I felt sick with nerves as I tore the envelope open, wishing I hadn’t procrastinated for so long, and opened it before I’d eaten.

Inside was a letter and a key.

The letter was cold and the contents very worrying. Frowning, I reread it, not entirely sure exactly what to make of it all.

Melissa,

Mr Fitzpatrick will have told you I am your biological father. Your mother and I had a brief fling in school, but I moved away to university and lost contact with her and of course, later I changed my name. So, even if she had planned on telling me about you, finding me wouldn’t have been easy.

As such, I only discovered your existence after your adopted father worked for me several years ago, and I have kept a close eye on you since. If you’re reading this, I am either dead or missing, in which case you can assume I am dead.

Either way, my demise will have been at the hand of one of my enemies, and that might even be your uncle. While I admit I was never a good man myself and have done many things you would no doubt find appalling; your uncle is a complete psychopath. Although we share the same father and were business partners, I never trusted or liked him.

Over the years, he manipulated me into dangerous situations but avoided risk himself. He was behind the deaths of my sister Leona and her daughter Clara, who were killed for his associates’ amusement. Apart from my parents, they were the only people I have ever cared for in my life. So, after discovering this, I swore to avenge their deaths. That’s where you come in.

The key is to a safety deposit box at the branch of the bank where an account has been opened in your name. When you see the contents, you will understand why it is crucial that he is stopped.

You will need to get the evidence to do that. Inside the box is everything you need to know about him so that you can obtain the information required to ensure his downfall. I trust you to handle this because of your inherent morality, which neither I nor any of my associates possess.

Utilise your skills to retrieve this information and pass it to the National Crime Unit. Find a trustworthy contact there that cannot be easily bought off. Your uncle is a prominent figure and will do everything he can to protect himself and his reputation.

The money I sent is to help keep you safe. Although I never knew you, you are my daughter and so, I do not want you to suffer the same fate as Leona and Clara.

I know if anyone can do this, you can. Be cautious. He is a very dangerous man. He should not be underestimated, and if he becomes aware of your existence, he will come after you on the off chance that you know too much.

Aiden Mathieson

Disappointment filled me. The letter was impersonal. I wasn’t sure what I had expected, but not that. Despite never caring who he was before, I couldn’t help but wonder about him now. Oliver Martin would always be my real dad to me, and he was the best, but he was gone now, and it would have been nice to have known how my biological father had felt about me since he was obviously gone now too. However, it didn’t seem like he’d felt anything.

Puffing out a breath, I shook my head. I didn’t know what to think about this.

My biological father admitted to being a bad person and said my uncle was a psychopath that wanted me to bring down. What the hell had he got me into?

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