Chapter 9: The Bloodline That Changed Everything
I had seen Cody scared before.
Nightmares.
Hospitals.
Storms.
The first day of high school.
But I had never seen him look at someone like that.
Like the person standing in front of him had suddenly become a stranger.
Emmett didn't move.
"Cody.""
"Don't.""
The word was quiet.
But it carried more pain than anger.
"Tell me.""
Emmett looked away.
That was all it took.
Cody laughed once.
A broken sound.
"Of course.""
"Cody—"
"No.""
He stepped back.
"Everyone keeps telling me they were protecting me.""
His voice shook.
"But nobody ever tells me anything.""
I moved toward him.
"Cody.""
He looked at me.
And for a second, he looked like the little boy who once held my hand in the emergency room.
Lost.
Confused.
Afraid.
"I need the truth.""
I looked at Emmett.
So did everyone else.
Finally, Emmett spoke.
"Your biological father was not Shawn.""
The words destroyed the room.
Cody stared.
"No.""
"I'm sorry.""
"No.""
His voice grew louder.
"My father was Shawn.""
"Yes.""
"Then why are you saying—"
"Because Shawn raised you.""
Emmett swallowed.
"But he wasn't the man who gave you life.""
Cody looked sick.
"Who was?""
Nobody spoke.
Then Emmett answered.
"Me.""
The world went silent.
I had imagined many secrets.
Not this one.
Not even close.
Cody stared at him.
"You.""
Emmett nodded.
"Yes.""
"When did you know?""
"From the beginning.""
Cody looked toward the floor.
"Did my mother know?""
"Yes.""
"Did Shawn know?""
Emmett closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
That was somehow the worst answer.
Cody looked up.
"Everyone knew.""
"No.""
Emmett stepped forward.
"Not everyone.""
"Enough people did.""
His voice cracked.
"And nobody told me.""
Emmett had no defense.
Because there wasn't one.
I understood that pain.
Not the same pain.
But the feeling of realizing the people who loved you had built your life on a lie.
"Why?"" I asked.
Emmett looked at me.
"Because Malcolm would have killed him.""
Cody froze.
"What?""
Emmett continued.
"Malcolm found out Laura and I had a child. He believed you were proof that the Carbone and Bannon families could unite.""
"Why was that bad?""
"Because Malcolm's power depended on hatred.""
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Your existence threatened everything he built.""
Cody looked at the photograph.
At his mother.
At Shawn.
At Emmett.
"So Shawn knew I wasn't his son.""
"Yes.""
"And he stayed?""
Emmett's voice softened.
"He loved you.""
That broke Cody.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
He simply sat down.
Like his legs could no longer hold him.
I sat beside him.
After a while, he whispered:
"He was my dad.""
"Yes.""
"He was the only one who acted like I mattered.""
Nobody answered.
Because that was the truth.
Blood was simple.
Love was complicated.
Then the farmhouse door opened.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there.
Patrick.
My husband.
For one second, I couldn't move.
I had imagined seeing him again.
I imagined anger.
Questions.
A confrontation.
I never imagined feeling nothing.
Just disappointment.
"Jillian.""
I stood.
"What are you doing here?""
Patrick looked around.
At Cody.
At Emmett.
At Daniel.
Then back at me.
"Come home.""
I almost laughed.
"That's all?""
His face tightened.
"You don't understand what's happening.""
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"I understand perfectly.""
Patrick looked at Cody.
"He's in danger.""
Cody stood.
"You knew.""
Patrick's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
"You knew.""
Patrick looked at him.
"I was trying to protect you.""
Cody laughed.
"Everyone says that.""
Patrick's eyes softened.
"Cody—"
"No.""
The boy who had spent his whole life trying to keep everyone happy finally stopped.
"You lied to me.""
Patrick looked at me.
Then at Emmett.
"You have no idea what he is.""
Emmett stepped forward.
"Careful.""
Patrick smiled sadly.
"Still pretending you're the hero?""
I watched them.
Two men who had spent years fighting over a truth Cody deserved to know.
"Why did you marry me?"" I asked.
Patrick looked at me.
And that was when I saw it.
The hesitation.
The guilt.
The truth.
"I needed access.""
The words barely came out.
My heart broke.
"Access to what?""
Patrick looked at Cody.
"To him.""
The room went silent.
Cody's face went pale.
I felt something inside me collapse.
Patrick took a step forward.
"I never wanted you hurt.""
"Stop.""
My voice surprised even me.
"You don't get to say that.""
"Jillian.""
"You used me.""
"No.""
"Yes.""
The anger finally arrived.
"You made me love you because you needed to get close to Cody.""
Patrick looked away.
And that was his answer.
Then Daniel suddenly looked toward the window.
"Wait.""
Everyone turned.
"What?""
He stared outside.
His face drained of color.
"That's impossible.""
Emmett moved closer.
"What?""
Daniel pointed.
A car was parked beyond the trees.
An old black sedan.
The same one from Cody's drawing.
The one he saw outside his house weeks before Shawn died.
Daniel whispered:
"That's the car that followed Shawn.""
Cody stepped closer.
"Who is inside?""
Nobody answered.
Then the driver's door opened.
A woman stepped out.
May you like
And when she walked into the light, Emmett Carbone whispered a name nobody expected.
"Laura.""
