Chapter Five
It had been nine years since Steven Kock married Cherry, and together they had built a beautiful family with two lovely children—Brian, their firstborn, now eight years old, and six-year-old Ketty. The Kock family was abuzz with preparations for Brian's upcoming birthday celebration. Invitations had gone out. The cake was ordered. It was going to be a grand affair befitting the son of a billionaire.
But the celebration never happened.
Just a day before Brian's eighth birthday, the boy collapsed at home. Panic swept through the household. He was rushed immediately to NYC Advanced Medical Hospital, where Dr. Adams, the esteemed Chief Medical Director—still as sharp as ever—personally took charge of the case.
After an extensive examination, the medical team recommended an emergency blood transfusion, preferably from a close family member for compatibility reasons. Without hesitation, Steven volunteered. He was the father—there was no question in his mind.
Then came the shock.
The blood Steven provided didn't just fail to match. There were no genetic similarities whatsoever. Dr. Adams, disturbed by the implications, ordered a full DNA analysis. The results were devastating—so much so that the doctor felt an emergency meeting with the men of the Kock family was necessary.
Steven sat in stunned silence in the same office his father, David Kock, once occupied during a different family crisis. Now, the aging patriarch sat beside him, unknowingly moments away from a revelation that would shatter everything they believed.
David glanced at his son, the silence pressing in. A phrase flickered across his mind like a cruel whisper: "The rich also cry."
Dr. Adams cleared his throat and looked at both men with grave concern.
"Gentlemen," he began carefully, "we're facing a very delicate situation. The information I'm about to share must be handled with utmost discretion."
Steven straightened. David leaned forward.
Dr. Adams continued, "According to the results, Steven, your blood does not match Brian's. In fact, further testing shows no biological connection between you and the child. I'm afraid... you are not Brian's biological father."
Time froze.
A cold wave ran through Steven, and he was momentarily struck mute. Just as he began to process the words, his father gasped, clutched his chest, and collapsed. Another emergency unfolded right there in the hospital.
Doctors rushed in. CPR was administered. Adrenaline was pumped. But it was too late.
David Kock—legendary business tycoon, visionary entrepreneur, and patriarch of the Kock dynasty—was declared dead one hour and twenty minutes later at the age of seventy-eight.
The business world mourned. Tributes poured in across newspapers, television, and global finance forums. He was praised for his brilliance, his fierce ambition, and the legacy he left behind.
The Kock family, despite being emotionally wrecked, moved swiftly to finalize burial arrangements. Brian, now recovering well after receiving a successful blood transfusion from Cherry, was discharged in time to attend the funeral.
Two days before the burial, Steven received a call.
The voice on the other end was unmistakable—soft, elegant, hauntingly familiar.
"Hello, darling," it said. "I grieve with you on your father's passing. I just wanted to let you know... I'll be at the burial. With my son. Goodbye."
The line went dead.
Steven's heart raced. He shouted into the receiver, "Rebecca? Rebecca, is that you?"
No answer. No caller ID. No way to redial.
But he knew that voice. He would never forget it. It was Rebecca.
And she said... with my son.
Steven was torn—grief-stricken by his father's death, shattered by the paternity revelation, and now haunted by the ghost of a past lover returning with secrets in her arms.
The day of the burial arrived with somber elegance. It was a spectacle of power and prestige. Business moguls, political elites, celebrities, and clergymen all gathered to pay their final respects.
Only the nuclear family was allowed near the graveside.
Then, she appeared.
Rebecca.
Dressed in flawless black, she moved with the same grace that once captivated Steven. Her beauty hadn't faded; if anything, it had matured into something ethereal. But what stunned everyone was the ten-year-old boy walking beside her—his face a striking reflection of Steven Kock in his youth.
Security moved in to stop her and the boy.
Steven stepped forward instantly. "They're with me," he said firmly.
He led them himself to the graveside, guiding them into the family's inner circle. Whispers buzzed. Eyes darted. Questions bloomed behind every stare.
It was a moment soaked in grief... and charged with secrets.
As the burial proceeded, the world watched in silence, unaware that beneath the black suits and designer veils, the Kock family was standing at the edge of a storm far more dangerous than death.