Chapter Thirteen
Mr. Silvanus of Triple Eagle Eye Securities kept his promise, delivering the report within the stipulated time. Steven was both relieved and apprehensive as he accepted it, uncertain of what truths it might reveal.
The report was meticulous, detailing not only the actual events but also identifying the points where information had been distorted—how it happened, why, and the current state of affairs.
The investigators had traced Rebecca and her mother to the small city of Orleans, where they lived in a remote staff quarters belonging to First Orleans University. Mrs. Freeman, a trained nurse, had quickly secured a job at the university clinic, while Rebecca continued her LLB Law degree at the same institution. Finances posed no issue; David Kock had provided them with enough money to ensure their compliance—and their silence.
But their lives were lonely. They had no friends, no real associates. Just the two of them, living in deliberate seclusion. Concerned neighbors, sensing their isolation, would sometimes check on them, especially after long periods without sightings. They had become ghosts in a bustling town.
There had been one incident: a predicted cyclone that thankfully never materialized. Still, the authorities evacuated the area. It wasn't until everyone else had left that an elderly woman remembered Rebecca and her mother and raised the alarm. Authorities rushed to their home just in time.
Shortly after their arrival in Orleans, the signs of Rebecca's pregnancy became undeniable. This revelation only deepened their isolation. Questions would surely come—questions they had no wish to answer.
When the baby finally arrived, it did so amidst quiet scandal.
An African American woman had given birth to a baby who was unmistakably white—fair-skinned, blond-haired. Though no one dared voice the question directly, suspicion and curiosity hung thick in the air at the hospital and among the neighbors.
Mrs. Freeman would often console her daughter: "Be strong, Rebecca. Your victory lies ahead. You must stay alive to see it."
Rebecca devoted herself completely to her son. With social activities off-limits, her entire world revolved around him. She visited him frequently at his boarding school, ensuring he lacked nothing. During holidays, she took over where the teachers left off, pouring love and discipline into his upbringing.
The results of her dedication were spectacular.
Rebecca stood, tears shimmering in her eyes, as her son shattered every record at his high school graduation. He was the youngest graduate in the school's history and received eight awards, including Best Graduating Student—an achievement that came with an automatic scholarship to Harvard University.
Emotion overwhelmed Rebecca as she watched her son's name called once again—this time to deliver the valedictory speech. He stood, smiling, as he walked to the podium, each step a testament to the years of sacrifice and perseverance that had brought him to this moment.
Pulling a small note from his pocket, he began: "It was Thomas Edison who said, 'There is no substitute for hard work.' I stand here today as living proof of that truth.
I first want to thank God for His mercy and blessings. Then, my deepest gratitude goes to my mother—the most important person in my life after God—for her encouragement, her sacrifices, and her unwavering belief in me.
I also want to thank this great institution and my colleagues, who have all played a role in shaping my character and inspiring my ambition."
He spoke about the values of discipline and perseverance instilled by the school, urging the junior students to focus on their studies and strive for excellence.
Then, before closing, he quoted Winston Churchill:
"Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."
He paused, his voice softening."Mum," he called out, scanning the crowd until his eyes found hers, "you always told me to work hard and be the best I can be. If this is what you had in mind, raising one of the prizes, then... there is much more coming."
He bowed.
A thunderous standing ovation erupted. Rebecca, trembling with pride and tears, rose with the others. Before she could compose herself, a school official approached, inviting her for a photo shoot with the award winners.
The report Steven held detailed every event across the years—their addresses, their movements, their contacts, their struggles. It even explained why the original report he had commissioned had been compromised:
At the time Steven hired the initial investigators, David Kock—his father and then-President of the Kock Group—had secretly issued a counter-directive. All findings regarding Rebecca were to pass through David's office first for "final vetting."
Steven sat back, stunned.
It made sense now. The lies, the half-truths, the elusive trails. His own father had orchestrated a cover-up.
Yet it was the final part of the report that left Steven in true despair.
Rebecca had disappeared.
Triple Eagle Eye Securities had managed to track their son—his son—to Harvard University. But Rebecca herself had vanished from their radar. Preliminary intelligence suggested she had left the United States for one of three countries: Jamaica in the Caribbean, Kenya or Nigeria in Africa.
Steven felt the blood drain from his face.
"Africa?" he exclaimed aloud, scarcely believing what he read.
He need not ask why.
If he wanted answers, he would have to find her himself.
And that meant preparing to go to Jamaica or Africa.