Chapter 11: The Mother Beneath the City
The gunshot echoed through the tunnel.
Daniel collapsed.
Charlotte screamed his name.
“Daniel!”
She crawled toward him.
Alexander grabbed her shoulder.
“Don't move!”
“He's been shot!”
“I know.”
Alexander scanned the darkness.
The sniper was gone.
Only the echo remained.
Daniel was breathing.
Barely.
Charlotte pressed her hands against the wound.
“Stay with us.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
His voice was weak.
“Go…”
Charlotte shook her head.
“No.”
“Go to…”
He coughed.
“The medical center.”
The doctor knelt beside him.
“He needs surgery.”
Alexander looked toward the tunnel.
“We don't have time.”
Charlotte stared at him.
“We're not leaving him.”
The doctor nodded.
“There is an emergency clinic beneath the old medical center.”
Charlotte looked at her.
“You said my biological mother is there.”
“Yes.”
“Then take us to her.”
The doctor hesitated.
“Charlotte…”
“Now.”
The doctor nodded.
“Follow me.”
Alexander lifted Daniel onto his shoulder.
They hurried deeper into the tunnel.
The original Solmere Medical Center had been buried beneath the city decades ago.
The entrance was hidden behind a collapsed railway station.
The doctor pushed aside a rusted metal panel.
A narrow staircase appeared.
Charlotte descended first.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
Old medical signs appeared along the walls.
SOLMERE MEDICAL CENTER
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
Charlotte touched one of the faded signs.
“My mother came here.”
The doctor nodded.
“She came here many times.”
“Why?”
“To see you.”
Charlotte stopped.
“What?”
The doctor turned.
“Elena visited this place every year on your birthday.”
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“She was afraid.”
“Of what?”
The doctor looked away.
“Of the truth.”
Charlotte continued down the stairs.
At the bottom was an enormous underground hospital.
Most of the rooms were dark.
But one corridor was illuminated.
Medical equipment hummed behind glass walls.
Alexander looked around.
“This place is still operational.”
“Yes.”
“Who runs it?”
The doctor didn't answer.
Charlotte noticed.
“Who?”
The doctor finally said:
“Your biological mother.”
Charlotte stopped.
Her heart pounded.
“You're saying Isabella has been living here?”
“Yes.”
“For twenty years?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The doctor looked at her.
“Because she couldn't leave.”
“Why not?”
“Because she was hunted.”
Charlotte swallowed.
“By Edward?”
The doctor shook her head.
“By the Crown Circle.”
They reached a medical room.
The doctor immediately began treating Daniel.
“Give me that tray.”
Alexander helped.
Charlotte stood outside the room.
She could hear Daniel groaning.
The doctor shouted instructions.
Charlotte barely heard them.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Her biological mother was alive.
Somewhere in this underground hospital.
Waiting.
She had spent twenty years believing Elena was her only mother.
Now she was being told Elena had adopted her.
Charlotte didn't know what to feel.
Anger.
Fear.
Confusion.
Grief.
Maybe all of them at once.
Alexander approached.
“You don't have to meet her tonight.”
Charlotte looked at him.
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I've spent my entire life being lied to.”
She looked toward the sealed door.
“I need one person to finally tell me the truth.”
Alexander nodded.
Then a soft voice came from behind them.
“Charlotte?”
She froze.
The voice was feminine.
Weak.
But strangely familiar.
Charlotte slowly turned.
A woman stood at the end of the corridor.
She was perhaps forty-five.
Long dark hair streaked with gray.
Pale skin.
Thin face.
Tired eyes.
She wore a simple white medical gown.
She looked fragile.
But the moment she saw Charlotte...
her entire body trembled.
Charlotte couldn't move.
The woman whispered:
“My daughter.”
Charlotte's breath caught.
Alexander stepped aside.
The woman walked closer.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I've waited twenty years.”
Charlotte's voice was barely audible.
“Are you Isabella?”
The woman nodded.
“Yes.”
Charlotte stared at her.
“You're my mother?”
Isabella began crying.
“Yes.”
Charlotte took a step backward.
“Then why did you leave me?”
Isabella shook her head.
“I didn't.”
“You abandoned me.”
“No.”
“You gave me away.”
“No.”
“You let another woman raise me.”
Isabella covered her mouth.
“I saved you.”
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
“From what?”
“Your father.”
Charlotte froze.
“Edward?”
Isabella nodded.
“He wanted you dead.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“Why?”
Isabella looked at him.
“Because you were both heirs.”
Alexander frowned.
“Both?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Charlotte.
“Your father didn't want either of you.”
Charlotte shook her head.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It will.”
Isabella wiped her tears.
“Edward had another plan.”
“What plan?”
“To create a perfect successor.”
Charlotte stared.
“A successor?”
Isabella nodded.
“He wanted a child who could control the Solmere Empire.”
“But I was just a baby.”
“Yes.”
“And he wanted me to inherit?”
“No.”
Isabella's expression became dark.
“He wanted you to be used.”
Charlotte felt a chill.
“For what?”
Isabella looked toward the security cameras.
“To control the Founder Trust.”
Charlotte's heart pounded.
“How?”
“Your blood.”
Charlotte frowned.
“My blood?”
Isabella nodded.
“The original Solmere trust contains a biological security clause.”
Alexander looked stunned.
“What?”
“The founder designed it so the empire could only be fully activated by a direct descendant.”
Charlotte looked at her hand.
“That explains the fingerprint.”
“Yes.”
“But why me?”
Isabella shook her head.
“It wasn't supposed to be you.”
Charlotte stared.
“Then who?”
Isabella looked at Alexander.
“Your brother.”
Alexander froze.
“The original plan was for Alexander to inherit.”
“Then what changed?”
“Edward discovered that Alexander had a genetic condition.”
Alexander's expression hardened.
“What condition?”
Isabella looked away.
“He couldn't activate the Founder Trust.”
Charlotte stared.
“So Edward needed another child.”
“Yes.”
“And that's why I was born?”
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
She took Charlotte's hand.
“You were already alive.”
Charlotte froze.
“What?”
Isabella whispered:
“You weren't born to inherit the empire.”
“You were born before Edward ever knew about the trust.”
Charlotte frowned.
“Then why did he need me?”
Isabella looked directly into her eyes.
“Because he discovered your blood was different.”
Charlotte's heart raced.
“Different how?”
Isabella hesitated.
“You were born with a rare genetic marker.”
“What marker?”
“The Founder Marker.”
Charlotte stared.
“What's that?”
Isabella lowered her voice.
“A genetic sequence found only in the direct female line of the original Solmere family.”
Charlotte's mind spun.
“So I'm the only person who has it?”
Isabella nodded.
“Yes.”
Alexander looked stunned.
“That's why they erased her.”
“Yes.”
“That's why they wanted her dead.”
“Yes.”
“That's why the Crown Circle spent twenty years searching for her.”
“Yes.”
Charlotte finally understood.
Her entire existence had been valuable.
Not because she was Charlotte.
But because of something inside her blood.
She pulled her hand away.
“I don't want this.”
Isabella's expression broke.
“You never asked for it.”
“No.”
Charlotte shook her head.
“I just wanted my family.”
Isabella began crying.
“You still have one.”
Charlotte stared at her.
“You're my mother.”
“Yes.”
“But Elena was my mother too.”
Isabella nodded.
“I know.”
“Did she love me?”
“With everything she had.”
“Then why did she hide you?”
“Because she was protecting you.”
Charlotte looked away.
“From Edward?”
“From everyone.”
A sudden alarm sounded.
The lights turned red.
The doctor rushed out of Daniel's room.
“We have a problem.”
Alexander reached for his weapon.
“What?”
The doctor pointed toward the security monitor.
“Someone has breached the medical center.”
Charlotte looked at the screen.
A group of armed men was moving through the upper corridor.
At the front was Damian Sterling.
Behind him was Richard Hale.
And behind them...
Edward Vale.
Charlotte's blood turned cold.
Her father walked calmly through the hospital.
He looked directly at the camera.
Then he smiled.
Charlotte stepped backward.
“No.”
Alexander stared at the screen.
“He found us.”
Isabella grabbed Charlotte.
“Come with me.”
Charlotte resisted.
“No.”
“Charlotte!”
“That's my father.”
“He isn't who you think he is.”
Charlotte looked at the screen.
Edward stopped.
Then he spoke toward the camera.
His voice echoed through the hospital speakers.
“Charlotte.”
She froze.
“I know you're there.”
Edward smiled.
“Come out.”
Charlotte's heart pounded.
Edward continued:
“I know you've met Isabella.”
Isabella's face went pale.
“Edward…”
He laughed softly.
“You always were sentimental.”
Charlotte stepped toward the camera.
“Why did you lie to me?”
Edward's expression changed.
“Because you were never supposed to know.”
“Know what?”
“That Isabella isn't your biological mother.”
Charlotte froze.
Isabella's face turned white.
“What?”
Edward continued.
“Ask her.”
Charlotte turned toward Isabella.
“What is he talking about?”
Isabella began shaking.
Edward's voice echoed through the hospital.
“Ask her who your real mother is.”
Charlotte stared.
Isabella covered her face.
“Charlotte…”
“Tell me.”
Silence.
“Tell me!”
Isabella looked at her.
Tears streamed down her face.
“I lied.”
Charlotte felt her stomach drop.
“About what?”
Isabella whispered:
“I didn't give birth to you.”
The entire world seemed to stop.
Charlotte stared at her.
“Then who did?”
Isabella couldn't answer.
Edward's voice came through the speakers.
“I'll tell you.”
Charlotte looked toward the monitor.
Edward smiled.
“Your real mother died the night you were born.”
Charlotte couldn't breathe.
“And her name…”
He paused.
“…was Elena Vale.”
Charlotte's knees nearly gave way.
“No.”
Edward continued:
“Because Elena didn't adopt you.”
“She gave birth to you.”
Charlotte stared at Isabella.
“Then why did you say…”
Isabella was sobbing.
“Because I was trying to protect you.”
Edward's voice became cold.
“From the truth.”
Charlotte looked at the screen.
Edward smiled.
“Your mother was Elena.”
“And your father was me.”
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
“Then why did the DNA say otherwise?”
Edward's smile disappeared.
“Because I wasn't the one who altered the DNA.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“Someone else did.”
Charlotte froze.
“Who?”
Edward answered:
“The woman standing beside you.”
Isabella's face went completely white.
Charlotte slowly turned toward her.
And for the first time...
Isabella looked terrified.
Because Edward had just accused her of changing Charlotte's DNA.
May you like
And Charlotte realized she had no idea which parent had been lying to her.
Or why.
