Chapter 13: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Nobody moved.
Charlotte stared at the woman standing at the end of the corridor.
The same eyes.
The same expression.
The same small scar above her left eyebrow.
Her mother.
Elena Vale.
Impossible.
Charlotte's lips parted.
“Mom?”
The woman smiled.
“Yes.”
Charlotte took one step forward.
Then another.
Her legs felt weak.
She had seen her mother's face in photographs for years.
She had memorized every detail.
But photographs couldn't capture the way Elena looked at her.
Like she had been waiting for this exact moment.
Charlotte's voice broke.
“You're alive.”
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had to.”
“You let me mourn you.”
“I know.”
“You let me think I had nobody.”
Elena's expression collapsed.
“I know.”
Charlotte suddenly slapped her.
The sound echoed through the corridor.
Everyone froze.
Elena didn't move.
Charlotte's hand trembled.
“I hate you.”
Elena whispered:
“You have every right.”
Charlotte began crying.
“I needed you.”
“I know.”
“I called your name when I was scared.”
“I know.”
“I waited for you.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“I know.”
Charlotte shook her head.
“Then why?”
Elena looked at her daughter.
“Because if you knew I was alive, they would have found you.”
Charlotte wiped her tears.
“They found me anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Then what was the point?”
Elena's eyes hardened.
“Because I needed time.”
“For what?”
“To destroy the people who destroyed our family.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“You knew I was alive.”
Elena looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you come for me?”
Her expression broke.
“Because I couldn't.”
“You could have tried.”
“I did.”
“When?”
“Every year.”
Alexander stared.
“Then why didn't I see you?”
“Because every time I got close, they moved you.”
Alexander's jaw tightened.
“You watched me become the Architect.”
Elena lowered her head.
“I watched my son become something I never wanted him to become.”
“You could have stopped me.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Only you could choose to stop yourself.”
Alexander's eyes filled with tears.
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“I thought you abandoned me.”
“I know.”
“I wanted revenge.”
“I know.”
Alexander turned away.
For a moment, the underground hospital was completely silent.
Then Charlotte spoke.
“You said the Founder Protocol was cancelled.”
Elena looked at the screen.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone activated the emergency death clause.”
Charlotte frowned.
“What is that?”
“The Founder Trust can only be transferred when both heirs are alive.”
Alexander looked at her.
“But the system said Charlotte was deceased.”
“Yes.”
“Who changed it?”
Elena's expression darkened.
“Your father.”
Charlotte froze.
“Edward?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To make the trust believe you were dead.”
“But I'm alive.”
“Exactly.”
Elena walked toward the console.
“He expected the system to transfer control to him.”
Alexander frowned.
“But if Charlotte is dead…”
“It can't transfer to Edward.”
“Then who gets it?”
Elena looked at him.
“No one.”
Charlotte understood.
“He wanted to destroy the trust.”
Elena nodded.
“Exactly.”
“Why?”
“Because if he can't control the empire…”
Her voice became cold.
“…he would rather destroy it.”
Charlotte stared.
“How do we stop him?”
Elena looked toward the ceiling.
“We don't.”
Charlotte frowned.
“What?”
“We let him think he won.”
Alexander immediately understood.
“You have a plan.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“I always did.”
Above the underground hospital, Edward Vale stood inside the security command center.
Damian Sterling stood beside him.
Richard Hale was on the other side.
Several armed men surrounded them.
Edward watched the system.
FOUNDER PROTOCOL CANCELLED.
He smiled.
“It's done.”
Damian looked relieved.
“They failed.”
Edward nodded.
“They always do.”
Richard approached.
“What happens now?”
Edward turned.
“Now the Vale Empire becomes mine.”
Richard smiled.
“And Charlotte?”
Edward's expression changed.
“Charlotte doesn't matter anymore.”
Damian frowned.
“You're certain she's dead?”
Edward looked at the monitor.
“The system says she is.”
Richard hesitated.
“But what about the emergency signal?”
Edward stared at him.
“What signal?”
Richard handed him a tablet.
A red warning flashed.
BIOLOGICAL PRESENCE DETECTED.
Edward's smile disappeared.
“What?”
Richard pointed.
“The system is detecting two Founder-level signatures.”
Edward stared.
“Two?”
“Yes.”
Damian looked confused.
“Who?”
Edward's face became pale.
“No.”
Richard frowned.
“Sir?”
Edward whispered:
“Elena.”
Silence.
Damian stepped backward.
“That's impossible.”
Edward stared at the screen.
“She was dead.”
Richard shook his head.
“You saw the body.”
Edward's voice became cold.
“I saw a body.”
He slowly turned.
“That doesn't mean it was hers.”
Underground, Elena opened a hidden compartment.
Inside was an old metal case.
She removed a small device.
Charlotte recognized the symbol.
The Founder emblem.
“What is that?”
“The original access key.”
“Didn't we need my fingerprint?”
“Yes.”
“And Alexander's?”
“Yes.”
Elena looked at both of them.
“But there's one more requirement.”
Charlotte frowned.
“What?”
“The blood of the original founder.”
Alexander looked confused.
“Our grandfather?”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
She held up the device.
“The founder was not your grandfather.”
Charlotte stared.
“Then who?”
Elena looked at her.
“A woman.”
Charlotte's eyes widened.
“Our great-grandmother?”
“No.”
Elena paused.
“Your great-great-grandmother.”
Charlotte stared.
“She created Solmere?”
“Yes.”
“Why did everyone say it was a man?”
“Because she wanted the world to believe it.”
Alexander frowned.
“Why?”
“To keep the family alive.”
Elena opened the metal case.
Inside was a tiny glass vial.
Dark red liquid sat inside.
Charlotte stared.
“Blood?”
Elena nodded.
“Preserved for seventy years.”
Charlotte felt a chill.
“What does it do?”
“It activates the original Founder Protocol.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“And where did you get it?”
Elena smiled.
“She gave it to me.”
Charlotte stared.
“She?”
Elena looked toward the corridor.
“She knew this day would come.”
Suddenly, the lights went out.
The hospital plunged into darkness.
Charlotte grabbed Alexander.
A voice came through the speakers.
Edward.
“Hello, Elena.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“Edward.”
“I knew you weren't dead.”
Charlotte stared.
Edward continued.
“You always were predictable.”
Elena looked toward the cameras.
“Then why did you come here?”
“Because I want my children.”
Alexander's expression hardened.
“You don't get to call us that.”
Edward laughed.
“You're still angry.”
“I should kill you.”
“You've tried.”
Alexander raised his weapon.
Elena stopped him.
“No.”
“Mom…”
“Not yet.”
Edward's voice returned.
“Bring Charlotte to me.”
Elena looked at her daughter.
Charlotte shook her head.
“No.”
Edward smiled.
“Then I'll come for you.”
The speakers went silent.
A moment later, explosions rocked the hospital.
The walls shook violently.
Medical equipment crashed to the floor.
The ceiling began collapsing.
“MOVE!”
Elena grabbed Charlotte.
Alexander grabbed the doctor.
Victor pulled Daniel away from the falling debris.
They ran through the corridor.
Behind them, the underground hospital began collapsing.
Charlotte looked back.
Her childhood secrets.
Her mother's hidden life.
The medical center.
Everything was being destroyed.
“Where are we going?”
Elena shouted:
“To the Founder Chamber!”
They reached a massive steel door.
Elena pressed her hand against it.
Nothing happened.
Charlotte stepped forward.
She placed her palm beside Elena's.
The door remained closed.
Alexander placed his hand next to hers.
Still nothing.
Elena frowned.
“What?”
Charlotte looked at the device.
“The blood.”
Elena inserted the vial.
The door began glowing.
Then a voice spoke from inside.
THREE FOUNDERS REQUIRED.
Charlotte frowned.
“Three?”
Alexander looked at Elena.
“We only have two heirs and Mom.”
Elena's face changed.
“No.”
She looked at the door.
“The system isn't asking for three people.”
“What is it asking for?”
Elena whispered:
“Three bloodlines.”
The door opened.
Inside was a circular chamber.
Three symbols were carved into the floor.
The Vale symbol.
The Sterling symbol.
And a third symbol Charlotte had never seen before.
A black crown.
Damian suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.
He was holding a gun.
“Don't move.”
Charlotte turned.
Damian smiled.
“You finally found it.”
Elena's face hardened.
“You.”
Damian stepped forward.
“You thought the Crown Circle wanted the Solmere Empire?”
He laughed.
“We never wanted Solmere.”
Charlotte stared.
“Then what do you want?”
Damian pointed toward the third symbol.
“That.”
Elena's face went pale.
Charlotte looked down.
“What is it?”
Damian smiled.
“The reason your family was never supposed to discover the truth.”
Suddenly, the chamber doors slammed shut.
Charlotte, Alexander, and Elena were trapped inside.
Damian stood outside.
He pressed a button.
The floor began moving.
A hidden mechanism activated beneath them.
Elena grabbed Charlotte.
“Stay close to me.”
Charlotte looked terrified.
“What is happening?”
Elena whispered:
“The Founder Chamber is opening.”
Alexander looked down.
“And what's underneath it?”
Elena stared into the darkness.
“Something your great-great-grandmother buried.”
A deep mechanical sound echoed below.
Then a massive steel platform began rising from beneath the chamber.
On it sat an ancient black box.
Charlotte stared.
“What is that?”
Elena looked at it.
Her face was filled with fear.
“The original Solmere archive.”
Alexander frowned.
“Why would she hide an archive underground?”
Elena whispered:
“Because it contains the names of everyone who has ever controlled this empire.”
The box opened.
Inside was a single file.
Charlotte picked it up.
The cover had only one sentence.
THE TRUE HEIR WAS NEVER CHARLOTTE.
Charlotte's heart stopped.
Alexander looked at her.
Elena whispered:
“Don't open it.”
Charlotte slowly turned toward her.
“Why?”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Because once you read that file…”
She swallowed.
“…you'll learn why I lied about your birth.”
Charlotte opened the first page.
And at the bottom was a photograph.
A photograph of Charlotte as a newborn.
But she wasn't alone.
Beside her was another baby.
Identical.
Two newborn girls.
Same eyes.
Same face.
Same birth date.
Charlotte stared in horror.
“There were two of us?”
Elena didn't answer.
Charlotte looked at her mother.
“Where is she?”
Elena whispered:
“That's the question I've been trying to answer for twenty years.”
Then the lights came back on.
And from behind the glass wall, a woman stepped forward.
She looked exactly like Charlotte.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same scar.
She smiled.
“Hello, sister.”
Charlotte couldn't breathe.
May you like
Because the woman standing before her...
was supposed to have died the night Charlotte was born.
