Chapter 10 - THE OTHER CHILD
Nobody spoke.
Arthur stared at the photograph.
My mother started crying.
I couldn't look away.
“There were two?”
She nodded.
“My twin.”
The words felt unreal.
“Where is he?”
My mother looked at Arthur.
Arthur looked at the photo.
Then away.
“You know.”
Arthur didn't answer.
“Tell me.”
He closed the laptop.
“Not here.”
I grabbed his sleeve.
“Tell me.”
He turned.
“Your brother is alive.”
My heart slammed.
“Where?”
Arthur's silence was unbearable.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
“Who has him?”
Arthur said,
“I do.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“You?”
“I found him years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he was being used.”
“By whom?”
“Gabriel.”
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Arthur looked at my mother.
She whispered,
“His name is Evan.”
I felt tears fill my eyes.
“What happened to him?”
“Gabriel took him.”
“Why?”
“He believed your family carried a genetic condition that made you resistant to a drug he used for control.”
I shook my head.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It doesn't have to,” Arthur said. “Gabriel was obsessed.”
My mother sat down.
“He wanted both children.”
“Why?”
“Because Thomas had something Gabriel couldn't replicate.”
“What?”
My mother looked at Arthur.
“Loyalty.”
Arthur said nothing.
She continued.
“Gabriel believed blood could be controlled. He thought if he raised your brother himself, he could create the perfect heir.”
My stomach turned.
“Where is Evan now?”
Arthur took a key from his pocket.
A silver one.
“Safe.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You expect me to trust you?”
“No.”
He handed me the key.
“But I expect you to see him.”
We drove to a remote house outside the city.
I walked inside.
A young man stood at the kitchen counter.
Twenty-six.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
A small scar on his eyebrow.
He turned.
I stopped.
He stared at me.
Then he whispered,
“Norah?”
I couldn't breathe.
He smiled.
The same strange smile my father had.
“I thought you'd never come.”
I ran to him.
He caught me.
For a few seconds, the world disappeared.
Then he said,
“Arthur told me you were dead.”
I stepped back.
“What?”
Evan frowned.
“He said your mother died too.”
My mother approached.
Evan stared at her.
Silence.
Then rage.
“You lied to me.”
She cried.
“I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From them.”
Evan looked at Arthur.
“Who?”
Arthur said nothing.
Evan's eyes sharpened.
“Tell her.”
Arthur shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Evan laughed.
“You haven't changed.”
I looked at him.
“What's he talking about?”
Evan walked toward the window.
“Arthur used to visit me every month.”
My blood ran cold.
“Before you knew me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To ask if Gabriel was still alive.”
I turned to Arthur.
“You thought Gabriel was alive?”
“I knew there was a chance.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because if Gabriel was alive, revealing Evan would have gotten him killed.”
Evan turned.
“Gabriel is alive.”
Arthur's face hardened.
“How do you know?”
“Because I spoke to him last week.”
Silence.
My blood froze.
“Where?”
Evan pulled out his phone.
A message appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
YOU HAVE YOUR SISTER.
I HAVE HER MOTHER.
COME TO THE BLACK ROOM.
ALONE.
Arthur's face went pale.
Evan looked at me.
“He wants you there too.”
My phone buzzed.
A second message appeared.
I opened it.
It contained a photograph of my mother tied to a chair.
Below it were five words.
BRING THE MAN WHO KILLED GABRIEL.
I looked at Arthur.
He whispered,
“Gabriel isn't the one who's alive.”
I frowned.
“What?”
Arthur stared at the photograph.
“Someone is pretending to be him.”
Then Evan pointed at the screen.
“That's not Gabriel.”
May you like
He looked terrified.
“That's the man who raised me.”
