Chapter 10 - Rafe couldn't breathe.There were two women standing in the corridor who looked enough like him to share his blood.
Yet Lena was supposed to be his only sister.
Victor Hale stepped forward.
"You're finally ready."
Rafe's voice was cold.
"Ready for what?"
Victor smiled.
"The truth."
Daniel remained silent.
Rafe pointed at him.
"You told me my mother lied."
Daniel nodded.
"She did."
"You told me Thomas was my father."
"He raised you."
"You told me Lena was Victor's daughter."
"She is."
Rafe looked at the third woman.
"Then who is she?"
Victor answered:
"Your sister."
Lena looked at him.
"Don't listen."
Victor smiled.
"Which one?"
Rafe's head spun.
Three women.
One mother.
Two fathers.
Twenty-two years of false memories.
He was done.
"I want the truth."
Victor stepped closer.
"All right."
He motioned to the third woman.
"This is Mara."
The woman stepped into the light.
She looked younger than Lena.
But the resemblance was undeniable.
Victor continued.
"You were one of four children."
Rafe's blood froze.
"Four?"
"Yes."
"Where's the fourth?"
Victor smiled.
"You."
Rafe stared.
"What?"
"You were not born after Lena."
"You were born before her."
Rafe shook his head.
"You're lying."
Victor handed him a file.
Rafe opened it.
Four birth records.
Four babies.
Four different names.
The first:
Elias.
The second:
Lena.
The third:
Mara.
The fourth:
Noah.
Rafe stared at the final name.
"Who is Noah?"
Victor's smile disappeared.
"Dead."
Lena whispered:
"No."
Everyone turned.
She shook her head.
"Noah wasn't dead."
Victor's eyes hardened.
"Lena."
"He escaped."
Rafe looked at her.
"Who was he?"
Lena stared directly at him.
"You."
Rafe couldn't speak.
Victor stepped forward.
"Noah was the original identity."
Rafe looked at his own reflection in the glass.
"No."
"You were surgically altered."
"Why?"
"Because your face was the only face Victor's enemies recognized."
Rafe's mind screamed.
The scars.
The missing memories.
The childhood that didn't feel real.
The surgery.
It all connected.
Victor leaned close.
"Your biological father wasn't Thomas or Daniel."
"Then who?"
Victor's expression became almost respectful.
"The founder of the organization."
Rafe swallowed.
"What's his name?"
Victor whispered:
"Gabriel Vance."
Rafe had never heard the name.
But Lena had.
Her face drained.
"You can't tell him."
Victor smiled.
"Why?"
She stared at Rafe.
"Because Gabriel is still alive."
Silence.
Rafe looked at Victor.
"Where?"
Victor answered:
"Right behind you."
Rafe slowly turned.
An elderly man stood at the doorway.
Thin.
White-haired.
Using a cane.
His eyes were fixed on Rafe.
And Rafe knew those eyes.
He had seen them in his nightmares.
The old man smiled.
"Elias."
Rafe's scar began to burn.
"You."
The old man nodded.
"I've waited twenty-two years to meet my son."
Rafe stepped backward.
"You were supposed to be dead."
Gabriel smiled.
"So were you."
Then the lights went out.
When they came back on...
May you like
Gabriel was gone.
And Mara was bleeding from a gunshot wound.
