CHAP 3: THE SECOND DAUGHTER OF BLACKWOOD
CHAP 3: THE SECOND DAUGHTER OF BLACKWOOD
The screen remained black.
But nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because one sentence had shattered the entire room.
"Let me introduce you to the daughter you never knew existed."
Ethan Blackwood stood in the center of the security room, staring at the empty screen.
A few seconds ago…
he believed he had finally won.
His wife was alive.
His daughter was alive.
The man who destroyed his family had been exposed.
The nightmare that haunted him for seven years was finally ending.
But Alexander Voss had done what he always did.
He had waited until Ethan reached the highest point of hope…
then pushed him back into darkness.
Daniel immediately moved toward the security console.
“Trace the signal.”
The technicians rushed to their stations.
“Trying.”
“Where did it come from?”
“We don’t know.”
“Find out.”
The room filled with the sound of keyboards.
Everyone was afraid to breathe.
Because they all understood something.
Alexander Voss did not make empty threats.
Every word he spoke was calculated.
Every move had a purpose.
Ethan turned slowly toward Amelia.
“Is it true?”
She looked at him.
A thousand emotions crossed her face.
Confusion.
Pain.
Fear.
But most of all…
guilt.
“Amelia.”
His voice became softer.
“Is there something you never told me?”
The question hurt more than anger.
Because Ethan was not accusing her.
He was asking her to save him from another lie.
Amelia lowered her eyes.
“I don’t know.”
The answer surprised him.
“You don’t know?”
She shook her head.
“When Alexander took me…”
She stopped.
Her hands trembled.
“He told me many things.”
“What things?”
“That he knew every secret about our family.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“And did he mention another child?”
Amelia closed her eyes.
“No.”
A long silence followed.
Then Lily walked forward.
“Daddy…”
Ethan looked down.
The little girl was holding the old hospital bracelet around her wrist.
Her fingers were shaking.
“Is there another Lily?”
Ethan froze.
Because that was the question he feared most.
He knelt beside her.
“No one can replace you.”
“But…”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“What if she is your daughter too?”
Ethan had no answer.
Because the terrifying truth was…
he did not know.
Seven years ago, he lost everything.
But what if someone had taken something else from him before that?
Something he never knew existed.
Amelia immediately hugged Lily.
“You are my daughter.”
Lily looked up.
“Then who is she?”
Amelia had no answer.
And that silence hurt more than words.
Three hours later.
The Blackwood mansion was surrounded by security.
Every entrance was guarded.
Every camera was upgraded.
Ethan refused to take any chances.
Not again.
Never again.
In the private library, Daniel placed a thick file on the table.
“We investigated Alexander Voss.”
Ethan opened it.
The first page contained a photograph.
Alexander Voss.
Thirty years old.
Twenty years ago.
A man with sharp eyes and a perfect smile.
The kind of smile that made people trust him.
Until they learned what was hidden behind it.
“His official history is strange,” Daniel said.
“How?”
“He has no childhood records.”
“No parents.”
“No school records.”
“No medical history before age twenty.”
Ethan frowned.
“That’s impossible.”
“Exactly.”
Daniel continued.
“It’s like someone created him.”
Ethan turned the page.
The next documents showed connections.
Companies.
Banks.
Political figures.
All connected to one name.
Eclipse Circle.
“He built an empire without anyone knowing.”
Daniel nodded.
“But there is something else.”
He placed another file down.
“This was found in Victor’s private archive.”
Inside was an old photograph.
A hospital.
A newborn baby.
Two women standing beside the bed.
One was Amelia.
The other…
was unfamiliar.
Ethan stared.
“Who is she?”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“We don’t know.”
Amelia, standing behind them, suddenly gasped.
She grabbed the photograph.
“Where did you find this?”
Daniel looked at her.
“You recognize her?”
Amelia’s face turned pale.
“She was there.”
“When?”
“The night Lily was born.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You never mentioned her.”
“Because I thought she was just a nurse.”
Amelia touched the photograph.
“But she wasn’t.”
“Who was she?”
Amelia swallowed.
“Alexander’s sister.”
The room went silent.
Daniel looked shocked.
“Alexander Voss had a sister?”
“Yes.”
“What was her name?”
Amelia whispered:
“Victoria Voss.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“Victor.”
Amelia nodded.
“That’s why they chose him.”
The pieces began connecting.
Victor Blackwood.
Victoria Voss.
The same initials.
The same connection.
Ethan looked through the documents.
“Wait.”
He stopped.
A small detail caught his attention.
The photograph was dated seven years ago.
But the hospital record showed something impossible.
There were two birth entries.
Not one.
Two.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“Find everything about this date.”
Daniel immediately began searching.
Minutes passed.
Then his face changed.
“What?”
Daniel looked up.
“There was another baby born that night.”
Ethan felt his heart stop.
“Who?”
Daniel slowly read the record.
“Female child.”
“Mother…”
He paused.
“Unknown.”
“Father…”
Another pause.
“Unknown.”
Ethan clenched his fist.
“Then why is this connected to us?”
Daniel turned the screen.
Because beneath the unknown information…
was one hidden note.
A note that had been erased from official records.
But recovered from the original server.
The note said:
TRANSFERRED TO BLACKWOOD PRIVATE FACILITY.
Ethan stared.
A cold feeling moved through him.
“Private facility?”
Amelia whispered:
“The underground facility.”
The same place where she had been held.
The same place controlled by Alexander.
The same place nobody knew existed.
That night.
At 2:13 AM.
Lily woke up screaming.
Ethan rushed into her room.
She was sitting on the bed.
Sweating.
Terrified.
“Daddy!”
He grabbed her.
“I’m here.”
She looked around desperately.
“He came back.”
“Who?”
“Mr. Voss.”
Ethan froze.
“You saw him?”
Lily nodded.
“In my dream.”
She looked toward the dark corner of the room.
“He told me…”
Her voice became smaller.
“He said my sister is waiting.”
Ethan felt his blood run cold.
“Sister?”
Lily nodded.
“He said she has been waiting for me.”
Ethan sat beside her.
“What else did he say?”
The little girl hesitated.
Then whispered:
“He said…”
A tear fell.
“He said she hates me.”
Ethan’s heart broke.
Because he knew something.
Alexander Voss was not just trying to scare him.
He was trying to destroy the bond between his daughters before they even met.
Suddenly…
the security alarm activated.
A violent sound echoed through the mansion.
Daniel’s voice came through the intercom.
“Mr. Blackwood!”
Ethan stood immediately.
“What happened?”
“We found someone inside the property.”
“How?”
Nobody answered.
Because the cameras had already captured the person.
A woman.
Standing in the garden.
Holding an old photograph.
A woman who looked exactly like the one in the hospital picture.
Victoria Voss.
Alive.
She looked directly at the camera.
Then lifted the photograph.
On the back were four words.
I HAVE YOUR OTHER DAUGHTER.
Ethan stared.
His hands slowly tightened.
Amelia covered her mouth.
And Lily whispered:
“Daddy…”
May you like
The nightmare was not over.
It had only just begun.
