Chapter 13 - We approached the helicopter slowly.No engine.

No lights.

The side door was open.

Inside was a small suitcase.

And a baby monitor.

I stared at it.

“That's Lily's.”

Claire looked confused.

“She hasn't used one since she was four.”

I picked it up.

Static.

Then a child's breathing.

Lily's breathing.

But Lily was standing beside me.

My blood turned cold.

I pressed the button.

A recording played.

Three years earlier.

Elena's voice.

“Adrian, if you're hearing this, don't trust anyone in the house.”

Then my voice.

“Lily, look at me.”

Then another voice.

A woman's.

My mother's.

“Take the girl.”

Then a scream.

The recording stopped.

My mother closed her eyes.

“I never wanted her taken.”

“But you allowed it.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I had no choice.”

She pointed toward Alice.

“She had Sophie.”

Sophie froze.

“What?”

My mother looked at her.

“She threatened to kill you.”

Sophie stepped backward.

“Dad…”

I pulled her close.

“What happened to you?”

My mother continued.

“Alice controlled the security network. She controlled the trust. She controlled the people around the family. She staged Elena's death and arranged Lily's memory treatment.”

“Treatment?”

My mother looked at Claire.

“Claire wasn't a maid.”

Claire's face tightened.

“She was a behavioral specialist.”

I stared at her.

“What?”

“I was assigned to help Lily remember safely.”

“So you lied too.”

“Yes.”

I almost laughed.

There was not a single person left in my life who had not lied to me.

Except maybe my daughters.

Lily walked toward Claire.

“You made me remember.”

Claire knelt.

“I waited until you were ready.”

Lily nodded.

Then she looked toward me.

“I remembered Dad.”

My throat tightened.

“What did you remember?”

She took my hand.

“Three years ago.”

She closed her eyes.

“Mom drove the car.”

“Yes.”

“A black car followed.”

“Yes.”

“They pushed us.”

I looked at Elena.

She nodded.

“The crash.”

Lily shook her head.

“No.”

She opened her eyes.

“They didn't crash.”

Silence.

“What?”

“They stopped.”

She pointed toward Elena.

“Mom got out.”

Then toward me.

“Dad came.”

I felt dizzy.

“I came?”

“Yes.”

“You were there?”

Lily nodded.

“You were angry.”

Elena began crying.

Lily continued.

“You said, ‘Why did you bring her here?’”

I stared at her.

“I never said that.”

“You did.”

The implication was horrifying.

My twin.

Aaron.

Lily looked at me.

“It wasn't you.”

She pointed at Aaron.

“He was Dad.”

Aaron's face went pale.

For three years, he had impersonated me.

He had been the man in the memories.

The man beside Elena's crashed car.

The man Lily thought was her father.

I turned toward him.

He did not deny it.

Elena walked over.

“I found out too late.”

Aaron whispered:

“She wasn't supposed to remember.”

“Why?”

“Because she saw the person who ordered everything.”

“Who?”

Aaron looked toward my father.

Then toward Alice.

Then toward my mother.

Finally, he pointed at himself.

“Me.”

Everyone froze.

Aaron dropped his weapon.

“I ordered Elena's death.”

Elena stared at him.

“Why?”

He looked at Lily.

“Because she was going to expose the program.”

I stepped forward.

“You killed my wife.”

“No.”

He swallowed.

“I saved her.”

A gunshot came from the roof.

Aaron collapsed.

I caught him.

Blood spread across his shirt.

He looked at me.

“Now you know.”

His lips moved.

One final word.

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“9:17.”

Then he died.