Chapter 6 - The little girl stared into the camera.Brown eyes.
Small nose.
Dark hair.
My face.
My mother's eyes.
I pressed one hand over my mouth.
"No."
Dad moved toward the screen.
"Who is she?"
The man's voice came from the speakers.
"Your granddaughter."
Dad turned.
"My what?"
The video continued.
The little girl sat on the floor holding a stuffed rabbit.
She looked frightened.
A woman entered the room.
Only her hand was visible.
She placed a glass of water beside the child.
"Drink."
The girl shook her head.
"Where's Mommy?"
The woman crouched.
"Your mommy doesn't know about you."
The child began crying.
I couldn't watch.
"Turn it off."
Dad's man hesitated.
I screamed:
"Turn it off!"
The screen went black.
Dad grabbed Ryan.
"Who is that child?"
Ryan's eyes were wet.
"I don't know."
"You've been involved in this for months."
"I swear."
Dad shoved him away.
Linda looked at me.
"Her name is Lily."
I froze.
"You know her?"
Linda nodded.
"Lily is your daughter."
I stared at her.
"My daughter?"
"You gave birth to her five years ago."
Everything inside me went numb.
"No."
Linda continued.
"You were told she died."
Dad slowly turned toward her.
"Who told my daughter that?"
Linda whispered:
"Ryan."
I looked at my husband.
His face was broken.
"I was trying to save her."
My voice shook.
"Save who?"
"Lily."
I stepped toward him.
"You told me our baby died."
"You were sick."
"You told me I lost the pregnancy."
"You were sedated."
"You held my hand while I cried."
"I know."
"You let me believe my child was dead."
Ryan looked at the floor.
"I had no choice."
Dad's voice became deadly.
"You always had a choice."
Ryan finally looked up.
"Anthony Vale threatened to kill her."
Dad went still.
"Anthony is dead."
Ryan shook his head.
"No."
That one word changed everything.
Dad stared.
"Explain."
Ryan swallowed.
"My father disappeared."
"That isn't the same as being alive."
"He contacted me six months ago."
I felt cold.
"What did he want?"
Ryan looked at me.
"You."
Dad's hands clenched.
"Why?"
Ryan answered:
"Because Lily inherited something."
"What?"
"A trust."
Dad frowned.
"From whom?"
"My mother."
Linda looked down.
Dad turned toward her.
"You established a trust for Emily's child?"
Linda nodded.
"My late husband stole from the family."
She looked ashamed.
"I hid assets."
Dad's voice hardened.
"How much?"
She whispered:
"One hundred eighty million dollars."
The room went silent.
I couldn't believe it.
"And Lily is the beneficiary?"
"Yes."
Dad looked at Ryan.
"So this entire nightmare..."
"Was about money."
Ryan shook his head.
"At first."
I looked at him.
"And now?"
Ryan's face changed.
"Now it's about something much worse."
The hidden room door slammed shut.
Everyone turned.
The lights went out.
A generator started.
Red emergency lights flashed.
One of Dad's men shouted:
"Movement upstairs!"
Gunshots exploded.
I screamed.
Dad pulled me against him.
"Stay down."
More gunshots.
Then footsteps.
Fast.
Coming down the staircase.
Dad's men raised their weapons.
A shadow appeared.
I recognized the silver watch.
The scar above the eyebrow.
The same man from the photograph.
He stepped into the red light.
My blood turned cold.
"Luca?"
He smiled.
"Hello, Emily."
Dad stared at him.
"You're dead."
Luca's smile disappeared.
"I was supposed to be."
May you like
Then he looked at my stomach.
"And now she is carrying my child."
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