Chapter 5 - THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD“Dad!”

He collapsed beside the stairs.

Blood spread across his shirt.

Emma screamed.

I grabbed her and pulled her into the bedroom.

“Stay here.”

“But Grandpa—”

“Stay.”

I locked the door.

Then I heard footsteps.

Slow.

Calm.

Someone was walking upstairs.

I pressed my hand against my mouth.

Emma cried silently beside me.

The footsteps stopped outside.

A voice whispered.

“Sarah.”

I knew that voice.

Daniel.

“Open the door.”

I stayed silent.

“Your father isn't dead.”

My eyes widened.

“He's bleeding.”

“Exactly.”

He laughed softly.

“He has ten minutes.”

I looked at Emma.

The room suddenly seemed too small.

Then another voice shouted from downstairs.

“Daniel!”

Michael.

Daniel cursed.

A fight erupted below.

Furniture crashed.

Someone screamed.

I grabbed Emma.

“Now.”

We climbed through the bedroom window onto the roof over the garage.

Cold night air hit my face.

We moved across the tiles.

Emma was shaking.

“Mommy, where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Where?”

“I don't know.”

We reached the side of the house.

A car waited in the darkness.

Michael stood beside it.

He raised both hands.

“Sarah.”

I stepped back.

“How do I know it's really you?”

He looked at Emma.

His face changed.

He was crying.

“Because I know the scar on her left knee.”

Emma stared at him.

I hesitated.

Then another voice came from the house.

“Sarah!”

Dad.

I looked back.

He was standing at the upstairs window.

Alive.

Blood stained his shirt.

He shouted:

“Don't trust Michael!”

Michael's expression hardened.

“Your father is lying.”

I grabbed Emma tighter.

“Why?”

“Because he knew where Daniel was hiding.”

Dad shouted again.

“Sarah, listen to me!”

Michael stepped closer.

“Your father sold you.”

I stared between them.

Two men.

Two stories.

One impossible truth.

Then Michael reached into his jacket.

I thought he had a weapon.

Instead, he pulled out a photograph.

He held it toward me.

It was taken nine years ago.

I was standing outside a hospital.

Pregnant.

Beside me was my father.

And beside him...

Daniel Voss.

I stared.

“I've never seen this.”

Michael's jaw tightened.

“Because you were never supposed to.”

“What happened that night?”

“You were drugged.”

I felt sick.

“By who?”

“Your father.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Michael looked at Emma.

“They needed you unconscious.”

“Why?”

He swallowed.

“Because they were waiting for her to be born.”

“For what?”

He didn't answer.

Then Daniel appeared behind him.

A gun pointed directly at my daughter.

“Because Emma wasn't born by accident.”

My heart stopped.

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Daniel smiled.

“She was created.”