Chapter 6 - The Child They SwitchedVictor descended the stairs slowly.
Valentina put herself between him and Ellie.
"Stay away from her."
Victor stopped.
"You've spent years believing you knew everything about your own family."
"I know enough."
"No."
Victor's smile disappeared.
"You know what we allowed you to know."
Valentina held up the birth certificate.
"You switched my daughter."
Victor did not answer.
"Who is Ellie?"
Victor looked toward the child.
"Your daughter."
"Then why say she's not?"
"Because bloodlines matter."
Valentina said nothing.
Victor continued:
"Twenty-six years ago, your grandfather created a private trust."
"I know."
"It contained land, shipping companies, banks."
Valentina's eyes narrowed.
"And?"
"The heirs were supposed to be your children."
She stared.
"Plural?"
Victor nodded.
"But your family was never certain you'd have children."
"So you created a trust for someone who didn't exist?"
"No."
Victor's expression changed.
"For two children."
Valentina felt dizzy.
"You knew about the twins?"
"We knew there was a pregnancy capable of producing twins."
Valentina shook her head.
"Capable?"
Victor looked at her carefully.
"There was a reason your pregnancy was monitored so closely."
Memory flashed through Valentina's mind.
Extra appointments.
Blood tests.
Strange doctors.
Her father's insistence that she use the family medical clinic.
She had thought it was protection.
It had been surveillance.
Victor said:
"One child was supposed to inherit."
"And the other?"
"Was supposed to disappear."
Valentina stared at him.
"Why?"
Victor's voice became quieter.
"Because your father believed two heirs would destroy the family."
She felt anger rise.
"You did all this for money?"
"No."
Victor looked at Ellie.
"We did it because one of the children carried something dangerous."
"What?"
"Knowledge."
Valentina frowned.
"Knowledge of what?"
Victor didn't answer.
Ellie suddenly spoke.
"I saw him."
Everyone looked at her.
Victor's face changed.
"Who?"
Ellie pointed toward the photograph.
"The man in Grandpa's office."
Victor stepped toward her.
Valentina raised her arm.
"Don't."
Ellie continued.
"He was talking about the other baby."
Marcus stared.
"What did he say?"
Ellie squeezed her mother's hand.
"He said... the little girl was alive."
Silence.
Valentina's pulse thundered.
Victor closed his eyes.
Marcus whispered:
"Alive?"
Ellie nodded.
"Grandpa told him to find her."
Valentina turned to Victor.
"You've been searching for your own granddaughter?"
Victor said nothing.
"Where is she?"
Still nothing.
Then a voice came from the stairs.
"She was never missing."
Everyone turned.
Clara stood at the top.
Ellie's grandmother.
Valentina's mother.
She held a folder.
And she was crying.
Valentina stared.
"Mom?"
Clara walked down the stairs.
"I tried to stop them."
Victor snapped:
"Clara."
She ignored him.
She handed Valentina the folder.
Inside was a photograph of a young woman.
She looked almost exactly like Ellie.
Same eyes.
Same mouth.
Older.
Valentina's fingers trembled.
"Who is she?"
Clara whispered:
"Your daughter's twin."
Valentina looked up.
"Where is she?"
Clara's lips parted.
Before she could answer, the chapel lights went out.
A gunshot sounded above them.
Ellie screamed.
Victor shouted:
"Get down!"
Another gunshot.
Then someone yelled from the hallway:
"Find the mother!"
Valentina pulled Ellie behind the stone pillar.
Marcus crouched beside them.
Victor stared toward the stairs.
May you like
And suddenly he looked terrified again.
Because he knew exactly who had come for them.
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