Chapter 12 - We arrived at the Bennett estate at 3:14 a.m.The house had been empty for years.
I remembered it as a place of warmth.
Books.
Fireplaces.
My mother’s piano.
Now the windows were boarded.
The front door stood open.
Alexander’s security team surrounded the property.
Marcus stayed in the car.
He was injured and handcuffed.
I walked inside with Alexander and Daniel.
The hallway smelled like dust.
A clock ticked somewhere in the dark.
Then we heard a child laughing.
Mia.
I ran toward the sound.
We entered the old library.
Mia was sitting on a chair.
My father stood behind her.
Older.
Gray hair.
Same eyes.
Same face.
The face I had dreamed of for years.
“Dad.”
He smiled.
“You finally came home.”
I stepped forward.
“Let my daughter go.”
“She is my granddaughter.”
“She is not yours.”
He looked at Mia.
“She is the key.”
Alexander moved.
My father raised a gun.
“Don’t.”
The room froze.
Daniel whispered:
“Charles.”
My father smiled.
“So you survived too.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Barely.”
My father looked at me.
“You have no idea how much trouble you caused.”
I stared.
“You destroyed my life.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I gave you a chance.”
“A chance?”
“To walk away.”
I laughed.
“You stole my company.”
“You were never supposed to have it.”
“Then why make me the beneficiary?”
His eyes hardened.
“Because your father loved you.”
I stared.
“What?”
“I needed you to inherit the shares.”
“Then why destroy my marriage?”
“Because Marcus was becoming loyal to you.”
I felt sick.
“You used him.”
“Yes.”
“What about Chloe?”
“She served her purpose.”
“And Lucas?”
His face became colder.
“He knew too much.”
“Where is he?”
“Alive.”
I stared.
“Where?”
My father smiled.
“You keep asking questions as if answers will save you.”
Alexander spoke.
“You’re done.”
My father laughed.
“You think this is about money?”
He pointed toward Mia.
“It is about blood.”
He pulled out a document.
“Lucas’s son is alive.”
I stared.
“Ethan.”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“Closer than you think.”
The library door opened.
Ethan walked inside.
My blood went cold.
Alexander stepped forward.
Ethan smiled.
“Hello, Father.”
Alexander froze.
“Don’t call me that.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“You don’t remember?”
He pulled out a photograph.
A young Lucas.
A newborn.
A hospital bracelet.
Then Ethan looked at me.
“Your father stole me.”
My father shook his head.
“I saved you.”
“You stole me.”
The room became chaos.
Ethan raised a gun.
Alexander moved toward him.
“I can help you.”
“You had twenty-five years.”
“I didn’t know.”
“That’s the problem.”
My father fired.
The shot struck Ethan.
He collapsed.
“Ethan!”
Alexander caught him.
Mia screamed.
I ran toward my daughter.
My father grabbed me.
A second gunshot.
Daniel tackled him.
Security stormed in.
Everything became noise.
Then my father whispered in my ear.
“One of your children has never been where you thought.”
I froze.
I looked at Mia.
“What does that mean?”
He smiled.
“The second child.”
He stopped.
His eyes closed.
Dead.
I stared at him.
“The second child…”
Daniel’s face changed.
He looked at the photograph.
The baby boy.
The supposed stillbirth.
Then he whispered:
“Claire…”
I turned.
He was pale.
“The hospital records were altered twice.”
May you like
“Meaning?”
“Mia may not have been the only child switched that night.”
