Chapter 5 - JONATHAN COLEBy morning, I had searched every public record I could find.
Jonathan Cole.
Nothing.
No birth certificate.
No school records.
No passport.
No social media.
It was as if he had never existed.
But Flynn knew him.
That was enough.
Evelyn arrived carrying a sealed envelope.
“I found this in the Vance family archives.”
She handed it to me.
Inside was a photograph.
My hands trembled.
It was older than the picture I'd seen before.
Richard Cole stood beside a woman I didn't recognize.
Between them were two boys.
Both looked about ten years old.
One was Jonathan.
The other was younger.
Flynn.
I stared.
“No.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Richard Cole was Flynn's biological father.”
I looked up.
“That's impossible.”
“It's true.”
“Then why does Flynn have the Vance name?”
“Adoption.”
My mind raced.
Flynn had spent his entire life believing he was the son of the Vance family.
But his real father was Richard Cole.
And Selina was his half-sister.
I felt sick.
“Flynn and Selina…”
“They are related.”
I suddenly understood.
The affair rumor.
The obsession.
The secrecy.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Evelyn pointed to the younger boy.
“That's Jonathan.”
“What happened to him?”
“Officially, nothing.”
“What do you mean?”
“He disappeared.”
“When?”
“Twenty years ago.”
I stared at the photograph.
“Why?”
Evelyn's face was grim.
“Because Richard Cole's company collapsed.”
“What does that have to do with Jonathan?”
“He was accused of embezzling millions.”
“And?”
“He claimed someone else framed him.”
I looked at her.
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Flynn.
The Vance family.
I stood.
“Where is Flynn?”
“I don't know.”
I called him.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then I received a message.
COME TO 18 BLACKWOOD ROAD. ALONE.
No name.
No explanation.
I knew the address.
It belonged to an abandoned Vance property.
I went anyway.
Because I needed answers.
The house was dark.
The front door stood open.
Inside, the air smelled of dust and rain.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
Then I heard a man's voice.
“Close the door.”
I froze.
A light turned on.
Jonathan Cole stepped from the shadows.
He was older than I expected.
Late thirties.
Scar across his jaw.
Cold eyes.
He looked nothing like Flynn.
But he had Richard's face.
“You killed the twins,” he said.
I stared.
“What?”
“Not directly.”
He approached.
“You were poisoned.”
My hands clenched.
“You know who poisoned me?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Selina.”
My heart stopped.
“No.”
“She wanted Flynn back.”
“That doesn't explain the twins.”
Jonathan's expression changed.
“She knew about the pregnancy.”
I felt dizzy.
“How?”
“Because she was the one who arranged your prenatal appointment.”
I stared.
That was impossible.
I had never told Selina I was pregnant.
Jonathan continued.
“She had access to Flynn's private medical records.”
“Why would she?”
“Because she wanted to know whether you were carrying his child.”
My breathing became shallow.
“Why?”
Jonathan smiled bitterly.
“Because she wanted to make sure there was nothing standing between her and the Vance fortune.”
I looked at him.
“You said Selina poisoned me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she kill me?”
“Because she needed your death to look accidental.”
“And Flynn?”
“He was supposed to scare you.”
I shook my head.
“He stabbed me.”
Jonathan nodded.
“That wasn't part of the plan.”
Silence.
“What?”
“Selina wanted Flynn to threaten you. She wanted him to believe you attacked her. She thought he'd leave you.”
“But he stabbed me.”
Jonathan looked away.
“He went too far.”
I felt something crack inside me.
Selina had planned my humiliation.
But Flynn had made the final choice.
Then Jonathan said:
“There is one thing you don't know.”
“What?”
He pulled a file from his coat.
“My mother wasn't Richard's first wife.”
I stared.
“Then who was?”
Jonathan smiled.
“Flynn's mother.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Flynn wasn't adopted.”
My heart began pounding.
“He was stolen.”
The room seemed to disappear.
“By whom?”
Jonathan looked directly at me.
“The Vance family.”
A gunshot exploded outside.
Jonathan grabbed my arm.
“Down!”
Glass shattered.
We dropped to the floor.
Then came a second shot.
Jonathan whispered:
“They found us.”
I looked toward the broken window.
A figure stood across the street.
Watching.
May you like
Then he turned.
And disappeared into the rain.
