Chapter 6 - The Room Behind the WallWe searched the entire estate.
Nothing.
No hidden bedroom.
No basement cell.
No secret exit.
Nothing.
Then Helena walked into the underground archive.
She looked exhausted.
“I know where she is.”
Everyone turned.
Elias raised his weapon.
“Where?”
Helena looked at me.
“In the east wing.”
I frowned.
“The east wing was remodeled years ago.”
“Yes.”
“What's inside the wall?”
Helena closed her eyes.
“A room.”
We followed her.
She stopped beside the library.
She touched one of the shelves.
Nothing happened.
Then she pressed the spine of an old book.
The bookshelf slid backward.
A narrow passage appeared.
I stared.
“How many secrets does this house have?”
Helena answered:
“Too many.”
We entered.
The passage led to a small room.
No windows.
One bed.
One chair.
One woman.
She was sitting with her back toward us.
I stopped breathing.
Helena whispered:
“Rebecca.”
The woman turned.
I knew her face.
Not because I remembered it.
Because I had seen it in my dreams.
The curve of the jaw.
The eyes.
The mouth.
My own face.
She stood slowly.
“Maria.”
My knees nearly gave out.
“Mom?”
She smiled.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.”
I didn't move.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“My whole life…”
“I know.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had no choice.”
I stepped toward her.
“Everybody said you died.”
“They made sure you believed it.”
“Who?”
She looked at Conrad.
“My husband.”
Conrad's face hardened.
“You betrayed me.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“You betrayed everyone.”
I looked between them.
“What happened?”
Rebecca sat down.
“When I discovered the Meridian Circle, I tried to expose them.”
“Your father helped me.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“He wasn't your biological father,” she whispered.
I swallowed.
“But he was your real father.”
That sentence hurt more than the truth about Conrad.
“My father loved you.”
“He did.”
“And he died because of the Circle.”
“Yes.”
I started crying.
Rebecca reached toward me.
I stepped back.
“Why didn't you come for me?”
She broke down.
“Because they had Grant.”
I looked at my husband.
“What?”
Rebecca continued.
“When Grant was nineteen, they discovered he knew about my escape.”
“They threatened to kill him.”
“So I disappeared.”
“And they told you I died.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you come back now?”
Rebecca looked at Elias.
“Because tonight was the final phase.”
Elias understood.
“They activated the trust.”
Rebecca nodded.
“They finally believed Maria was going to die.”
I stared.
“But I'm alive.”
“That changes everything.”
Rebecca reached beneath the bed.
She pulled out a small metal case.
Inside was a photograph.
My father stood beside her.
And beside them was Claire.
I looked at it.
“Claire knew my parents?”
“She worked for your father.”
I stared at Rebecca.
“What was she doing with the Whitakers?”
“Trying to infiltrate them.”
“Then who killed her?”
Rebecca looked at Grant.
He lowered his eyes.
“They did.”
“Who?”
“The Circle.”
Rebecca opened the metal case.
Inside was a small notebook.
She handed it to me.
“Your father spent years documenting their operations.”
I opened it.
Page after page.
Dates.
Names.
Payments.
Meetings.
Then I saw one entry that made my blood freeze.
Elias Carter.
My brother.
I looked up.
“What is this?”
Rebecca said nothing.
Elias stepped closer.
“Let me see.”
I held it against my chest.
“No.”
His face tightened.
“Maria.”
“You're in my father's ledger.”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“I was investigating the Circle.”
“Then why does it say payment received?”
Silence.
I looked at him.
“You were paid.”
Elias finally spoke.
“For information.”
“From whom?”
He didn't answer.
Rebecca did.
“The Circle.”
My entire world tilted.
Elias shook his head.
“It wasn't what you think.”
I laughed.
“Then tell me what I should think.”
He looked at me.
“I infiltrated them.”
“For six years?”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“To protect you.”
“You all use that excuse.”
Nobody spoke.
Then a sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
We turned.
A man appeared in the doorway.
He was old.
Gray-haired.
Elegant.
I recognized him immediately.
He had been in my father's photograph.
My father's closest friend.
The man everyone believed had died fifteen years ago.
Rebecca whispered his name.
“Victor Hale.”
He smiled.
Then he said:
“Hello, Maria.”
Elias lifted his gun.
Victor laughed softly.
“Put it away.”
Elias froze.
Victor looked at me.
“You've been searching for the truth.”
“Yes.”
“And now you're standing in front of it.”
“Who are you?”
He smiled.
“The man who created the Meridian Circle.”
The room went silent.
He looked at me.
“And the man your father begged not to hurt you.”
May you like
Then Victor added:
“But he failed.”
