Chapter 9 - The Blood TestI watched the screen without blinking.
Emily was crying.
My mother stood behind her.
“Nathan,” Emily whispered, “listen to me.”
I couldn't.
My mind rejected the sentence.
Lily isn't your daughter.
Then who was she?
“She's Ryan's,” Emily said.
My chest tightened.
“I found out after she was born.”
Ryan?
My brother-in-law.
Emily's husband.
Of course.
That was the easy explanation.
But my mother shook her head.
“No.”
Emily turned toward her.
Mother whispered:
“Tell him the rest.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“Lily is not Ryan's daughter either.”
I felt dizzy.
“Then whose?”
Mother looked directly at me.
“She is Daniel's granddaughter.”
I stepped backward.
“What?”
“Your grandfather had another son.”
My entire life had been built around one family tree.
Apparently it had been a lie.
Mother continued.
“Daniel's father had an affair before your father was born.”
The resulting child was kept secret.
That child eventually became Lily's biological grandfather.
Meaning the Mercer bloodline ran through her.
The trust was designed for her specifically.
But that still didn't explain why Daniel wanted her.
Emily spoke again.
“Lily has a rare genetic marker.”
I frowned.
“A marker?”
“Grandfather encoded the final access key into DNA.”
Silence.
I looked toward my mother.
“He couldn't hide the information digitally.”
She nodded.
“So he hid it biologically.”
Lily was the key.
Not symbolically.
Literally.
I suddenly remembered the bracelet.
The crest.
The hidden mechanism.
But why me?
Emily answered.
“Because Grandfather knew Daniel would come for her.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because everyone was watching you.”
“Who?”
Emily's face twisted with fear.
“Your own security team.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“That doesn't make sense.”
My mother shook her head.
“It does.”
Then the vault lights shut off.
A red warning light began flashing.
Thomas shouted:
“Everyone out!”
The vault door slammed shut.
Gas started filling the room.
We covered our faces.
“Thomas!”
He found the manual release.
It didn't move.
Then the speakers activated.
Daniel's voice echoed around us.
“You finally understand.”
I screamed:
“Where is my daughter?”
Daniel laughed.
“She isn't your daughter.”
My fists clenched.
“You will tell me where Lily is.”
A pause.
Then:
“Ask your mother.”
I turned.
Mother was standing still.
Too still.
Her face was expressionless.
I looked at her.
“Mom?”
She lifted her eyes.
“I know where Lily is.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
She whispered:
“In the house.”
My blood went cold.
“What house?”
May you like
She smiled sadly.
“Yours.”
