Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN IN THE FORESTHarper chased the figure.

Branches scratched her arms.

Rain soaked her clothes.

"Mom!"

No answer.

She reached a small cabin.

The door was open.

Inside sat a table.

On it were dozens of photographs.

Harper.

Noah.

Gabriel.

Emma.

Derek.

Richard.

And one photograph of Harper's mother holding both daughters.

Harper picked it up.

Behind the photograph was a note.

I NEVER DIED.

Her hands trembled.

Then a voice spoke.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Harper turned.

Her mother stood in the doorway.

Older.

Pale.

Alive.

Harper couldn't speak.

Her mother walked closer.

"I'm sorry."

Harper slapped her.

The sound echoed through the cabin.

"You let me believe you were dead."

"I had to."

"You let me suffer."

"I know."

"You let Derek hurt me."

Her mother's eyes filled with tears.

"I was watching."

"Watching?"

"I tried to protect you."

"You failed."

Her mother looked down.

"Yes."

Silence.

Then Harper asked:

"Why?"

Her mother pointed to the photographs.

"Because the people hunting you are not only police."

"Who?"

"People connected to your father's network."

"Who is my father?"

"Richard Lawson isn't your father."

Harper froze.

"What?"

"Your biological father is Gabriel's father."

Harper felt the world tilt.

"No."

Her mother nodded.

"Michael and Gabriel's father."

Gabriel's face flashed through her mind.

The resemblance.

The strange connection.

The feeling that he already knew her.

Her mother continued:

"I had an affair with him."

Harper stepped backward.

"Then Gabriel and I..."

"No."

Her mother shook her head.

"Gabriel is not your brother."

Harper stared.

"Because you were born before his father married."

Harper could barely breathe.

Then the cabin door opened.

Gabriel stood there.

He had heard everything.

His face was empty.

"Is it true?"

Harper's mother looked at him.

"Yes."

Gabriel closed his eyes.

The silence was unbearable.

Then Emma walked into the cabin.

She had followed Harper.

"There's more."

Everyone looked at her.

Emma held up one of the flash drives.

"I opened Michael's files."

Gabriel took it.

He inserted it into a laptop.

A video appeared.

Michael Ashford sat in front of the camera.

"If you're watching this, then the plan failed."

He looked exhausted.

"I discovered the truth."

He paused.

"Gabriel's father wasn't corrupt."

Harper stared.

"What?"

Michael continued.

"He was undercover."

"And Richard Lawson knew."

"Richard killed him before he could expose the network."

Then Michael looked directly into the camera.

"And Harper's mother was never my enemy."

Gabriel frowned.

Michael's next words shattered the room.

"She is the reason Harper survived."

Then the screen went black.

A second video started automatically.

Derek appeared.

He smiled.

"Welcome to the final round."

Behind him was Noah.

But this time Noah wasn't crying.

He was unconscious.

Derek held a syringe.

"You have one hour."

Harper stepped toward the screen.

"What do you want?"

Derek smiled.

"The truth."

He raised the syringe.

"And if you don't give it to me..."

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His eyes hardened.

"...your brother doesn't wake up."