Chapter 8 - The Three Little FacesEmily did not sleep.
She sat at the kitchen table until sunrise, staring at the trust agreement.
Thomas came in at six.
“You can't give it to him.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you planning?”
She looked up.
“To make him think I will.”
The plan took twelve hours.
Emily announced publicly that she intended to negotiate.
Charles believed it.
Blake believed it.
Sienna believed it.
But Adrian did not.
“You're going after them yourself.”
Emily looked at him.
“Yes.”
“You'll get killed.”
“Then help me.”
He stared at her.
“You still don't trust me.”
“No.”
He accepted that.
“Fair.”
That afternoon, Emily arrived at an old mansion outside Manhattan.
The trust documents were in a briefcase.
Or so everyone believed.
Emily entered.
Charles waited in the study.
Blake stood near the fireplace.
Sienna sat beside him.
Emily looked at them.
“Where are my children?”
Charles nodded toward the hallway.
A door opened.
Three small faces appeared.
Emily stopped breathing.
Mia.
Her daughter.
And the boys.
Lucas.
Ethan.
They stood together.
Emily couldn't move.
Mia took one step.
“Mommy?”
Emily's tears came instantly.
She dropped the briefcase.
Mia ran.
Emily fell to her knees and caught her.
The little girl's arms wrapped around her neck.
“You found me.”
Emily sobbed.
“I've been looking for you.”
Mia whispered:
“I knew you would.”
Lucas came next.
Then Ethan.
Emily held all three.
Three years of stolen birthdays.
Three years of empty rooms.
Three years of believing she had no children.
She kissed their hair.
“You're safe now.”
Charles watched.
“Touching.”
Emily looked up.
“You're a monster.”
Charles smiled.
“Perhaps.”
Blake stepped forward.
“Emily.”
She glared at him.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe they died.”
Blake swallowed.
“It was complicated.”
Emily stood.
“You watched me grieve children who were alive.”
“I thought it was safer.”
“Safer for whom?”
He had no answer.
Sienna finally spoke.
“It wasn't his idea.”
Everyone looked at her.
Blake turned.
“Sienna.”
She stood.
“My father wanted the children.”
Charles's face hardened.
“Sienna.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You lied to everyone.”
“Enough.”
“You lied to me too.”
Blake stared at her.
Emily watched.
Something was breaking between them.
Sienna looked at Emily.
“I didn't know everything.”
“You knew enough.”
Sienna nodded.
“I know.”
Then she whispered:
“I was told you could never be trusted with them.”
Emily looked at her.
“By whom?”
Sienna glanced at Charles.
Then Blake.
Then back at Emily.
“Your grandmother.”
Emily froze.
“What?”
Sienna shook her head.
“She made a deal.”
Emily couldn't believe it.
“My grandmother would never give away my children.”
“She didn't.”
Sienna's eyes filled with tears.
“She hid them.”
Emily stared.
“Why?”
Sienna answered:
“Because she knew Charles would come after them.”
Charles slammed the desk.
“That woman ruined everything.”
Emily understood.
Her grandmother had known.
The pregnancy.
The trust.
Charles.
Blake.
All of it.
But then why had Blake participated?
She turned to him.
“Why?”
Blake looked at her.
And for the first time, there was no arrogance in his face.
Only shame.
“I was told you would choose the company over the children.”
Emily stared.
“You knew me for seven years.”
“I was afraid.”
“You were weak.”
He lowered his eyes.
Sienna walked toward Emily.
“There's something else.”
She reached into her bag.
A second envelope.
“My mother gave me this.”
Emily opened it.
Inside was a letter.
From her grandmother.
Emily read:
“When the time comes, trust neither man.”
Emily looked up.
“Neither man?”
Sienna pointed.
“Charles.”
Then Blake.
Emily's heart sank.
“But the third person…”
She looked at Adrian.
Sienna whispered:
“He's the one you need to question.”
Emily turned.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
He had heard everything.
His face was unreadable.
Sienna said:
“Ask him what happened three years ago.”
Emily did.
“Adrian.”
He didn't answer.
“Tell me.”
He looked at the children.
Then at Emily.
Finally he said:
“I wasn't protecting them from Blake.”
Emily waited.
“I was protecting them from myself.”
Silence filled the room.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“I killed someone three years ago.”
Emily's blood ran cold.
“Who?”
He opened his eyes.
“Your grandmother's attorney.”
Emily froze.
“That man died three years ago.”
Adrian nodded.
“He wasn't murdered.”
“He was.”
May you like
Adrian's voice was low.
“I was there.”
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