CHAPTER 10 — THE MAN WHO STARTED IT ALL
The metal door slammed shut.
CLANG!
Emily rushed toward it.
"Open it!"
She grabbed the handle and pulled.
Nothing.
Daniel joined her.
"It's locked."
Adrian stepped forward.
"Move."
He tried the electronic panel.
The screen flashed red.
ACCESS DENIED.
Sarah stood behind them, completely still.
Julian looked terrified.
Eleanor had collapsed against the wall.
And at the end of the corridor stood the old man.
Richard Whitmore's father.
The man everyone believed had died decades ago.
He leaned casually against his cane.
Then smiled.
"Children."
Emily turned.
"Who are you?"
The old man's smile widened.
"You know my name."
"No."
"You've heard it your entire life."
He tapped his cane against the floor.
"Victor Whitmore."
Daniel stared.
"Richard's father."
Victor nodded.
"Very good."
Adrian stepped forward.
"You were supposed to be dead."
Victor laughed.
"Apparently death is a useful disguise in this family."
Emily felt a chill.
"You started all of this."
Victor's expression became serious.
"I started nothing."
He looked at Eleanor.
"She did."
Eleanor shook her head.
"No."
Victor walked toward her.
"You were the first child I saved."
"I wasn't saved."
"You survived."
"There's a difference."
Victor smiled.
"You learned quickly."
Emily stepped between them.
"Don't touch her."
Victor looked at Emily.
His eyes softened.
"Rose."
Emily froze.
"You know me."
"I've known you since the day you were born."
"Then tell me the truth."
Victor sighed.
"You want the truth?"
"Yes."
"You may regret it."
"I already regret everything."
Victor nodded.
"Good."
He turned toward the others.
"Then listen."
He walked to a metal table.
Placed his cane on it.
And opened a small leather case.
Inside were five photographs.
He arranged them carefully.
Emily.
Daniel.
Adrian.
Julian.
Sarah.
Five children.
Five subjects.
Victor looked at them.
"You were not an experiment."
Daniel frowned.
"Then what were we?"
"Proof."
"Proof of what?"
"That blood can be manipulated."
Emily shook her head.
"You're insane."
Victor smiled.
"Perhaps."
He pointed at Daniel.
"This child was born from Thomas Carter."
Then Emily.
"This one from Thomas and Margaret."
Then Adrian.
"Another child of Thomas and Margaret."
Then Julian.
"Richard's first biological son."
Finally Sarah.
"And the girl who carried the genetic traits we needed."
Daniel stared.
"We needed?"
Victor nodded.
"I was searching for a bloodline that could survive the Whitmore inheritance."
Emily felt sick.
"What does that mean?"
Victor looked at her.
"The Whitmore fortune contains more than money."
He opened another file.
"Land."
"Companies."
"Political influence."
"Private foundations."
"And something else."
Emily frowned.
"What?"
"A trust."
Daniel sighed.
"Everyone keeps talking about this trust."
Victor smiled.
"Because nobody understands it."
"What is it?"
Victor pulled out an old document.
"The original Whitmore inheritance agreement."
He placed it on the table.
Emily read the first page.
Her eyes widened.
"What's wrong?"
Daniel looked over her shoulder.
At the bottom was a clause.
THE ESTATE SHALL PASS TO THE CHILD WHO CARRIES THE ORIGINAL BLOODLINE.
Daniel frowned.
"What does 'original bloodline' mean?"
Victor answered:
"Your family isn't the original Whitmore bloodline."
Everyone stared at him.
"What?"
Victor smiled.
"The name Whitmore was purchased."
Emily shook her head.
"Purchased?"
"Over a century ago."
Victor continued.
"The original family had no heirs."
"So?"
"So the estate should have been divided."
"But it wasn't."
"No."
Victor tapped the document.
"It was transferred to another family."
Daniel looked at him.
"Which family?"
Victor smiled.
"The Carter family."
Emily's heart stopped.
"My family?"
"Your biological family."
Victor looked at Thomas's children.
"The Whitmores stole the inheritance from the Carters."
Thomas's voice suddenly came from behind the door.
"He's lying."
Everyone turned.
Thomas was alive.
He was standing outside the locked room.
Blood covered his shirt.
Emily rushed toward him.
"Father!"
Thomas placed one hand against the glass panel.
"Don't believe him."
Victor smiled.
"Thomas."
Thomas stared at him.
"You should have stayed hidden."
"You should have died."
Victor laughed.
"Yet here we are."
Emily looked between them.
"How do you know each other?"
Thomas didn't answer.
Victor did.
"I raised him."
Emily froze.
"What?"
Thomas's face hardened.
"He didn't raise me."
Victor smiled.
"He was seven when I took him."
Daniel stared.
"You were a child."
"I was."
"Why?"
Victor looked at Thomas.
"Because his father owed me."
Thomas clenched his fists.
"My father was murdered."
"By Richard."
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
Emily stared.
"Why?"
"Because Thomas discovered the inheritance."
Thomas looked at Emily.
"He found the original Carter records."
Victor continued:
"And he made the mistake of telling Margaret."
Emily swallowed.
"That's why she ran."
"Yes."
"That's why Richard took us."
"Yes."
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"Then why did you keep Sarah?"
Victor's smile disappeared.
"Because Sarah was special."
Sarah stepped forward.
"I'm not special."
Victor looked at her.
"You were the only one who remembered everything."
Sarah's face hardened.
"You couldn't erase it."
"No."
"You tried."
"Yes."
"You hurt me."
Victor said nothing.
Sarah looked at Emily.
"I remembered you."
Emily's tears fell.
"I remembered you too."
Sarah smiled.
"For a while."
Daniel stepped closer.
"What happened?"
Sarah looked at him.
"Richard separated us."
"How?"
"He told me Rose was dead."
Emily closed her eyes.
"He told me Daniel was dead."
Daniel's expression changed.
"He told me Rose was dangerous."
Emily looked at him.
"And you believed him?"
Daniel shook his head.
"I was a child."
Sarah nodded.
"So was I."
Victor suddenly spoke.
"And that is why the experiment failed."
Everyone looked at him.
"What?"
Victor smiled.
"Because you remembered each other."
He picked up the photograph of the three children.
"That was never supposed to happen."
Adrian stared at him.
"Then why are we alive?"
Victor looked at him.
"Because you were useful."
"For what?"
"To find the heir."
Emily stepped back.
"Who is the heir?"
Victor pointed toward Daniel.
"Your brother."
Daniel froze.
"What?"
"You carry the original Carter bloodline."
Emily looked confused.
"But I'm Thomas's daughter."
Victor nodded.
"So is he."
"Then why him?"
"Because the inheritance follows the male line."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"You wanted me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I needed someone to sign the trust."
Emily stared.
"Then why did you try to stop my wedding?"
Victor smiled.
"I didn't."
She froze.
"Then who did?"
Victor looked toward Eleanor.
Everyone turned.
Eleanor's face went white.
Victor whispered:
"She did."
Eleanor shook her head.
"No."
"You tore the dress."
"I was trying to stop the wedding."
"Exactly."
"Because I believed she was dangerous."
Victor laughed.
"And by doing so, you exposed the pendant."
Eleanor froze.
Victor continued.
"You didn't know the pendant would reveal Rose's identity."
Eleanor looked at Emily.
"I didn't."
"You did exactly what I needed."
Emily's eyes widened.
"You wanted me to find out?"
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I needed the trust activated."
Daniel stared.
"How?"
Victor smiled.
"Through your marriage."
Emily's stomach dropped.
"But the wedding was stopped."
"That doesn't matter."
Victor's eyes shifted toward the jade pendant.
"The trust has already recognized Rose."
Emily stared at the pendant.
"What?"
Victor nodded.
"That pendant contains the original authentication."
Daniel frowned.
"Authentication?"
"The Whitmore family used it to identify the rightful heirs."
Emily looked at the jade.
"So the wedding wasn't necessary."
"No."
Victor smiled.
"Your blood was."
A strange sound suddenly came from the ceiling.
Beep.
Everyone looked up.
A red light began flashing.
Victor's expression changed.
"What is that?"
Adrian looked at the panel.
"An alarm."
Victor turned toward him.
"Who activated it?"
Adrian shook his head.
"Not me."
Then another sound.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Sarah looked frightened.
"Someone is coming."
Victor grabbed his cane.
"Impossible."
Thomas shouted through the door:
"Victor!"
Victor turned.
"What?"
Thomas smiled.
"You're not the one controlling this place anymore."
The lights suddenly switched on.
Every screen in the underground facility activated.
One by one.
Images appeared.
Old photographs.
Documents.
Security footage.
Then one live video.
A woman sat in a dark room.
Her hair was gray.
Her face was older.
But Emily recognized her instantly.
"Mom."
Margaret Carter.
Alive.
She looked directly into the camera.
And spoke.
"Emily."
Emily stepped toward the screen.
"Mom!"
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry."
Emily pressed her hand against the screen.
"Where are you?"
Margaret looked terrified.
"I don't have much time."
Victor stepped toward the monitor.
"How did she access this system?"
Margaret looked at him through the camera.
"You taught me how."
Victor froze.
Margaret continued.
"You thought I was your victim."
She smiled faintly.
"But I was your student."
Victor's face changed.
"What?"
Margaret looked at Emily.
"Rose, listen carefully."
Emily nodded.
"Don't trust Victor."
Victor shouted:
"Shut it down!"
The screens flickered.
Margaret's voice continued.
"Don't trust Eleanor."
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Don't trust Thomas."
Thomas froze.
"Margaret..."
"And don't trust Daniel."
Daniel stepped backward.
Emily stared at him.
"What?"
Margaret's expression became terrified.
"Because one of them is working for Victor."
The screen went black.
Everyone looked at each other.
Victor slowly smiled.
"Now..."
He picked up his cane.
"...let's find out which one."
Then the underground doors unlocked.
CLICK.
And from somewhere behind them came a man's voice.
"Don't bother."
Everyone turned.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Emily's blood ran cold.
It was the same man from the wedding.
The man she had thought was Richard.
He removed his coat.
Then looked directly at Victor.
"Father."
Victor's smile disappeared.
Because the man standing before them...
May you like
Was Richard Whitmore.
And he was supposed to have been dead for twenty-seven years.
