CHAPTER 6 — THE THIRD CHILD
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"There were three."
Emily stared at Eleanor.
Daniel stared at his mother.
Thomas didn't move.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel whispered:
"What did you just say?"
Eleanor looked at him.
"There were three children."
Thomas stepped forward.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
"Three babies were born that night?"
Eleanor nodded slowly.
"Three."
Emily's fingers tightened around the jade pendant.
"Then where is the third child?"
Eleanor looked toward the ballroom doors.
"I don't know."
Thomas's face darkened.
"You do."
"I don't."
"You were there."
"So were you."
"I was unconscious."
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Then you don't remember."
Thomas stared at her.
"Remember what?"
Eleanor's voice became barely audible.
"The third baby wasn't born to me."
Daniel frowned.
"Then whose baby was it?"
Eleanor looked at Emily.
"Margaret's."
Emily stopped breathing.
"Margaret had three children?"
"No."
Eleanor shook her head.
"She had two."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Then who was the third?"
Eleanor hesitated.
"Richard's."
Thomas's face went pale.
"Richard had another child?"
"Before he married me."
Silence.
Daniel looked confused.
"Who was the mother?"
Eleanor shook her head.
"I never knew."
Thomas's expression hardened.
"You knew enough to hide it."
"I didn't hide anything."
"You lied to me."
"I was trying to protect my family."
Thomas laughed bitterly.
"That's what everyone keeps saying."
Emily interrupted.
"Enough."
Both men turned toward her.
"I don't care about your old arguments."
She held up the tablet.
"My mother is alive."
Her voice trembled.
"And whoever has her wants me at that house before midnight."
She looked at Thomas.
"You said you'd help me."
"I will."
"Then tell me everything."
Thomas nodded.
"On the way."
Daniel stepped beside Emily.
"I'm coming."
Thomas looked at him.
"No."
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because if Richard really is alive, he will expect you."
"Exactly."
Thomas shook his head.
"That's why you can't go."
Daniel clenched his fists.
"You don't get to decide whether I stay behind."
Thomas stepped closer.
"You're my son."
"And she's my..."
Daniel stopped.
The word wouldn't come.
Sister?
Fiancée?
Neither felt possible anymore.
Emily looked at him.
"You don't have to explain."
Daniel swallowed.
"I'm coming."
Emily nodded.
Thomas finally stepped aside.
"Fine."
Eleanor moved toward them.
"I'll go too."
Thomas immediately said:
"No."
Eleanor stared at him.
"I know that house better than anyone."
"That's precisely why you shouldn't go."
"Thomas."
"You don't understand."
"I understand more than you think."
Eleanor walked toward the exit.
"That house has a basement."
Thomas stopped.
"What?"
"A hidden basement."
Emily looked at her.
"You never told me."
"I didn't know it was there until after you disappeared."
Thomas's expression changed.
"What did you find?"
"A room."
"What kind of room?"
Eleanor swallowed.
"A nursery."
Daniel frowned.
"Another nursery?"
Eleanor nodded.
"Hidden behind the wine cellar."
Thomas went pale.
"Why would Richard need another nursery?"
Eleanor looked at him.
"Because the third child was kept there."
Nobody spoke.
Emily's heart pounded.
"Who was the child?"
Eleanor shook her head.
"I never saw its face."
"Why?"
"Because when I found the room..."
She paused.
"The crib was empty."
Thomas whispered:
"How old?"
"Maybe two or three months."
Daniel looked at Emily.
"The same age as us."
Eleanor nodded.
"Yes."
A security guard approached.
"Mrs. Whitmore, the car is ready."
Thomas looked at the clock.
11:16.
"Then we're wasting time."
They left the ballroom.
Outside, rain hammered the driveway.
Three black cars waited.
Thomas got into the first.
Emily and Daniel followed.
Eleanor entered last.
The cars sped into the night.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Emily stared out the window.
Her reflection looked unfamiliar.
She had entered the wedding that evening believing she was Emily Carter.
Now she knew she was Rose Whitmore.
Her biological mother was alive.
Her biological father was alive.
Her fiancé was not her brother.
Her entire childhood was built on a lie.
And somewhere ahead waited the man who had supposedly died twenty-seven years ago.
Daniel broke the silence.
"There's something I don't understand."
Thomas looked at him.
"What?"
"If Richard separated us because of the inheritance..."
"Yes."
"Why was I adopted by Eleanor?"
Thomas remained silent.
Eleanor answered.
"Because Richard wanted me to raise you."
Daniel looked at her.
"Why?"
"To control the inheritance."
"But you didn't know I was your biological son."
"No."
Daniel frowned.
"Then Richard wanted you to think I was adopted?"
Eleanor nodded.
"He needed you close."
"Why?"
Eleanor's eyes darkened.
"Because the trust required a Whitmore heir."
Emily looked at her.
"And I'm the heir."
"Yes."
Daniel suddenly understood.
"But if Rose disappeared..."
"Richard believed the trust would never activate."
Thomas added:
"Until you married Daniel."
Emily's eyes widened.
"The wedding."
"Exactly."
Daniel stared ahead.
"So someone tried to stop the wedding because they knew the trust would open."
Thomas nodded.
"But that isn't the whole reason."
"What else?"
Thomas looked at Emily.
"Your father left something inside that trust."
"What?"
"A recording."
"Of what?"
"Richard's confession."
Emily's pulse quickened.
"Confession to what?"
Thomas didn't answer.
Eleanor did.
"To the murder of your father."
Emily looked at her.
"But Thomas is alive."
Eleanor's voice became quiet.
"Not the father he was supposed to be."
Emily frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Eleanor stared out the window.
"Richard believed Thomas had died."
Thomas looked at her.
"He tried to kill me."
"Yes."
"But he failed."
"And that's why Richard became obsessed with finding you."
Emily felt cold.
"Why?"
"Because you were the only person who could prove Thomas was alive."
The car fell silent.
Then Daniel's phone vibrated.
He looked down.
Unknown number.
A message.
11:23 PM.
YOU'RE BRINGING TOO MANY PEOPLE.
Daniel's eyes widened.
Another message appeared.
ONE MUST DIE.
Then a photograph.
It showed the three cars traveling down the highway.
Taken from above.
Daniel looked up.
"Someone is following us."
Thomas immediately looked through the rear window.
A black SUV was several hundred meters behind them.
"How long?"
Daniel checked the message.
"Just now."
Thomas grabbed the steering wheel.
"Hold on."
The car accelerated.
The SUV followed.
Eleanor looked frightened.
"That's impossible."
"What?"
"Only three people knew where we were going."
Thomas glanced at her.
"Who?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Daniel."
Daniel looked shocked.
"And..."
Eleanor slowly turned toward Emily.
Emily felt a chill.
"Me."
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel's phone vibrated again.
Another message.
THE TRAITOR IS IN YOUR CAR.
Daniel stared at the screen.
Thomas looked at Eleanor.
Eleanor looked at Emily.
Emily looked at Daniel.
Suddenly nobody trusted anyone.
The black SUV drew closer.
Thomas accelerated.
The rain became heavier.
Then the SUV rammed the back of their car.
BANG!
Emily screamed.
The vehicle swerved.
Thomas fought the steering wheel.
"Hold on!"
Another impact.
BANG!
The car spun across the wet road.
Emily slammed against the door.
Daniel grabbed her.
"Are you okay?"
"I think so!"
The car crashed into a roadside barrier.
Airbags exploded.
Silence.
Emily opened her eyes.
Smoke filled the cabin.
"Daniel?"
"I'm here."
"Thomas?"
No answer.
Emily looked forward.
Thomas was unconscious behind the wheel.
Blood ran down his forehead.
Eleanor was trapped in the back seat.
Then they heard footsteps.
Someone was approaching.
Daniel tried to open the door.
It was jammed.
"Emily, stay down."
The footsteps stopped beside the car.
A shadow appeared through the shattered window.
Emily froze.
The man bent down.
He was wearing a black coat.
His face remained hidden.
Then he whispered:
"Rose."
Emily recognized the voice.
The same voice from the hallway.
Her supposed dead father.
Thomas.
But Thomas was unconscious beside her.
Emily's blood ran cold.
There were two men.
One was in the driver's seat.
The other was standing outside.
The man outside smiled.
"You're finally coming home."
Daniel pulled Emily backward.
"Who are you?"
The man slowly removed his hat.
Emily stared.
He looked almost exactly like Thomas.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Same scar.
But younger.
Much younger.
Daniel whispered:
"No..."
The man smiled.
"Hello, brother."
Daniel stared at him.
The stranger looked at Emily.
"And hello, Rose."
Emily's voice shook.
"Who are you?"
He leaned closer.
"My name is Adrian."
May you like
Then he smiled.
"And I'm the third child."
