Chapter 14 - The Mountain BurnsThe Family Truth Comes to Light
The old mine entrance was hidden behind a rock wall.
Daniel gave them the location.
Police followed at a distance.
Claire, Elias, and Noah entered first.
The tunnel was filled with smoke.
Generators hummed deeper inside.
They found a chamber.
Victor stood beside a bed.
Evelyn lay on it.
Older.
Thin.
But alive.
Claire stopped.
“Mom?”
Evelyn's eyes opened.
For a moment, there was no recognition.
Then her gaze locked onto Claire.
“Claire.”
Claire cried.
“I came back.”
Evelyn lifted a trembling hand.
“You shouldn't have.”
“I had to.”
Victor turned.
“You should have listened.”
Claire stepped forward.
“You destroyed our family.”
Victor laughed.
“No. Your family destroyed itself.”
Rebecca stood beside him.
Alexander was tied to a chair.
Noah remained outside the chamber.
Victor pointed to Claire.
“You see her?”
Rebecca's face hardened.
“She killed your life.”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“You were taken because of her.”
Rebecca looked at Claire.
Claire shook her head.
“That's a lie.”
Evelyn forced herself upright.
“Rebecca.”
The young woman froze.
“You know me?”
Evelyn started crying.
“You were six hours old when I lost you.”
Rebecca stared.
“Mother?”
“Yes.”
Victor raised his gun.
Evelyn didn't flinch.
“You wanted them to hate each other.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“That was the point.”
He had spent twenty-seven years turning children against one another.
Bennett against Mason.
Brother against brother.
Daughter against sister.
All to keep the trust divided and the evidence buried.
Claire looked at Rebecca.
“Your father lied to you.”
Rebecca's hands began shaking.
Victor shouted:
“Don't listen to her!”
Rebecca looked at Alexander.
Then at Evelyn.
Then at Victor.
“I want the truth.”
Victor raised the gun.
Rebecca stepped between him and Claire.
“Put it down.”
Victor stared.
“You're my daughter.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I'm hers.”
Victor's face changed.
Rebecca grabbed the gun.
It fired.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
Elias rushed forward.
Chaos exploded through the chamber.
Victor ran toward the tunnel.
Claire went to Evelyn.
“Can you walk?”
Evelyn smiled faintly.
“Not very well.”
Claire helped her stand.
Across the room, Alexander screamed.
A support beam had fallen across his legs.
Noah rushed to him.
“Hold on.”
“Who are you?”
Noah stared at him.
“I don't know anymore.”
Alexander looked toward Claire.
“Then we're all lost.”
Claire smiled through tears.
“No.”
She looked at both boys.
“We're not.”
Police entered.
Victor was caught near the mine entrance.
He was still smiling.
Even in handcuffs.
As officers dragged him away, he turned toward Claire.
“You think this ends with me?”
Claire stopped.
“What do you mean?”
Victor laughed.
“Ask your father why he buried the carriage.”
Claire froze.
“My father is dead.”
May you like
Victor smiled.
“You believe that too?”
