CHAPTER 14 THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE LIE
The screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
For several seconds, Gavin could hear only the distant hum of machinery beneath the floor.
Then Taylor whispered:
“Mr. Gavin?”
He looked down.
Her small face was wet with tears.
“Is Mommy going to die?”
Gavin knelt.
“No.”
Taylor stared at him.
“You promise?”
Gavin looked toward Nora's image frozen on the black monitor.
“I promise.”
But for the first time that night, he wasn't sure whether promises meant anything.
Every promise in his life had been built on a lie.
His father.
His mother.
His grandfather.
His identity.
Even the woman who had raised Taylor might not be her mother.
Gavin stood.
“We're going to the estate.”
Richard immediately stepped forward.
“No.”
Gavin turned.
“She has Nora.”
“That's exactly why you can't go.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“We find another way.”
“We don't have one.”
Richard grabbed his arm.
“Gavin, Augustus wants you there.”
“I know.”
“He wants Taylor.”
“I know.”
“And if you walk into that house, you may never walk out.”
Gavin looked at him.
“I've spent my entire life living inside a house built by people who lied to me.”
He pulled his arm free.
“I'm done running.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Then I'm coming.”
Gavin looked at him.
“You're my biological father, apparently.”
Victor nodded.
“Apparently?”
Gavin's expression hardened.
“I don't know what you are anymore.”
Victor accepted the anger.
“You don't have to trust me.”
“Good.”
“But let me come.”
“Why?”
“Because if Augustus wants Taylor, he'll have to get through me first.”
Gavin looked toward Taylor.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
Priscilla stepped forward.
“I'm coming too.”
Gavin shook his head.
“No.”
She looked surprised.
“You don't trust me.”
“I don't.”
“I can help.”
“You've lied to me too many times.”
Priscilla lowered her eyes.
“I understand.”
Gavin walked away.
She caught his sleeve.
“Gavin.”
He stopped.
“I really did love you.”
He looked at her.
“Then why did you agree to marry me?”
Priscilla's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Evelyn asked me to get close to you.”
“And?”
“And because I thought I could protect you.”
“Did you know who Augustus was?”
“No.”
“Did you know Richard was alive?”
“No.”
“Did you know Taylor was connected to the trust?”
“Yes.”
Gavin looked away.
“That was enough.”
Priscilla released his sleeve.
“Then let me help you tonight.”
Gavin didn't answer.
Instead, he walked toward the exit.
Taylor followed.
The original Gavin followed Taylor.
Richard followed him.
Soon the entire group was moving through the tunnel.
Nobody noticed the small red light blinking above them.
A camera.
Watching.
Recording.
And somewhere else, in a dark room, Augustus was watching too.
He smiled.
“They're coming.”
A man beside him asked:
“And the girl?”
Augustus looked at the monitor.
“Let her come.”
“Why?”
“Because she will lead us to the final key.”
The man frowned.
“What if Gavin refuses?”
Augustus smiled.
“He won't.”
“Why?”
“Because I have something he can't leave behind.”
He pressed a button.
Another screen appeared.
Nora.
Bound to a chair.
But beside her sat another person.
Gavin's eyes would have widened if he had been there.
It was Daniel.
Still alive.
Barely conscious.
Augustus leaned closer to the monitor.
“Family always comes home.”
The drive to the Roberson estate took forty minutes.
Nobody spoke.
Gavin sat in the back seat with Taylor.
The original Gavin sat beside him.
Victor drove.
Richard sat in the passenger seat.
Priscilla followed in another vehicle with Evelyn.
The city lights slowly disappeared behind them.
The estate appeared on the hill.
Huge.
Dark.
Silent.
Gavin stared at the mansion.
He had grown up there.
He had celebrated birthdays there.
He had brought Priscilla there.
He had once believed it was the safest place in the world.
Now it looked like a prison.
Victor slowed the car.
“There's no security.”
Gavin frowned.
“That's strange.”
“No guards.”
“No cameras.”
“Nothing.”
Richard looked at the mansion.
“He wants us inside.”
Gavin nodded.
“Of course he does.”
They stopped at the gates.
They opened automatically.
No one touched them.
Victor drove in.
The front doors opened before they reached the house.
A man stood inside.
Augustus's lawyer.
Mr. Callahan.
Gavin immediately raised his weapon.
Callahan lifted his hands.
“I'm not here to fight.”
“Then move.”
Callahan stepped aside.
“Your grandfather is waiting.”
Gavin walked inside.
The mansion was exactly as he remembered.
Marble floors.
Gold chandeliers.
Portraits of dead Robersons.
Except one portrait had been removed.
Gavin stopped.
The empty wall caught his attention.
“What was there?”
Richard looked up.
“Your grandfather.”
Gavin stared at the blank space.
“Why was it removed?”
Richard whispered:
“Because he never wanted anyone to see his real face.”
Gavin frowned.
“What?”
Before Richard could answer, the lights turned on.
Augustus stood at the top of the staircase.
No helicopter.
No guards.
No weapon.
Just an old man wearing a black suit.
“Welcome home, Gavin.”
Gavin raised his gun.
“Where is Nora?”
Augustus smiled.
“Always business first.”
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
“Bring her out.”
“Not yet.”
Gavin took a step forward.
“You threatened her.”
“I did.”
“Then keep your promise.”
Augustus looked at Taylor.
“Bring her to me.”
Gavin stepped in front of the little girl.
“No.”
Augustus sighed.
“You really are stubborn.”
“Where's Daniel?”
Augustus's expression changed.
“Still alive.”
“And Nora?”
“Also alive.”
“Then bring them.”
Augustus shook his head.
“You don't understand the rules.”
“I don't care about your rules.”
“You will.”
Augustus walked down the stairs.
Every step echoed through the hall.
He stopped ten feet away.
“Do you know why I kept you alive?”
Gavin stared.
“You didn't.”
“I did.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“Several times.”
Gavin's finger tightened.
Augustus smiled.
“But never personally.”
“What's the difference?”
“You were useful.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“For what?”
Augustus looked toward Taylor.
“For her.”
Gavin froze.
“You needed me to protect Taylor?”
“No.”
Augustus smiled.
“I needed you to lead me to her.”
Gavin's face hardened.
“You knew she was alive.”
“Of course.”
“For three years.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you take her?”
“Because I needed to know who would protect her.”
Gavin's blood went cold.
“You tested me.”
“Yes.”
“You sent people after her.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened my family.”
“Yes.”
Gavin stepped closer.
“You destroyed my life.”
Augustus shrugged.
“You were never supposed to have one.”
Silence.
Gavin raised his weapon.
Augustus didn't move.
“You won't shoot me.”
“Try me.”
“You need answers.”
“I don't need anything from you.”
Augustus smiled.
“You do.”
He pulled a small envelope from his pocket.
He tossed it onto the floor.
Gavin looked down.
His name was written across it.
GAVIN ROBERSON
He picked it up.
Inside was a birth certificate.
The mother was listed.
The father was listed.
And both names were real.
Gavin's hands began shaking.
He read the names.
Then looked at Augustus.
“Why?”
Augustus smiled.
“Because now you know.”
Gavin whispered:
“Catherine Kane.”
Augustus nodded.
“My biological mother.”
“Yes.”
“And Richard Roberson.”
“Yes.”
“My biological father.”
“Yes.”
Gavin looked toward Victor.
“Then Victor isn't my father.”
“No.”
Victor looked relieved.
But Augustus wasn't finished.
“Richard isn't your biological father either.”
Gavin froze.
“What?”
Augustus smiled.
“You've been reading the wrong birth certificate.”
Gavin looked at the document.
“What is this?”
“A copy.”
“Then where is the original?”
Augustus pointed toward the fireplace.
“Behind the painting.”
Gavin walked toward it.
He pulled the painting away.
A hidden safe appeared.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
He opened it.
The original birth certificate.
He read it.
His face went blank.
The mother's name:
CATHERINE KANE.
The father's name:
AUGUSTUS ROBERSON.
Gavin dropped the paper.
Augustus smiled.
“Yes.”
Gavin stared at him.
“You're my father.”
Augustus nodded.
“I am.”
The room seemed to spin.
Gavin looked toward Evelyn.
She was crying.
“You knew.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I knew.”
“Why did you raise me?”
“Because Augustus abandoned you.”
Augustus laughed.
“I didn't abandon him.”
“You did.”
“I protected him.”
“You used him.”
Augustus looked at Gavin.
“I created you to inherit what belonged to me.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“The Roberson bloodline needed an heir.”
“So you made one.”
“No.”
Augustus's smile became chilling.
“I stole one.”
Gavin's blood froze.
“You stole me?”
“Yes.”
“From Catherine?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Catherine refused to give you to me.”
Gavin looked at Catherine's name on the certificate.
“Where is she?”
Augustus smiled.
“You've already met her.”
Gavin frowned.
“What?”
Augustus pointed toward the doorway.
Everyone turned.
A woman stepped into the room.
Gavin's breath stopped.
It was the same woman from the photographs.
The same woman who had spoken through the monitors.
Catherine Kane.
But she wasn't alone.
She was holding a gun.
And beside her stood Nora.
Alive.
Crying.
Gavin stared.
“Mom?”
Catherine looked at him.
“I'm sorry.”
Gavin couldn't speak.
Augustus smiled.
“Now that everyone is here…”
He walked toward the center of the room.
“…we can finally finish what we started twenty-two years ago.”
Taylor suddenly screamed.
Gavin turned.
A red laser appeared on her chest.
But this time it wasn't coming from outside.
It was coming from inside the mansion.
Gavin looked up.
Dozens of hidden rifles emerged from the walls.
Augustus raised one finger.
“Give me Taylor.”
Gavin pulled her behind him.
“No.”
Augustus sighed.
“Then I will take her.”
Victor stepped forward.
“You'll have to kill me first.”
Augustus smiled.
“I already planned to.”
A gunshot exploded.
Victor collapsed.
“DAD!”
Gavin rushed toward him.
Victor was bleeding.
But still conscious.
He grabbed Gavin's arm.
“Don't…”
“What?”
“Don't let him…”
His eyes moved toward Taylor.
“…open the final door.”
Gavin looked at Augustus.
“What final door?”
Augustus smiled.
Then the entire mansion shook.
A hidden mechanism activated beneath the floor.
The marble split apart.
A massive steel door rose from underneath the mansion.
On it was engraved a single sentence:
ONLY THE CHILDREN OF AUGUSTUS MAY ENTER.
Gavin stared.
Augustus turned toward him.
“Now you understand.”
He smiled.
“You and Taylor were never the prize.”
He pointed toward the door.
“You are the keys.”
The steel door began opening.
And from inside came the sound of a child crying.
A child Gavin had never seen.
A little girl.
Calling one word again and again:
“Daddy…”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
Because he recognized the voice.
It was his own voice recording from twenty-two years ago.
May you like
The final vault had been opened.
And inside was the secret that had started the entire war.
