Chapter 8: The Second Child
The gunshot echoed through the underground chamber.
Lily screamed.
Victor didn't move.
Adrian stood completely still.
Then someone collapsed.
Serena.
She fell against the stone wall, clutching her shoulder.
Blood spread across her dress.
“Serena!”
Lily rushed toward her.
Victor shouted:
“Stay back!”
But Lily ignored him.
Serena's eyes were wide with shock.
“I didn't…”
She looked at the gun in her trembling hand.
“I didn't shoot.”
Victor stared at the weapon.
Then at Adrian.
Then at Marcus.
Nobody spoke.
A second gun was lying several feet away.
Someone else had fired.
Victor slowly lowered his weapon.
“Who shot her?”
A voice answered from the darkness.
“I did.”
Everyone turned.
A man stepped into the light.
Damian.
Victor's younger brother.
He held a smoking pistol.
His face was calm.
Almost bored.
Victor's eyes became murderous.
“You.”
Damian smiled.
“You always were slow.”
Victor raised his gun.
“You took Ethan.”
“I borrowed him.”
“You hurt him.”
“I didn't.”
“You kidnapped Lily.”
“No.”
Damian looked toward Adrian.
“He did.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Don't drag me into your games.”
Damian laughed.
“Games?”
He looked around the chamber.
“Look at all of you.”
He pointed at Victor.
“The stolen heir.”
Then Adrian.
“The forgotten heir.”
Then Lily.
“The Crescent girl.”
Finally, he pointed toward Serena.
“The traitor.”
Damian smiled.
“You're all pieces.”
Victor's finger tightened around the trigger.
“Where is Ethan?”
Damian shrugged.
“Somewhere safe.”
“Where?”
“You'll never find him.”
Victor fired.
The bullet struck the wall beside Damian's head.
Damian didn't flinch.
“You still have terrible aim when you're angry.”
Victor advanced.
“You have five seconds.”
Damian laughed.
“Five seconds for what?”
“To tell me where my son is.”
Damian's smile vanished.
“He isn't your son.”
Victor stopped.
“I don't care.”
“That's your weakness.”
Victor stared at him.
Damian continued:
“You loved a child who was never yours.”
Victor's voice became dangerously quiet.
“He's mine.”
Damian shook his head.
“Blood decides everything.”
“No.”
Victor raised his weapon.
“Choice does.”
For the first time, Damian looked uncertain.
Then the lights flickered.
Adrian suddenly grabbed Lily's mother.
“Move!”
Everyone turned.
A hidden door opened behind the wall.
Damian smiled.
“Too late.”
He disappeared through it.
Victor fired again.
The bullet struck the closing door.
“DAMIAN!”
Silence.
Victor turned immediately.
“Find Ethan.”
His men spread through the chamber.
Lily stayed beside Serena.
The bullet had passed through her shoulder.
“You're losing blood.”
Serena looked at her.
“Leave me.”
“No.”
“You should hate me.”
“I do.”
Serena gave a weak laugh.
“Fair.”
Lily pressed cloth against the wound.
“Why did you shoot Damian?”
Serena looked away.
“I didn't.”
“You said you did.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
Serena whispered:
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Damian?”
“No.”
She looked toward Adrian.
“Of her.”
Lily followed her gaze.
Her mother stood near Victor.
Isabella was staring at her.
Lily's mother stared back.
The two women looked as though they had seen each other before.
Victor noticed.
“Do you know her?”
Isabella didn't answer.
Lily's mother did.
“Yes.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Who is she?”
“She was there the night your son was born.”
Victor turned toward Isabella.
“What is she talking about?”
Isabella's expression changed.
“She knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That Ethan wasn't the only baby.”
Victor looked at Lily.
Then at Isabella.
“You said there was one child.”
“I was forced to lie.”
“By whom?”
Isabella looked at Victor's father.
“He ordered me.”
Victor froze.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
Victor's voice dropped.
“Why?”
“Because one of the babies had the Crescent mark.”
Lily touched her neck.
“The pendant.”
Isabella nodded.
“The Crescent bloodline was believed to have a genetic marker.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“And the other baby?”
Isabella whispered:
“Ethan.”
Victor frowned.
“Why hide the second child?”
“Because your father wanted the Crescent child.”
Lily's mother suddenly stepped forward.
“He wanted her dead.”
Victor stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because your father believed the Crescent bloodline could overthrow him.”
Lily shook her head.
“This makes no sense.”
Her mother looked at her.
“Your father discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That the Blackwood empire was never built by your grandfather.”
Lily's face went pale.
“Then who built it?”
“The Crescent family.”
Silence.
Victor stared at her.
“What?”
“The Blackwoods took it.”
Lily's mother continued.
“For generations, the Blackwoods used Crescent blood to maintain control over their organization.”
Victor shook his head.
“You're saying my family stole everything?”
“Yes.”
“And Ethan?”
“He is the first child in generations to carry both bloodlines.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“Both?”
Her mother nodded.
“Blackwood and Crescent.”
Victor suddenly understood.
Ethan wasn't valuable because he was Victor's supposed son.
He was valuable because he represented both families.
Whoever controlled Ethan could claim the entire empire.
Lily whispered:
“Then why did Adrian take him?”
Her mother looked at Adrian.
“He didn't.”
Everyone turned.
Adrian's face became cold.
“I found him after he was taken.”
Victor stared.
“Taken by whom?”
Adrian pointed toward Isabella.
“Her.”
Victor's expression changed.
“Isabella?”
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“She stole Ethan.”
“I was saving him!”
“You disappeared with him.”
“Because our father wanted him dead!”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“You never told Victor the truth.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Before I disappeared.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“You chose Lily instead.”
Lily froze.
“Me?”
Isabella looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Ethan needed someone who could hide him.”
Lily's voice trembled.
“But I was a child.”
“You were fourteen.”
Victor stared.
“Fourteen?”
Lily looked at him.
“I don't remember.”
“You were there.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
Lily's breathing became rapid.
Images returned.
Rain.
Blood.
A newborn.
A woman crying.
Her father shouting.
Then another memory.
A baby being placed into her arms.
Ethan.
She remembered.
Her hands trembled.
“I held him.”
Victor stared at her.
“You were there when he was born?”
Lily nodded.
“I was fourteen.”
Isabella began crying.
“I asked you to protect him.”
Lily looked at her.
“And you did.”
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
“But why don't I remember?”
Her mother answered.
“Because they erased your memories.”
Victor turned.
“Who?”
A voice came from behind him.
“I did.”
Everyone froze.
The old man stepped into the chamber.
Victor's father.
Alive.
He walked toward Lily.
“You were dangerous because you remembered too much.”
Victor raised his gun.
“You're done.”
His father smiled.
“No.”
He looked at Lily.
“She is.”
Lily stepped backward.
“What do you want from me?”
The old man smiled.
“The same thing I've wanted for fourteen years.”
“What?”
He pointed at her neck.
“The blood.”
Lily touched the crescent pendant.
Her father's face suddenly changed.
“Take it off.”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
“Take it off.”
Victor stepped in front of her.
“You're not touching her.”
The old man smiled.
“Then perhaps you should ask yourself why she was chosen to protect Ethan.”
Victor frowned.
“What do you mean?”
The old man looked at Lily.
“Because the Crescent bloodline has one final secret.”
He leaned closer.
“Only one person can activate the Black Wolf inheritance.”
Lily's face went pale.
“Who?”
The old man smiled.
“You.”
Suddenly, every light in the chamber turned red.
An alarm began screaming.
Then a screen appeared on the wall.
Ethan was on it.
Alive.
Sitting in a dark room.
Beside him stood a woman.
The mysterious woman from the hospital.
She removed her hood.
Victor stared.
Lily stopped breathing.
Because the woman looked exactly like Lily.
Same eyes.
Same face.
Same crescent mark.
But she was older.
Much older.
Victor whispered:
“Who is that?”
Lily's mother began crying.
“My other daughter.”
The woman on the screen smiled.
Then she spoke directly to the camera.
“Hello, Lily.”
Lily couldn't move.
The woman continued:
“You've spent fourteen years believing you were an only child.”
She leaned toward Ethan.
“But you were never alone.”
The screen went black.
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And beneath it appeared four words:
THE FIRST DAUGHTER LIVES.
