Chapter 13 - My Husband Was WaitingMy husband smiled.
“Emma.”
I couldn't move.
Maya buried her face against me.
Alessandro raised his weapon.
My husband didn't care.
“You've made this much harder than it needed to be.”
I whispered:
“How did you get here?”
“Your cousin called.”
My blood froze.
“What?”
“She works for us.”
“No.”
He laughed.
“You trusted her.”
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I stepped backward.
“How long?”
“How long what?”
“How long have you been working against me?”
He shrugged.
“Since before you met me.”
Alessandro stared at him.
“You were the watcher.”
My husband smiled.
“That's right.”
“You hurt your own daughter.”
He looked toward Maya.
“She isn't my daughter.”
The words crushed me.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You hurt her to make me remember?”
“Exactly.”
I felt rage replace fear.
“You pushed a three-year-old child into a table.”
“She had to react.”
“She could have died.”
He shrugged.
“She didn't.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“You're finished.”
My husband laughed.
“You think you're the hero?”
He pointed at Alessandro.
“You've killed men for less.”
Then he pointed at me.
“And she?”
“She erased children.”
I froze.
He continued.
“Ask her.”
I looked at the other Emma.
She looked away.
“What is he talking about?”
My husband smiled.
“She wasn't protecting children.”
“She was stealing them.”
“No.”
He walked toward me.
“You signed the transfer orders.”
My hands shook.
“I don't remember.”
“Of course you don't.”
He leaned closer.
“They erased your memory.”
“Who?”
“Your employers.”
I stared.
He whispered:
“St. Catherine's.”
Then Maya suddenly screamed.
“Mommy, run!”
My husband turned.
Maya pointed behind him.
A shadow moved.
Alessandro fired.
The man collapsed.
The hallway exploded into gunfire.
We ran.
I grabbed Maya.
Alessandro grabbed Luca.
The other Emma followed.
My husband disappeared into the smoke.
We reached a stairwell.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Emma, he's lying.”
“Who?”
“Your husband.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
The voice trembled.
“The babies were never switched.”
I stopped.
“What?”
“There were three babies.”
My heart stopped.
“Three?”
“Yes.”
“Who was the third?”
The woman went silent.
Then:
“Your daughter.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“The child you've been calling Maya…”
I looked down.
My daughter looked up at me.
The voice continued:
“She isn't Maya.”
My world shattered.
“Then who is she?”
The woman whispered:
“Find the child with the rabbit.”
I looked at Maya's stuffed rabbit.
Its missing ear.
Then the woman added:
May you like
“Because the real Maya is still inside St. Catherine's.”
The call ended.
