The Hidden heir’s revenge

CHAPTER 24 THE MAN WITH VAREK’S FACE

The Blackstone estate was supposed to be empty.

At least, that was what Varek believed.

But as his car approached the enormous iron gates, he noticed something unusual.

Every security light was on.

Two black SUVs stood outside the entrance, and armed guards patrolled the walls.

Someone was expecting them.

“Slow down,” Adrian said.

Varek reduced his speed.

“Do you recognize those guards?”

Adrian examined them.

“No. They’re not Blackstone security.”

“Then whose men are they?”

Adrian looked toward the main building.

“Jonathan’s.”

Varek stopped the car several metres from the gate.

He took out his phone and called the estate’s security office.

No answer.

He tried again.

The call was rejected.

“Someone has taken control of the estate,” Adrian said.

Varek opened the glove compartment and removed a small pistol.

“Then we’ll take it back.”

Adrian looked at him.

“There’s something you need to understand. If Jonathan is inside, he probably knows we’re coming.”

“Good.”

“Varek—”

“I’m tired of running from people who think they own my life.”

He stepped out of the car.

Adrian followed.

The guards immediately raised their weapons.

“Stop!”

Varek continued walking.

One of them stepped forward.

“State your names.”

“Varek Thorne.”

The guard exchanged a glance with his colleague.

Then he laughed.

“That’s impossible.”

Varek stopped.

“Why?”

“Because Mr. Thorne is already inside.”

Adrian moved beside him.

“Open the gate.”

The guard raised his rifle.

“Leave now.”

Varek stared at him.

“Tell the man inside that the original has arrived.”

The guard hesitated.

Then he touched his earpiece.

A few seconds later, the gates began opening.

⸻

Inside the estate, everything looked familiar.

The marble floors.

The enormous chandelier.

The portraits of the Thorne family.

But something had changed.

A new portrait hung above the staircase.

It showed a young man wearing a black suit.

The face was Varek’s.

Beneath the portrait was a golden inscription.

JONATHAN THORNE JUNIOR.

Varek stopped.

Adrian stared at it.

“That’s the boy from the photograph.”

Varek approached the portrait.

The man in the painting looked almost identical to him, except for a small scar above his left eyebrow.

Varek touched his own eyebrow.

He had the same scar.

Adrian noticed.

“You have that mark too.”

Varek lowered his hand.

“Maybe it’s a family trait.”

“Or maybe it’s something else.”

A voice interrupted them.

“You finally came.”

They turned.

A man stood at the top of the staircase.

He wore a black shirt and tailored trousers.

His hair was slightly longer than Varek’s, but his face was almost identical.

The man descended slowly.

When he reached the bottom, he stopped directly in front of Varek.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then the stranger smiled.

“Hello, Varek.”

Varek studied him.

“Who are you?”

The man extended his hand.

“Jonathan Thorne Junior.”

Varek ignored it.

“You were declared dead at four years old.”

“That’s what they wanted you to believe.”

“Why?”

Jonathan Junior shrugged.

“Because a dead child cannot claim an inheritance.”

Varek stepped closer.

“Then why are you alive?”

The stranger’s smile disappeared.

“Because someone needed to survive.”

He glanced at Adrian.

“And someone needed to take the blame.”

Adrian frowned.

“What does that mean?”

Jonathan Junior laughed.

“You really don’t remember me?”

“I’ve never met you.”

“Of course you haven’t. You were too busy living the life that belonged to me.”

Varek grabbed his shirt.

“Listen carefully. I don’t know who you are, but if you’ve been involved in what happened to my mother—”

Jonathan Junior didn’t resist.

Instead, he looked into Varek’s eyes.

“You still think Helena is your mother?”

Varek froze.

“What?”

Jonathan Junior smiled.

“That’s another lie.”

Varek released him.

“Explain.”

“Helena gave birth to me.”

The room went silent.

Jonathan Junior continued.

“I’m her first child. The one who was declared dead. You were born later.”

Varek stared at him.

“That’s impossible. Our birth records—”

“Were changed.”

Jonathan Junior stepped away.

“Helena had two sons. Me and you. But Jonathan Thorne wanted only one heir. He chose me.”

Varek’s eyes narrowed.

“Then why was I given the name Varek Vale?”

“Because you were the spare child.”

The words struck harder than Varek expected.

“A spare?”

“Yes. My father wanted a backup in case something happened to me. But when I was four, I became seriously ill. The family believed I would die.”

Jonathan Junior paused.

“That’s when you were brought into the estate.”

Varek shook his head.

“Who brought me?”

“Richard.”

“Why?”

“Because he had been ordered to raise you until I recovered.”

Varek’s mind raced.

“Then why did I grow up believing Eleanor was my mother?”

“Because Eleanor agreed to pretend.”

Varek turned toward Adrian.

Everything was becoming a nightmare without an ending.

“Do you believe this?”

Adrian shook his head.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Jonathan Junior laughed.

“That’s the problem with you two. You believe everything people tell you.”

He walked toward a side table and picked up a glass of water.

“Let me make this simple.”

He placed the glass down.

“Your father is Jonathan Thorne. Your mother is Helena Vale. My mother is also Helena Vale. We are brothers.”

Varek stared at him.

“And Richard?”

“Richard is our father’s younger brother.”

Varek’s expression changed.

“What?”

Jonathan Junior nodded.

“Richard is our uncle.”

Varek felt the room tilt.

For twenty-nine years, Richard had claimed to be his father.

He had raised him, controlled him, lied to him, and repeatedly insisted that he was protecting him.

Now this stranger was saying Richard was his uncle.

Varek shook his head.

“Show me proof.”

Jonathan Junior smiled.

“I expected you to ask.”

He snapped his fingers.

A woman emerged from the hallway.

She was dressed in a simple cream gown.

Her hair was tied back, and her face looked tired.

Varek recognized her immediately.

“Helena?”

The woman stopped.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“My son.”

Varek couldn’t move.

He had heard her voice on the phone.

He had seen her photograph.

But standing before her was different.

He took a cautious step forward.

“Are you really my mother?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then tell me something nobody else knows.”

Helena looked confused.

“Varek—”

“Tell me something about my childhood.”

She stared at him for a long moment.

Then she whispered, “You had a small birthmark behind your left ear. When you were a baby, I used to touch it whenever you cried.”

Varek instinctively reached behind his ear.

The mark was there.

His throat tightened.

Helena moved closer.

“I have searched for you every day.”

Varek looked at her.

“Why didn’t you come for me?”

“I tried.”

“Why didn’t you find me?”

“Your father threatened to kill anyone who helped me.”

Varek turned toward Jonathan Junior.

“Is that true?”

Jonathan Junior shrugged.

“My father was a difficult man.”

“Where is he?”

The stranger’s expression changed.

“Dead.”

Varek stared at him.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“He died six years ago.”

“Then who have I been seeing on those screens?”

Jonathan Junior smiled.

“Someone pretending to be him.”

Varek looked at Helena.

“Who?”

She lowered her eyes.

Then she answered.

“Sebastian Blackstone.”

Varek’s jaw tightened.

“Sebastian?”

Helena nodded.

“He has been using Jonathan’s identity for years.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Why would Sebastian pretend to be Jonathan?”

Jonathan Junior looked at him.

“Because Sebastian was never just a protector.”

He turned toward Varek.

“He was the man who helped my father create the fourth identity.”

Varek remembered the fourth entry in the birth register.

The identity that supposedly belonged to a child who had never been born.

“Who was that identity created for?”

Jonathan Junior smiled.

“For me.”

Varek stared.

“Why would you need another identity?”

“Because I wasn’t the only child my father wanted to protect.”

Jonathan Junior walked toward the portrait.

He pointed at the scar above his painted eyebrow.

“My father wanted to hide me from the people who were trying to kill me. So he created another identity and placed me inside the family records as a different child.”

Varek studied him.

“Then who is the real Jonathan Thorne Junior?”

The stranger smiled.

“I am.”

“Then who is the fourth identity?”

Jonathan Junior’s smile widened.

“You.”

Varek’s stomach tightened.

Before he could respond, Adrian’s phone rang.

He answered.

“Hello?”

A familiar voice spoke.

“Adrian.”

Adrian froze.

“Daniel?”

Varek turned.

“Your son?”

Adrian nodded slowly.

“Where are you?”

The voice on the other end sounded frightened.

“Dad, please come and get me.”

Adrian moved toward the door.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at home.”

Adrian’s face changed.

“What?”

A loud crash sounded through the phone.

Then Daniel screamed.

“Dad!”

The call ended.

Adrian immediately dialled the number again.

It was switched off.

Varek grabbed his arm.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone has taken Daniel.”

Jonathan Junior watched them quietly.

Then he smiled.

“Relax. Your son is safe.”

Adrian turned on him.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Where is my son?”

Jonathan Junior walked toward the staircase.

“You’ll find him when you stop asking the wrong questions.”

Adrian pulled out his gun.

“Tell me where he is!”

Jonathan Junior stopped.

Then he slowly turned.

“Your son isn’t the only child whose identity was changed.”

Varek looked at him.

“What are you talking about?”

Jonathan Junior’s expression became cold.

“Adrian, you have spent your entire life believing you were Damian Mercer, then Adrian Thorne. But the truth is that you were never either of those boys.”

Adrian’s gun lowered slightly.

“Who am I?”

Jonathan Junior looked directly at him.

“You are the son of the woman who gave birth to Varek.”

Varek froze.

“That’s impossible. Helena said she gave birth to two sons.”

Jonathan Junior nodded.

“She did.”

Then he looked at Adrian.

“But one of those sons was stolen.”

Adrian’s face went pale.

Jonathan Junior stepped closer.

“Varek, meet your biological brother.”

He pointed at Adrian.

“Adrian is not your brother.”

A pause.

“He is your twin.”

And before either man could respond, the estate’s main doors slammed shut.

Every security light went out.

A voice came through the speakers.

“IDENTITY CONFIRMED. TWO ORIGINAL HEIRS DETECTED.”

Then another message appeared on the giant screen.

“THIRD HEIR ACTIVATION REQUIRED.”

Varek stared at the screen.

A photograph appeared.

It showed a woman holding a newborn baby.

Beneath it was a name.

NAOMI CROSS.