The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 101 — The Daughter Named Isabella

“Where is my daughter?”

Naomi stared at Daniel.

His voice was different. His expression was different. Even the way he looked at her felt unfamiliar.

“Daniel, it’s Mummy.”

The boy blinked.

For a moment, something softened in his eyes.

Then he looked towards the security screen.

“Isabella.”

Naomi held his face between her hands.

“Who is Isabella?”

He looked at her.

“My daughter.”

Naomi shook her head.

“You’re a child. You don’t have a daughter.”

Daniel smiled sadly.

“That’s what they made you believe.”

Matthew rushed towards them.

“Get away from him!”

Naomi immediately stood.

“Don’t come near my son.”

“Naomi, you don’t understand. The transfer has completed.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means the original memories have been activated.”

Evelyn looked at the screen.

“Then why is he asking for a daughter?”

Matthew hesitated.

“Because the identity inside him belongs to someone who had a daughter.”

Naomi felt sick.

“Are you saying my son is carrying another person’s memories?”

Matthew nodded.

“Yes.”

She looked down at Daniel.

“Can we bring him back?”

Matthew didn’t answer immediately.

Then he said, “We need to find Isabella.”

⸻

In the maternity ward, the little girl was crying.

“Daddy?”

The first Adrian stood outside the glass chamber.

His face softened when he heard her voice.

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s me.”

Varek stepped in front of her.

“Don’t call him Daddy.”

The little girl grabbed his hand.

“But I know him.”

Varek looked down.

“How?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t know. I just remember.”

The first Adrian raised the metal key.

“Move away from my daughter.”

Varek didn’t move.

“You’re not taking her anywhere.”

The man smiled.

“You have no idea what she is.”

“She’s a child.”

“She’s the reason you exist.”

Varek’s expression hardened.

“Explain.”

The first Adrian looked towards the glass chamber.

“Mary gave birth to three children. Isabella, Eleanor and me. But the family needed more than three children to complete the inheritance arrangement.”

Samuel frowned.

“That’s not possible. The records show more than eight subjects.”

“Because they kept creating identities.”

The man looked at Varek.

“Your existence was built around a child who was never supposed to survive.”

Varek felt a cold sensation move through him.

“Which child?”

The first Adrian pointed at the little girl.

“Her.”

The girl began crying harder.

“Please stop.”

The man softened his voice.

“Come to Daddy.”

Varek moved closer to her.

“Don’t listen to him.”

The first Adrian sighed.

“You’re making this difficult.”

He inserted the metal key into a small panel beside the chamber.

A warning sounded.

ORIGINAL MEMORY SOURCE DETECTED.

RELEASE AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED.

Samuel rushed towards the control panel.

“He’s releasing Mary!”

The glass chamber began opening.

⸻

Inside the chamber, Mary’s fingers moved.

Her breathing became irregular.

The monitor showed a sudden rise in activity.

Adrian rushed towards the medical equipment.

“Samuel, stop it!”

“I’m trying!”

The original Adrian struggled to get off the bed.

“Don’t let her out!”

Varek turned towards him.

“Why?”

“Because the moment Mary wakes up, she’ll remember everything.”

“Isn’t that what we need?”

The man shook his head.

“No. Mary doesn’t remember the children as they were. She remembers them as she was instructed to remember them.”

Varek stared.

“Who instructed her?”

The original Adrian looked towards the first Adrian.

“Her son.”

The first Adrian laughed.

“Still blaming me for everything?”

The original Adrian struggled to stand.

“You destroyed this family.”

“I saved it.”

“You stole your sister’s identity!”

The room went silent.

Varek turned sharply.

“His sister?”

The first Adrian’s smile disappeared.

The original Adrian pointed towards Mary.

“Mary was never the mother of three children. She was the mother of four. Isabella was the first daughter, Eleanor was the second, and the first Adrian was her son.”

Samuel frowned.

“Then who was the fourth child?”

The original Adrian looked at Varek.

“You.”

Varek froze.

The man continued.

“Mary gave birth to you before the family records were changed. You were the missing child.”

The first Adrian shook his head.

“That’s enough.”

But the original Adrian continued.

“After your birth, the family discovered that you carried something they couldn’t control.”

Varek looked towards the little girl.

“Her memories?”

The original Adrian nodded.

“Your memories were connected before either of you could understand what was happening. They separated you because they believed one child could carry the memories while the other could live freely.”

The little girl looked at Varek.

“That’s why I remember you.”

Varek crouched in front of her.

“Remember what?”

She touched his cheek.

“Being born.”

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi was trying to wake Daniel.

“Daniel, please open your eyes.”

His fingers moved.

Then he whispered:

“Isabella is under the chapel.”

Naomi looked at Matthew.

“What does that mean?”

Matthew’s face tightened.

“The first daughter.”

Naomi shook her head.

“Who is she?”

Matthew looked at the older woman.

Naomi’s mother had gone completely still.

“Mum?”

The woman began crying.

“She’s my first child.”

Naomi felt her chest tighten.

“But you told me you only had one daughter.”

“I was forced to say that.”

“Where is she?”

The woman looked towards the eastern wing.

“She’s been there all these years.”

Evelyn stepped forward.

“Under the chapel?”

The woman nodded.

“The first Adrian kept her there because she was the only person who could prove what happened to the original children.”

Naomi stared at her.

“Isabella is alive?”

The woman closed her eyes.

“Yes.”

Matthew immediately grabbed his keys.

“We have to get to the chapel.”

Naomi looked down at Daniel.

“Can he come?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not leaving him.”

Daniel suddenly opened his eyes.

“Mummy.”

Naomi bent down.

“I’m here.”

He looked at her.

“Find Isabella.”

“Why?”

The boy swallowed.

“Because she’s the only one who can stop him.”

“Stop who?”

Daniel’s eyes moved towards the security screen.

“The father who made us.”

⸻

The glass chamber finally opened.

A cloud of cold air escaped into the maternity ward.

Mary lay motionless inside.

The first Adrian approached her.

“Welcome back, Mother.”

Her eyes opened slowly.

She looked at him.

Then she looked at Varek.

Her face changed.

“You’re alive.”

Varek moved closer.

“Do you know me?”

Mary began crying.

“Of course I know you.”

She reached towards him.

“You’re my little boy.”

The little girl stepped forward.

“Grandma?”

Mary turned.

For a moment, she looked confused.

Then she whispered:

“My daughter.”

The first Adrian smiled.

“Now we can finish what we started.”

Mary suddenly grabbed Varek’s wrist.

“Don’t let him take the girl.”

Varek frowned.

“You just called her your daughter.”

Mary shook her head.

“She’s not the child he came for.”

The first Adrian’s expression hardened.

“Mother, stop.”

Mary looked directly at Varek.

“The little girl is the memory carrier. But Isabella is the original daughter.”

Samuel stared at her.

“Where is Isabella?”

Mary’s lips trembled.

“Below the eastern chapel.”

The first Adrian stepped towards her.

“Enough!”

He raised the metal key.

A loud alarm sounded.

SECONDARY CHAMBER ACTIVATED.

Varek turned towards the screen.

A new camera feed appeared.

It showed a small underground room.

Inside was a young woman lying on a hospital bed.

Her hair was long.

Her face was pale.

A small metal bracelet rested around her wrist.

The name on the bracelet was clear.

ISABELLA THORNE.

Then the woman opened her eyes.

She looked directly into the camera.

And spoke.

“Varek?”

He stepped closer to the screen.

“Yes?”

Her lips trembled.

“Don’t believe Mary.”

She took a shaky breath.

“She’s not your grandmother.”

The screen went black.

And behind Varek, Mary began screaming.