The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 102 — The Woman Who Was Never Mary

Mary screamed as the screen went black.

“Turn it back on!”

Samuel rushed towards the computer.

“I’m trying!”

Varek stood frozen.

The woman in the underground room had called his name. She knew him, but she had also warned him not to trust Mary.

He turned towards the old woman.

“Who are you?”

Mary looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“Varek, please.”

“Don’t call me that. You just told me I was your son.”

“I was protecting you.”

“From what?”

Mary looked towards the first Adrian.

“From him.”

The man laughed.

“You’re still telling that story?”

Mary’s expression changed.

“You took my children.”

“I gave them a future.”

“You stole their names!”

“And I gave them new ones.”

Varek stepped between them.

“Both of you will answer my questions.”

The first Adrian smiled.

“You sound just like your mother.”

Varek’s heart skipped.

“Which mother?”

The man looked at Mary.

“Ask her.”

Mary began shaking her head.

“Don’t listen to him.”

Varek turned towards her.

“Who gave birth to me?”

She looked at him for a long moment.

Then she answered.

“Isabella.”

Varek frowned.

“Then why did you call me your son?”

“Because I raised you before they took you away.”

The little girl moved closer.

“Grandma, you said you were my mother.”

Mary looked at her.

Her face softened.

“I know, sweetheart.”

“Then why did you leave me?”

Mary started crying.

“I never wanted to.”

The first Adrian interrupted.

“She left you because she chose him.”

He pointed at Varek.

The little girl shook her head.

“That’s not true.”

The man smiled.

“Isn’t it?”

He turned towards Varek.

“Your mother chose to save you. She left the girl behind.”

Varek looked at the child.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

“Is that true?” he asked Mary.

Mary couldn’t answer.

And somehow, her silence hurt more than any explanation.

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi was preparing to leave with Matthew and Evelyn.

Daniel remained on the couch, barely conscious.

Naomi held his hand.

“I’m not leaving you.”

Daniel opened his eyes.

“You have to.”

“No.”

“Mummy, please.”

She shook her head.

“You’re my child. I’m staying.”

Daniel slowly lifted his other hand and touched her cheek.

“I know.”

His voice was gentle again.

For a moment, Naomi saw the little boy she had raised.

Then he whispered:

“But I’m not the only person inside this body.”

Naomi’s eyes filled with tears.

“Daniel…”

“Find Isabella. She knows how to separate the memories.”

Matthew stood near the door.

“We don’t have time.”

Naomi turned towards him.

“Before we go anywhere, I want the truth.”

Matthew sighed.

“What truth?”

“Why did you come here pretending to be Daniel’s father?”

“I was entered into his original birth record as his father.”

“But you said Adrian was his biological father.”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you use your name?”

Matthew looked at Daniel.

“Because the first Adrian wanted the boy to disappear. I gave him a different identity to keep him hidden.”

Naomi frowned.

“Who gave you permission?”

“Nobody.”

He paused.

“I was a child too when they started changing the records. I didn’t understand what I was protecting.”

Naomi looked at him carefully.

“How old are you?”

Matthew didn’t answer.

Instead, he opened the door.

“Ask me when we’re safe.”

Evelyn looked at Naomi.

“We need to move.”

Naomi kissed Daniel’s forehead.

“Stay with Evelyn.”

Daniel nodded.

But as Naomi stood, he grabbed her wrist.

“One more thing.”

“What?”

He looked directly into her eyes.

“Don’t let the woman in the chapel touch your pendant.”

Naomi frowned.

“Which woman?”

Daniel closed his eyes.

“The one who looks like you.”

⸻

Back in the maternity ward, Samuel managed to restore the camera feed.

The underground room appeared again.

The woman was sitting upright now.

Varek moved closer.

“Can you hear me?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

“Who are you?”

The woman swallowed.

“My name is Isabella Thorne.”

“Are you my mother?”

She closed her eyes.

“Yes.”

Varek felt his chest tighten.

“Why did you let me grow up believing Eleanor was my mother?”

“I didn’t let it happen. They took you from me.”

“Who?”

“Mary and Adrian.”

Varek turned towards the old woman.

Mary looked devastated.

Isabella continued.

“They separated us because they believed your memories could be used to control the family.”

Varek frowned.

“My memories?”

“Yes. You and the little girl were connected before birth. They believed your memories could unlock the original archive.”

Samuel looked at the computer.

“That explains the memory source and memory receiver records.”

Isabella nodded.

“They gave the girl your memories and gave you a new identity.”

Varek looked at the little girl.

“Why?”

“Because they needed one child to remember everything and another to live without remembering.”

The little girl began crying.

“Did you forget me?”

Isabella looked directly at her.

“Never.”

The girl moved closer to the screen.

“Mummy?”

Isabella smiled through her tears.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

Varek felt his throat tighten.

“Then who is Mary?”

Isabella looked towards the old woman.

“She’s my mother.”

Varek stared.

“Your mother?”

“Yes. But she wasn’t always called Mary.”

The first Adrian stepped forward.

“Don’t continue.”

Isabella ignored him.

“Her original name was Eleanor.”

Varek turned sharply towards Mary.

The woman lowered her head.

Isabella continued.

“She was the woman who gave birth to me. She was also the woman who raised you as her own after they took you from me.”

Varek’s mind raced.

“Eleanor raised me. But you’re saying Mary was Eleanor?”

“Yes.”

The little girl looked confused.

“Then where is Grandma Mary?”

Isabella began crying.

“Mary was another name given to her.”

Samuel checked the records.

“There’s a problem.”

Everyone turned.

He pointed at the screen.

“The current Mary is listed as Subject Zero, but the original Eleanor is also listed as Subject Zero in an older file.”

Varek looked at the woman.

“How can two people have the same designation?”

Isabella’s expression changed.

“Because there were two women.”

The room went silent.

Mary slowly raised her head.

“She’s telling the truth.”

Varek stepped backwards.

“Then who are you?”

Mary looked at him.

“I’m Eleanor.”

Varek felt as if the floor had disappeared beneath him.

“But you said…”

“I know what I said.”

“Then who is Mary?”

The old woman began trembling.

“Mary was my sister.”

The first Adrian laughed.

“Finally. We’re getting somewhere.”

He walked towards the computer.

“Now that everyone knows the truth, we can finish the transfer.”

Samuel moved to block him.

“You’re not touching that system.”

The man raised the metal key.

“You still don’t understand, Samuel.”

He inserted it into the control panel.

The screen changed.

FINAL FAMILY RECORD RECOVERED.

ORIGINAL MOTHER: ISABELLA THORNE.

FIRST DAUGHTER: VAREK THORNE.

SECOND DAUGHTER: SUBJECT FIVE.

GUARDIAN: ELEANOR THORNE.

Varek stared at the words.

“First daughter?”

He looked towards Isabella.

“You said I was your son.”

Isabella nodded.

“I did.”

“Then why does the record say daughter?”

She began crying.

“Because you were born a girl, Varek.”

Nobody spoke.

The little girl slowly took Varek’s hand.

The first Adrian smiled.

“Now you understand why your identity had to be changed.”

Varek looked at him.

“Why?”

The man leaned closer.

“Because the first daughter was supposed to inherit everything.”

He pointed towards the computer.

“But the family refused to let a girl inherit the Thorne empire.”

Then he looked directly at Varek.

“So they made you a boy.”

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi, Matthew and Evelyn had reached the eastern wing.

A narrow staircase led beneath the old building.

At the bottom stood a metal door.

Naomi’s pendant began vibrating.

Matthew looked at it.

“Don’t touch the door.”

Naomi frowned.

“Why?”

“Because the pendant is recognizing the chamber.”

Evelyn examined the lock.

“There’s already someone inside.”

A faint voice came through the door.

“Naomi?”

She stepped closer.

“Who’s there?”

The voice answered.

“Your mother.”

Naomi froze.

She looked behind her.

The woman who had claimed to be her mother was standing at the top of the stairs.

Naomi turned back towards the door.

“Which mother?”

A pause followed.

Then the woman inside whispered:

“The one who gave birth to you.”

Naomi’s pendant suddenly opened.

A small metal compartment appeared inside it.

There was a tiny photograph.

Naomi pulled it out.

It showed two newborn girls.

One had a bracelet marked N.

The other had a bracelet marked I.

On the back, someone had written:

NAOMI WAS THE SECOND DAUGHTER.

THE FIRST DAUGHTER WAS NEVER LOST.

Naomi stared at the photograph.

Then the door unlocked by itself.

And a woman with Naomi’s face stepped out.