The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 33 — The Name on the Bracelet

Varek stared at the photograph.

The baby marked as him had a hospital bracelet around his tiny wrist.

DANIEL THORNE.

He looked at the second baby.

The bracelet around that child’s wrist carried another name.

ADRIAN THORNE.

For several seconds, the room remained silent.

Then Adrian spoke.

“Why does that baby have Daniel’s name?”

Varek didn’t answer.

He enlarged the photograph, hoping he had misunderstood what he was seeing.

But the name remained clear.

Daniel Thorne.

The same name that had appeared in the stories told by Eleanor, Richard, and the mysterious man who claimed to be Alistair’s firstborn son.

“Naomi,” Varek said quietly. “Tell me what this means.”

Naomi moved closer to the screen.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Look at the photograph.”

“I am looking.”

“One of these children was registered under my identity. The other was registered under Adrian’s. But this one has Daniel’s name.”

Naomi examined the photograph carefully.

“There’s something else.”

She zoomed in on the lower corner.

A hospital stamp appeared beside the date.

“These bracelets were not printed by the maternity ward.”

“How do you know?”

“Because the hospital used handwritten identification bands during that period. These were added later.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“So someone changed the names after the babies were born?”

“Possibly.”

Varek looked at the photograph again.

“Then who was Daniel?”

Naomi didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she opened the scanned hospital document and compared the dates.

“The fifth child was transferred three days before the other four were registered. But the photograph was taken after the transfer.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning the photograph may not show the children in their original birth order.”

Adrian rubbed his forehead.

“This is becoming ridiculous. How many times can someone change a child’s identity?”

“Enough times to make sure nobody knows the truth,” Varek replied.

His phone vibrated.

Evelyn was calling.

He answered immediately.

“Tell me you have an explanation.”

“I have something better,” she replied. “I have Grace.”

“Where is she?”

“Somewhere safe. But you need to understand something before you come here.”

“Go ahead.”

“Grace says the photograph is real, but the names are not.”

Varek glanced at Adrian.

“Then what are the real names?”

“She won’t tell me over the phone. She wants to speak to you personally.”

“Put her on.”

There was a pause.

Then an older woman’s voice came through.

“Varek?”

“Grace?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“I know who you were called. I know who raised you. And I know what happened the night you were born.”

“Then tell me.”

“I cannot tell you everything until I see you.”

“Why?”

“Because the people who changed your identity are still alive. Some of them are standing beside you, and some of them are pretending to help you.”

Varek’s eyes moved toward Naomi.

Then Adrian.

“Are you saying I can’t trust anyone?”

“I’m saying you should stop believing that the truth always comes from the person who gives you information.”

Varek took a breath.

“Did you write the names on those bracelets?”

“No.”

“Who did?”

Grace hesitated.

“Your grandmother.”

“Which grandmother?”

“The woman who wanted you to inherit the Thorne name.”

The call ended.

Varek stared at his phone.

Adrian broke the silence.

“Your grandmother?”

“She didn’t say which one.”

“Alistair’s wife?”

“Maybe.”

Naomi closed the hospital document.

“We need to move. If Richard knows we’re looking at these records, he may already know about Grace.”

Varek nodded.

“Get your things. We’re going to Evelyn.”

⸻

Grace Cross sat in a small room with the curtains drawn.

She was older than Varek expected, with tired eyes and silver hair tied behind her head.

Marcus stood near the window.

His arms were folded, and his expression was unreadable.

When Varek entered, Grace looked at him for a long time.

Then she began to cry.

“You’re alive.”

Varek stopped.

“Do you know me?”

“I held you.”

“At the hospital?”

Grace nodded.

“I held you before they took you away.”

Varek stepped closer.

“Who took me?”

Grace looked at Marcus.

He lowered his eyes.

“Tell him,” Marcus said.

Grace wiped her face.

“Your birth was not recorded as a normal delivery. There were complications. Helena gave birth to two boys, but the hospital had already received instructions to separate them.”

“Who gave the instructions?”

“Alistair.”

Varek’s jaw tightened.

“Why?”

“Because he believed one child would inherit the family fortune and the other would become a threat.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“What about me?”

Grace looked at him.

“Your birth was connected to another woman.”

“Which woman?”

“That is where the records become complicated.”

“Don’t give me another story with missing names.”

Grace looked down.

“You were brought into the hospital after the first two babies had already been delivered. Your mother was not Helena.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

“Who was she?”

“Richard’s wife.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I know what the records say.”

“Richard told me he was my father.”

Grace nodded slowly.

“Richard was involved in your registration. But he was not the person who gave birth to you.”

Adrian looked away.

Varek watched him carefully.

For years, Adrian had been told that he was the rightful heir. Now even his birth was being questioned.

“How many children were born that night?” Varek asked.

“Five.”

“Who were they?”

Grace looked at the photograph on the table.

“Two boys from Helena. One boy from Richard’s wife. One child whose mother died during delivery. And the fifth child was transferred before the others were registered.”

Naomi frowned.

“Who was the fifth child’s mother?”

Grace’s eyes filled with tears again.

“That’s the question I was forbidden to answer.”

Varek leaned forward.

“You said you held me. Was I the firstborn?”

Grace shook her head.

“No.”

“Then who was?”

Grace looked at Marcus.

“He was.”

Varek turned slowly.

Marcus didn’t move.

“You’re saying Marcus was born before me?”

“Yes.”

Varek studied the man who looked almost exactly like him.

“Then why was I raised as the heir?”

“Because Marcus was removed from the family before the inheritance records were opened.”

“Who removed him?”

“Sebastian.”

Marcus finally spoke.

“He didn’t remove me to protect me. He removed me because he wanted the inheritance.”

Varek looked at him.

“Then why did he claim you were his son?”

“Because it gave him a reason to control me. He could keep me close without allowing anyone to question where I came from.”

“Did you know we were twins?”

Marcus shook his head.

“I suspected. But I didn’t have proof.”

Grace reached for the photograph.

“Look carefully at the bracelets.”

Varek moved closer.

Grace pointed to the baby marked Daniel.

“That was the name given to the firstborn before Alistair changed the records.”

“Marcus?”

Grace nodded.

Then she pointed to the second baby.

“And this was the child who was supposed to be called Varek.”

Varek frowned.

“Then why did you say the names were wrong?”

“Because the hospital records were changed again before the children left.”

She turned the photograph over.

A faint handwritten note appeared beneath the two names.

THE FIRSTBORN WILL BE REMOVED. THE SECOND WILL INHERIT.

Varek felt anger rising inside him.

“So Marcus was supposed to inherit?”

“Originally, yes.”

“And I was supposed to be removed?”

“Yes.”

Marcus stepped away from the window.

“Which means somebody decided to reverse our positions.”

Grace nodded.

“Someone wanted the younger child to inherit, while the firstborn disappeared.”

Varek looked at her.

“Who made that decision?”

Before Grace could answer, the lights went out.

Evelyn shouted from the corridor.

“Nobody move!”

A gunshot shattered the silence.

Adrian grabbed Naomi and pulled her behind the table.

Varek reached for his weapon.

Another shot rang out.

Then came the sound of breaking glass.

“Marcus!” Grace screamed.

Varek turned.

The window was open.

Marcus was gone.

A second later, a figure appeared in the doorway.

“Varek!”

It was Evelyn.

“Get everyone out. Now!”

“What happened?”

“Someone breached the building.”

“Where is Marcus?”

Evelyn looked toward the open window.

“They took him.”

Varek rushed toward it.

Below, a black vehicle was already speeding away.

He raised his gun, but the distance was too great.

His phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

A man’s voice greeted him.

“Hello, little brother.”

Varek froze.

“Who is this?”

The man laughed.

“You have spent your entire life looking for your family. Now you have finally found your twin.”

“Where is Marcus?”

“Safe. For now.”

“Who are you?”

The voice became colder.

“Ask Grace who the fifth child was.”

Varek turned toward the old woman.

She had gone completely pale.

The caller continued.

“And ask her why she gave that child to Eleanor.”

The line went dead.

Varek slowly lowered his phone.

Everyone looked at Grace.

She was trembling.

“Tell me,” Varek demanded. “Who was the fifth child?”

Grace opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Then she whispered something that made Naomi step backward.

“The fifth child was never meant to be part of the Thorne family.”

Varek stared at her.

“Then whose child was it?”

Grace looked directly at him.

“Yours.”