The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 44 — The Name Adrian Never Owned

Nobody spoke.

Daniel stood beside his father, looking confused by the silence.

Adrian stared at the phone in Varek’s hand.

“Call Marcus back.”

Varek immediately dialled the number, but it was switched off.

“He’s not answering.”

Adrian shook his head.

“I want to see those records.”

Naomi’s voice came through the earpiece.

“I’ve already opened the original birth registration. But I need you to prepare yourselves.”

Varek looked at Adrian.

“What did you find?”

“The name Adrian Thorne was registered to a child born at St. Catherine’s. However, the original hospital entry was later amended.”

“Amended how?”

“The child was originally registered under another name.”

Adrian stepped closer to the phone.

“Read it.”

Naomi hesitated.

“Damian Mercer.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

Varek looked at him.

“That’s the name you used before.”

“Yes.”

Naomi continued.

“The original record identifies the mother as Helena Vale. The father is listed as Richard Thorne.”

Adrian shook his head.

“Matthew told us my biological parents were Richard and his wife. He said Helena only took me temporarily.”

“Then Matthew lied,” Varek replied.

“Or the records were changed again.”

Naomi interrupted.

“There’s something else. The hospital has two different birth entries for Damian Mercer. One was created at 3:02 a.m. The other was created at 3:07 a.m.”

Adrian frowned.

“Five minutes apart?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds like twins.”

Varek looked at him.

“Maybe.”

Naomi opened another document.

“The second entry was deleted. But I recovered part of the original name.”

“What name?”

“Adrian.”

Adrian stared at the screen.

“So there were two children.”

“Possibly,” Naomi answered. “One registered as Damian Mercer and another registered as Adrian. But I can’t confirm whether they were twins or whether someone used one child’s identity twice.”

Varek looked at Daniel.

“Did Victor tell you anything else when you saw him?”

Daniel nodded.

“He said Daddy wasn’t my real daddy.”

Adrian crouched in front of him.

“Did he say anything about who your real daddy was?”

Daniel shook his head.

“He said I should ask the man with two names.”

Varek and Adrian exchanged a look.

“Two names?” Evelyn repeated.

Daniel nodded.

“He said the man was my daddy’s brother.”

Adrian slowly stood.

“Richard.”

Varek frowned.

“Richard is your father according to Matthew.”

“But if the man Victor was talking about is my father’s brother, then Richard could be my uncle.”

Naomi spoke immediately.

“That would match one of the old records.”

Adrian turned toward the phone.

“What record?”

“I found a family registration from before the Black Ledger was created. It lists two sons under the same parents.”

She paused.

“Richard Thorne and Jonathan Thorne.”

Varek’s expression hardened.

“Jonathan was Alistair’s son.”

“Yes,” Naomi replied. “But the document identifies Richard and Jonathan as brothers.”

Adrian looked at Varek.

“That means the man we thought was my father could be my uncle.”

“Or someone has changed the records again,” Varek said.

Evelyn folded her arms.

“How many times can one family change a person’s identity?”

Samuel answered quietly.

“As many times as necessary to protect whoever owns the truth.”

⸻

They decided to leave the security office.

Adrian carried Daniel while Varek kept the storage drive. Evelyn followed them, constantly checking behind her.

Naomi had managed to identify a safer route through the hospital’s underground parking area.

“There’s a vehicle waiting at the eastern entrance,” she explained. “Don’t use the main road. Someone has been tracking your phones.”

Varek looked at Adrian.

“Can we trust the vehicle?”

“It’s one of Naomi’s contacts,” Adrian replied.

“Your contacts have been compromised before.”

“I know.”

They reached the parking area.

A black SUV stood beside a concrete pillar.

The driver stepped out.

“Mr. Thorne?”

Adrian studied him.

“Who sent you?”

“Naomi.”

Varek didn’t lower his weapon.

“What’s the confirmation phrase?”

The driver looked confused.

“Sorry?”

Adrian immediately pushed Daniel behind him.

The driver reached into his jacket.

Varek fired a warning shot into the ground.

The man froze.

“Hands where I can see them!”

The driver slowly raised his hands.

A second man emerged from behind the SUV.

Evelyn spotted him first.

“Varek!”

The man rushed toward Samuel.

Samuel dropped the storage drive and fought him off, but another attacker appeared from the driver’s side.

Adrian pushed Daniel behind a parked vehicle.

“Stay down!”

Varek grabbed the first attacker and slammed him against the SUV.

Evelyn retrieved the storage drive while Samuel struggled with the second man.

Then the driver reached for his weapon.

A gunshot rang out.

Everyone froze.

The driver fell beside the vehicle.

Varek turned toward the sound.

A woman stood at the far end of the parking area.

She was holding a gun.

Her face was partly hidden beneath a dark scarf.

“Move away from the boy,” she ordered.

Adrian stepped in front of Daniel.

“Who are you?”

The woman lowered her scarf.

Evelyn gasped.

“Grace?”

The woman looked at her.

“Hello, my daughter.”

Evelyn ran toward her, but Grace raised one hand.

“Don’t come closer.”

Evelyn stopped.

“Where have you been?”

“Trying to keep you alive.”

“You let me believe you were dead!”

“I had to.”

“You let me believe Matthew was my father!”

Grace’s expression changed.

“Matthew raised you. That doesn’t make him your biological father.”

Evelyn stared at her.

“Then who is?”

Grace looked toward Varek.

“That is not the question you should be asking.”

Varek stepped forward.

“Where is Matthew?”

“Alive, for now.”

“Where is Alistair?”

Grace shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

“Who is Victor?”

For the first time, fear appeared in her eyes.

“Did you see him?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’re already too late.”

Varek raised his weapon slightly.

“Tell me who he is.”

Grace looked at Adrian.

Then at Daniel.

Finally, she faced Varek.

“Victor was born under the name Jonathan Thorne Junior.”

Varek frowned.

“Marcus already used that name.”

“Marcus was given that identity. Victor was the child who was supposed to inherit it.”

Evelyn looked confused.

“Then who is Marcus?”

“Another child who was placed in the wrong family.”

Samuel shook his head.

“You’re saying everyone was switched?”

“Not everyone. Some were moved deliberately. Some were registered under false names. And some were declared dead because Alistair needed their identities removed.”

Varek stepped closer.

“Why does Victor look like me?”

Grace lowered her gun.

“Because you were born together.”

The words struck him.

“You’re saying Victor is my twin?”

Grace nodded.

“Yes.”

Samuel looked between them.

“Then who was the child buried twenty-five years ago?”

Grace looked at him.

“That was another boy.”

“Who?”

Grace’s eyes filled with tears.

“His name was Daniel.”

Adrian went still.

Varek looked at him.

“Daniel?”

Grace nodded.

“Not your son. The child whose name was used before the boy you know today was born.”

Adrian’s arms tightened around his son.

“You’re saying there was another Daniel?”

“Yes. He was the child Richard wanted removed from the family records.”

Adrian shook his head.

“This is impossible.”

Grace stepped closer.

“Your father had two sons, Adrian. One was born to Helena. The other was born to another woman. Richard switched their identities because he wanted the child with the strongest bloodline to inherit the family.”

Varek looked at Adrian.

“Which one are you?”

Grace’s eyes shifted toward Daniel.

“That’s what Richard has been trying to hide.”

Suddenly, Samuel’s phone rang.

He checked the screen.

An unknown number.

He answered cautiously.

A familiar voice came through.

“Samuel.”

It was Matthew.

“Where are you?” Samuel demanded.

“Listen carefully. Grace is lying to you.”

Grace immediately raised her gun.

“Don’t listen to him!”

Matthew continued.

“She knows what happened to the real sixth child. She knows why Alistair selected her.”

Samuel looked at Grace.

“What sixth child?”

Matthew’s voice dropped.

“The sixth child was never Varek’s sister. It was never Evelyn. And it was never the woman in those photographs.”

Varek took the phone from Samuel.

“Then who is it?”

Matthew was silent for a moment.

Then he answered.

“Daniel.”

Adrian froze.

He looked down at his son.

Grace slowly lowered her weapon.

“No,” she whispered.

Matthew continued.

“Not the boy standing beside Adrian. The original Daniel Thorne. The child who was declared dead twenty-five years ago.”

Varek’s face hardened.

“Where is he?”

Matthew’s answer came quietly.

“Look behind you.”

Varek turned.

At the far end of the parking area, Victor stood beside Marcus.

Between them was an old man in a wheelchair.

The old man lifted his head.

His face was badly scarred, but his eyes were clear.

He looked directly at Adrian.

Then he spoke.

“Richard Thorne is not your father.”

He pointed at Daniel.

“And that boy is not his grandson.”

A smile crossed his face.

“Because I am the real Daniel Thorne.”