The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 46 — The Daughter of Helena Vale

Varek stared at the photograph.

The little girl had dark eyes, a small nose, and a serious expression. Even though the picture was old, there was something familiar about her face.

Evelyn stood beside him.

“Why does she look like me?”

Nobody answered.

She took the phone from Varek and examined the photograph.

“That’s not possible. I have never seen this child.”

Grace approached her slowly.

“Look at her left ear.”

Evelyn zoomed in.

There was a tiny mark just below the girl’s ear.

Evelyn touched the same spot on her own ear.

“I have this mark.”

Grace nodded.

“Your mother used to say it was a family mark.”

Evelyn looked at her.

“Then who is she?”

Grace lowered her eyes.

“Your sister.”

Evelyn stepped backward.

“No. You said you had one daughter.”

“I lied.”

“About what?”

Grace’s voice trembled.

“About everything that happened at St. Catherine’s.”

Varek moved closer.

“Start talking.”

Grace looked toward the wounded old man.

“We don’t have much time.”

“Then don’t waste it.”

She took a deep breath.

“Twenty years ago, Helena gave birth to a girl. She was not supposed to have another child. By then, Alistair had already arranged the identities of the first six children. But Helena became pregnant again.”

Samuel frowned.

“Another child?”

“Yes. A girl. She was born long after the original six.”

Varek looked at the photograph.

“Why was she hidden?”

“Because she carried something the other children didn’t.”

“What?”

Grace looked at Evelyn.

“She was born with the original family registration. Her blood could unlock the Black Ledger without the other five children.”

Samuel’s expression changed.

“Then why did Alistair need us?”

“Because he couldn’t locate her. Helena disappeared with the child before he could complete the transfer.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“You’re saying I have a sister who is twenty years old, and nobody told me?”

Grace nodded.

“I tried to find her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because every person who knew about her became a target.”

Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.

“You made me believe I was an only child.”

“I wanted you to have a normal life.”

“Normal?” Evelyn laughed bitterly. “Look at us! Nothing about my life has been normal!”

Grace reached for her hand, but Evelyn pulled away.

Varek turned toward Samuel.

“Does this explain why the system identified Evelyn as the sixth beneficiary?”

Samuel shook his head.

“Not completely. If the girl is the real sixth beneficiary, why did the system accept Evelyn’s name?”

Naomi answered through the earpiece.

“Because the system is recognizing a family-linked identity, not necessarily the biological owner. Evelyn’s details were used as a temporary substitute.”

Varek looked at the screen.

“Can you identify the girl?”

“I’m trying. The photograph is attached to a medical file, but the name has been removed.”

“Can you recover it?”

“Possibly. There’s a second file attached.”

A document appeared on the laptop.

It contained a hospital admission record.

PATIENT: FEMALE CHILD

AGE: 20 YEARS

GUARDIAN: HELENA VALE

CURRENT LOCATION: ST. CATHERINE’S PRIVATE MATERNITY WARD

Varek looked at the others.

“She’s at the hospital.”

Grace nodded.

“That’s where Helena is taking her.”

Adrian adjusted Daniel in his arms.

“Then we need to get there before Alistair.”

Varek looked at him.

“Can you leave Daniel somewhere safe?”

“No.”

“Adrian—”

“I’m not leaving my son with strangers again.”

Daniel held his father’s jacket.

“I want to stay with Daddy.”

Varek understood.

“Then he stays with us. But we keep him away from the confrontation.”

Evelyn picked up the storage drive.

“I’m coming.”

Grace shook her head.

“You shouldn’t.”

“She’s my sister.”

“And you don’t know what Helena will do when she sees you.”

Evelyn looked directly at her.

“Then I suppose it’s time I found out.”

⸻

The journey back to St. Catherine’s was tense.

Naomi remained connected through the earpiece, guiding them away from the main roads.

The wounded Daniel Thorne was taken to a private clinic through a contact Marcus provided. Marcus stayed behind to make sure he received medical attention.

Victor disappeared before they could question him.

Samuel was unusually quiet.

Varek noticed.

“What is it?”

Samuel looked at him.

“That old man said I was the child Matthew was instructed to protect.”

“Yes.”

“But he didn’t say who my parents were.”

“Maybe he didn’t know.”

Samuel shook his head.

“He knew. He just didn’t want to tell me.”

Varek studied him.

“Do you remember anything from your childhood?”

“Not much before I was six. Matthew said I had been sick and forgotten most of it.”

“Did he ever mention Helena?”

Samuel nodded.

“Once. He said she was a woman who had lost everything because of one mistake.”

“What mistake?”

“He never explained.”

Naomi interrupted.

“Varek, I’ve recovered another section of the original birth records.”

“What’s in it?”

“There’s a note about Samuel’s registration. It says the child was transferred from a private residence to St. Catherine’s under the authority of Helena Vale.”

Samuel stopped walking.

“Helena?”

“Yes.”

Varek turned toward him.

“She may know who you really are.”

Samuel’s expression became distant.

“Then I want to hear it from her.”

⸻

When they arrived at St. Catherine’s, the building looked different.

The emergency lights were on.

Several security officers stood near the entrance, but none of them appeared to be hospital staff.

Varek noticed a familiar black vehicle parked beside the entrance.

Helena’s.

“They’re already here,” he said.

Adrian held Daniel’s hand as they entered.

The reception area was empty.

A security door at the end of the corridor stood open.

Naomi guided them through the earpiece.

“Take the left corridor. The old maternity ward is on the second floor.”

They climbed the stairs.

At the top, Varek heard voices.

A man’s voice.

Alistair.

“Everything is ready.”

Then Helena replied.

“What about the other children?”

“They are no longer important.”

“What about Samuel?”

“Samuel has served his purpose.”

Varek exchanged a look with Samuel.

They moved closer to the open doorway.

Inside, Alistair stood beside a medical bed.

Helena was next to him.

And lying on the bed was the young woman from the photograph.

Her hands were tied.

Evelyn gasped.

“That’s her.”

The young woman lifted her head.

Her eyes moved across the room until they settled on Evelyn.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then the girl whispered.

“Evelyn?”

Evelyn stepped into the room.

“Do I know you?”

The girl began crying.

“You used to sing to me.”

Evelyn froze.

“What?”

“When I was little. You used to sing the same song every night.”

Evelyn looked at Grace.

“Is she telling the truth?”

Grace nodded.

“You were very young when Helena took her away. You may not remember.”

The girl struggled against the restraints.

“Please, get me out of here.”

Alistair turned.

His expression showed no surprise.

“Varek. I was wondering when you would arrive.”

Varek raised his weapon.

“Release her.”

Alistair smiled.

“You’re too late.”

He pressed a button on the medical equipment.

A monitor came alive.

FINAL BENEFICIARY VERIFICATION.

BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE REQUIRED.

Helena stepped between him and the girl.

“Alistair, you promised you wouldn’t hurt her.”

“I promised you that she would inherit.”

“Not like this.”

Alistair looked at her coldly.

“Then perhaps you should have told the truth twenty years ago.”

Varek moved forward.

“What truth?”

Helena looked at him.

Her eyes were filled with fear.

Then she looked at Samuel.

“Both of you deserve to know.”

Samuel stepped closer.

“Who am I?”

Helena’s lips trembled.

“Samuel, you are not my son.”

Samuel’s face fell.

“And Varek?”

Helena turned toward him.

“You are not my firstborn.”

Varek tightened his grip on the weapon.

“Then who am I?”

Helena looked at the young woman on the bed.

“You’re the child I was forced to exchange.”

The room went silent.

Evelyn stared at her.

“Exchange?”

Helena nodded.

“Twenty-five years ago, Grace gave birth to two boys. One was taken by Eleanor. The other was taken by me. But I didn’t keep the child I was given.”

Varek felt his chest tighten.

“Who did you give me to?”

Helena looked at Alistair.

“He ordered me to exchange you with Jonathan’s son.”

Samuel stepped forward.

“Then who was Jonathan’s son?”

Alistair laughed.

“Now we’re finally getting somewhere.”

He walked toward the medical bed.

“The child Helena gave away was never supposed to survive.”

The young woman suddenly began struggling.

“Don’t let him touch me!”

Alistair ignored her.

He picked up a small medical device and approached her arm.

Varek raised his weapon.

“Put it down.”

Alistair stopped.

Then he smiled.

“Go ahead. Shoot me. But if you do, you’ll never know why I kept this girl alive.”

Varek didn’t lower his weapon.

Alistair leaned closer to the young woman.

“Tell them your name, child.”

She looked at Evelyn.

Then at Varek.

Her lips trembled.

“My name is—”

The lights went out.

A gunshot echoed through the maternity ward.

When the emergency lights returned, Alistair was gone.

So was Helena.

The medical bed was empty.

Only the young woman’s restraints remained.

And on the floor was a bloodstained hospital bracelet.

Varek picked it up.

The name printed on it made his blood run cold.

MOTHER: ISABEL THORNE.

CHILD: JONATHAN THORNE JUNIOR.