The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 47 — The Bloodline of Isabel Thorne

Varek stared at the hospital bracelet.

MOTHER: ISABEL THORNE.

CHILD: JONATHAN THORNE JUNIOR.

He read the names again, hoping he had misunderstood something.

But the words remained unchanged.

“Where did they go?” Evelyn demanded.

Nobody answered.

The medical bed was empty. The restraints lay open, and a small amount of blood stained the white sheet.

Adrian rushed toward the door.

“Alistair!”

His voice echoed through the corridor.

Varek grabbed his arm.

“Don’t run blindly. He wants us separated.”

“That girl was tied to a bed, Varek!”

“And now she’s gone. We need to find out how.”

Samuel examined the medical equipment.

“The machine is still running.”

Naomi spoke through the earpiece.

“I can see the hospital cameras again. Give me a moment.”

Varek looked at the bracelet.

“Naomi, search the name Jonathan Thorne Junior.”

“I’m already doing that. There are several records.”

“Find the original one.”

A few seconds passed.

Then Naomi spoke.

“I found a birth registration. Jonathan Thorne Junior was recorded as the first child of Isabel Thorne and Jonathan Thorne.”

Varek frowned.

“That would mean Alistair had a son named Jonathan, and that son had a child with Isabel.”

“Correct. But the registration was cancelled.”

“Why?”

“Because another child was registered under the same identity five minutes later.”

Evelyn looked at the bracelet.

“Two children with the same name?”

“Not exactly. One record identifies a male child. The other identifies a female child, but the gender field was changed.”

Varek looked at Samuel.

“Can you recover the original names?”

Naomi sighed.

“I’m trying. The records are protected by the original trust.”

Samuel stepped toward the computer.

“Maybe I can open them.”

Varek looked at him.

“How?”

“I don’t know. But Matthew once told me that my fingerprints could open any file connected to the original beneficiary.”

He placed his finger on the scanner.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the screen turned green.

ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY RECOGNIZED.

A new folder opened.

Inside were three documents.

The first was a birth certificate.

The second was a transfer authorization.

The third was a photograph.

Samuel opened the photograph.

It showed Isabel Thorne holding a newborn baby.

Standing beside her was Jonathan Thorne.

But there was something strange about the picture.

Jonathan’s face had been scratched out.

Samuel zoomed in.

“Look at this.”

Varek approached.

Behind Isabel stood a young woman holding another baby.

It was Grace.

Evelyn looked at the photograph.

“Why was Grace there?”

Naomi enlarged the image.

“There’s a date written at the bottom. It was taken on the same night as the six births at St. Catherine’s.”

Varek looked at the first document.

The birth certificate identified the child in Isabel’s arms as Jonathan Thorne Junior.

But the transfer authorization contained another name.

RECEIVING GUARDIAN: MARA MERCER.

Varek’s expression hardened.

“Mara again.”

Samuel opened the third document.

It was a handwritten instruction.

THE CHILD MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY IS REGISTERED.

Below it was Alistair’s signature.

Adrian shook his head.

“This family has been moving children around like pieces on a board.”

Varek looked at him.

“Because they were never interested in raising children. They were interested in controlling the inheritance.”

Evelyn pointed at another line.

“What’s this?”

A sentence had been written beneath the transfer instruction.

THE FEMALE CHILD MUST REMAIN WITH ISABEL. THE MALE CHILD MUST BE GIVEN TO MARA.

Samuel went still.

“Female child?”

Naomi began typing.

“Wait. I think I understand.”

“What?”

“The bracelet may not belong to the girl who was on the bed.”

Varek frowned.

“Explain.”

“The hospital system has two separate records for Jonathan Thorne Junior. One is attached to a male child. The other is attached to a female child. Someone deliberately used the male child’s identity for the female record.”

Evelyn looked at the empty bed.

“So the girl was registered as a boy?”

“Yes.”

Adrian shook his head.

“Why would anyone do that?”

“Because the Black Ledger’s original beneficiary record was designed for a male heir,” Naomi replied. “If the child had been registered as female, the system might have rejected the transfer.”

Samuel stared at the screen.

“Then the girl is the original beneficiary.”

Naomi paused.

“That’s what the documents suggest.”

Varek looked at the bracelet again.

“Where is Isabel now?”

Nobody answered.

Then a voice came from behind them.

“She’s dead.”

They turned.

A man stood at the entrance.

It was Victor.

Varek raised his weapon.

“Don’t move.”

Victor lifted his hands.

“I’m not here to fight.”

“Where is Marcus?”

“Not far.”

“Where is Alistair?”

Victor shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

“Where is Helena?”

“With him.”

Varek stepped closer.

“And the girl?”

Victor looked at the empty bed.

“She’s been taken to the old family estate.”

“Why?”

“Because Alistair needs her blood to complete the transfer.”

Evelyn moved toward him.

“Who is she?”

Victor looked at her.

“Her name is Isabella.”

Varek frowned.

“Isabella Thorne?”

Victor nodded.

“She was named after Isabel. But she isn’t the only person Alistair has been hiding.”

Samuel stepped forward.

“What does that mean?”

Victor looked directly at him.

“It means the original beneficiary wasn’t one of the six children.”

Varek’s jaw tightened.

“Then who was it?”

Victor took a small envelope from his jacket.

“I found this in Helena’s room.”

He handed it to Varek.

Inside was an old photograph of Alistair holding a newborn baby.

The back carried a handwritten message.

MY FIRST CHILD. MY ONLY TRUE HEIR.

Varek turned the photograph over.

The baby’s name was written beneath it.

DANIEL THORNE.

Adrian stared at the picture.

“That’s the old man we found in the wheelchair.”

Victor shook his head.

“No. That’s another Daniel.”

Samuel looked confused.

“How many people have been given that name?”

“Enough to make sure nobody could identify the real one.”

Varek studied the photograph.

“Who was this child’s mother?”

Victor’s expression changed.

“Isabel Thorne.”

Evelyn looked at him.

“Then how can Alistair be the father?”

Victor was silent.

Finally, he answered.

“Because Isabel was never married to Jonathan.”

Varek’s eyes narrowed.

“Then who was Jonathan?”

Victor looked toward the corridor.

“Someone who died before any of us were born.”

A loud sound came from the hospital speakers.

Naomi’s voice broke through the earpiece.

“Varek! The Black Ledger has activated another transfer!”

The computer screen changed.

ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY: DANIEL THORNE.

SECONDARY BENEFICIARY: ISABELLA THORNE.

GUARDIAN AUTHORITY: ALISTAIR THORNE.

Samuel stepped backward.

“That’s impossible. The original beneficiary was supposed to be me.”

Naomi replied quickly.

“It looks like your identity was only a temporary access key.”

Varek looked at Victor.

“Why are you telling us this?”

Victor’s face became serious.

“Because Alistair isn’t trying to inherit the family fortune.”

“Then what does he want?”

Victor looked at the screen.

“He wants to bring his first child back into the world.”

Varek frowned.

“Daniel Thorne is dead.”

Victor shook his head.

“That’s what everyone believes.”

He reached into his jacket and removed a second photograph.

It showed a man sitting in a wheelchair.

The same man they had rescued from the parking area.

But this photograph was different.

The man was younger, his face unscarred.

Beneath it was a medical report.

PATIENT: DANIEL THORNE.

STATUS: CLINICALLY DECEASED.

REVIVAL PROTOCOL: SUCCESSFUL.

Varek looked up.

“Revival protocol?”

Victor nodded.

“Alistair has been keeping him alive through a private medical programme. The old man we found is only one version of him.”

Adrian shook his head.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Neither does anything else in this family.”

Victor stepped closer.

“The man in the wheelchair is not the only Daniel Thorne. The original Daniel died twenty-five years ago. Alistair has spent those years trying to recreate him.”

Samuel stared at the document.

“Why?”

Victor looked at him.

“Because the Black Ledger was created around Daniel’s biological identity. Alistair believes that if he can restore the original bloodline, he can reclaim everything.”

Varek lowered his weapon slightly.

“And Isabella?”

“She’s the key to completing the process.”

Evelyn’s voice trembled.

“Then why did you help Alistair take her?”

Victor looked at her.

“I didn’t.”

“You’re lying!”

“I brought you here because I wanted you to find the truth before he could finish.”

Varek studied his face.

“Then tell me where the estate is.”

Victor gave him an address.

Naomi immediately checked it.

“Varek, I found the property. It’s registered under a company owned by Alistair.”

“Can you locate anyone inside?”

“I’m trying.”

A new message appeared on the laptop.

FINAL TRANSFER: 15 MINUTES.

Varek turned toward Adrian.

“We’re going.”

Adrian nodded and held Daniel’s hand.

Evelyn looked at Grace.

“You’re coming with us.”

Grace hesitated.

Then she nodded.

Samuel picked up the storage drive.

Victor moved toward the exit.

But before Varek could follow, his phone rang.

The caller’s name appeared.

HELENA VALE.

He answered.

“Where is Isabella?”

Helena’s voice was shaking.

“Varek, don’t come to the estate.”

“Why?”

“Because Alistair is waiting for you.”

“Then he can wait.”

“No, you don’t understand. He has already chosen who will die when you arrive.”

Varek tightened his grip on the phone.

“Who?”

Helena began crying.

“Your brother.”

“Which brother?”

Her answer came in a whisper.

“Adrian.”

The call ended.

Varek slowly turned toward his ally.

Adrian was standing beside Daniel, completely unaware of what Helena had just said.

Then another message arrived on Varek’s phone.

It contained a photograph of Adrian’s son.

Daniel was sitting in a dark room.

Beside him was a handwritten note.

ONE CHILD FOR ONE HEIR.

And beneath it:

BRING VAREK TO THE ESTATE ALONE.