The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 48 — One Child for One Heir

Varek stared at the photograph on his phone.

Daniel was sitting in a dark room, his small hands resting on his knees. His eyes were wide, and there was a bruise near his forehead.

Beside him was a handwritten note.

ONE CHILD FOR ONE HEIR.

Varek felt something tighten in his chest.

“Adrian.”

Adrian looked up.

“What is it?”

Varek turned the phone toward him.

For a moment, Adrian didn’t move.

Then he reached for the phone and enlarged the photograph.

“Daniel.”

His voice was barely audible.

“Where is he?” he demanded.

Varek took the phone back.

“Alistair wants me at the estate alone.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

“Then we’re going together.”

“That’s exactly what he wants to prevent.”

“He’s holding my son. You think I’m going to stand here while you walk into a trap?”

“Adrian, listen to me.”

“No. You listen to me. Daniel is the only person in this family who has never asked to be part of this inheritance war. He’s a child. I’m not leaving him there.”

Evelyn stepped between them.

“We need to think before we act. If Alistair expects Varek to come alone, he will have prepared for him. Sending everyone to the estate could put Daniel in greater danger.”

Samuel nodded.

“She’s right. We need another way in.”

Grace remained silent.

Varek turned toward her.

“You know something.”

She looked away.

“Grace.”

“Don’t ask me to help you.”

“That little boy is in danger.”

“I know.”

“Then tell us what Alistair is planning.”

Grace’s eyes filled with tears.

“He doesn’t want Daniel dead. Not yet.”

Adrian grabbed her arm.

“Then what does he want?”

Grace looked at him.

“He wants to use Daniel’s blood to activate the original beneficiary record.”

Samuel frowned.

“But Daniel is a child. What does he have to do with the Black Ledger?”

“His blood carries the marker Alistair has been searching for. The original Daniel Thorne carried the same marker.”

Varek studied her.

“Are you saying Adrian’s son is related to the original Daniel?”

Grace nodded slowly.

“That’s what Alistair believes.”

Adrian released her arm.

“Who are you people? What did you do to my son?”

Grace couldn’t answer.

Naomi’s voice interrupted them.

“I have something.”

Varek touched his earpiece.

“What?”

“I traced the photograph. It was taken inside a private property, but the background doesn’t match the estate address Victor gave us.”

Victor stepped closer.

“That’s impossible.”

“Apparently not. I compared the wall pattern, the floor tiles, and the window frame with the estate photographs. Daniel isn’t at the main house.”

“Where is he?” Adrian asked.

Naomi continued typing.

“There’s an underground medical facility beneath the property. It was built decades ago and doesn’t appear on the current building plans.”

Varek looked at Victor.

“You knew about this?”

Victor shook his head.

“I knew Alistair owned the estate. I didn’t know there was a medical facility underneath it.”

“Who built it?”

Grace answered.

“Isabel.”

Everyone turned toward her.

“Isabel Thorne built it,” she repeated. “She was a doctor before she disappeared. Alistair used the facility to conduct experiments on the children whose identities he changed.”

Evelyn stepped closer.

“Experiments?”

“Not the kind you’re imagining. He wanted to understand why certain children could activate the Trust while others couldn’t. He collected their blood samples, medical histories, and family records.”

Samuel looked at the bracelet in Varek’s hand.

“That’s why the identities were changed.”

Grace nodded.

“He needed to know which child belonged to which bloodline. But the more he changed the records, the harder it became to know who was who.”

Varek glanced at the bracelet.

“Isabel’s name keeps appearing. What happened to her?”

Grace hesitated.

“She died.”

“Victor said that already. But I want the truth.”

“She died giving birth.”

“To whom?”

Grace lowered her eyes.

“I don’t know.”

Varek stepped toward her.

“You were there.”

“I was a nurse. I saw many women give birth in that hospital.”

“You were in the photograph with Isabel.”

Grace’s face changed.

Evelyn noticed it.

“Mother, what are you hiding?”

Grace looked at her daughter.

“I was there when Isabel delivered her children.”

Samuel frowned.

“Children? How many?”

Grace took a shaky breath.

“Two.”

The room became silent.

“She had twins?” Varek asked.

Grace nodded.

“A boy and a girl. But only one child was officially registered.”

Evelyn looked at the bracelet.

“Jonathan Thorne Junior.”

“Yes.”

“Which child?”

“The boy.”

Varek held up the bracelet.

“Then why was a female child registered under his name?”

Grace looked at him.

“Because the girl was supposed to disappear.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“And the girl we found at the hospital?”

Grace nodded.

“She may be Isabel’s daughter.”

“May be?” Evelyn repeated.

“I never saw her again after that night. I don’t know whether the child survived.”

Varek looked at Victor.

“Isabella.”

Victor nodded.

“That’s the name Alistair used.”

Naomi spoke again.

“I’ve found the underground facility’s entrance.”

“Where?”

“Behind the old chapel on the estate grounds. There’s a maintenance tunnel connecting it to the main house.”

Varek checked the time.

“How long until the transfer?”

“Eleven minutes.”

Adrian moved toward the exit.

“We’re going.”

Varek stopped him.

“Adrian, Alistair wants me alone.”

“And I’m telling you that I’m coming.”

“Daniel is your weakness. He knows you’ll do anything to protect him.”

“Then he should have thought about that before taking my son.”

Varek held his gaze.

“I’m not asking you to abandon him. I’m asking you to let us get Daniel out without giving Alistair another hostage.”

Adrian looked at the photograph again.

Finally, he nodded.

“Fine. But I’m not staying behind.”

Varek turned to Naomi.

“Can you access the estate’s security system?”

“I’m trying. But the system is offline.”

“Find another route.”

“I found something else. There’s a medical terminal beneath the chapel. It has an independent power source. If I can connect to it, I may be able to unlock the facility doors.”

Samuel stepped forward.

“I can help.”

Naomi paused.

“Your fingerprint may work. The original beneficiary access is still connected to the old medical terminal.”

Samuel looked uncomfortable.

“Then let’s use it.”

They left the hospital together.

Victor led them toward the estate while Naomi guided them through the earpiece. Grace remained beside Evelyn, but Varek noticed she kept looking at the bracelet in his hand.

He finally turned to her.

“Why are you afraid of that bracelet?”

Grace swallowed.

“Because I know what happened to the child who wore it.”

Varek stopped walking.

“What?”

Grace looked at him.

“That bracelet was not made for the girl you saw in the hospital.”

“Then who wore it?”

She looked at the name again.

“Jonathan Thorne Junior.”

“Who was he?”

Grace’s voice dropped.

“He was Isabel’s son. The boy who was supposed to inherit everything.”

Samuel looked confused.

“But Victor said the original Daniel was Alistair’s first child.”

“Victor doesn’t know everything.”

Varek stepped closer.

“Then tell us.”

Grace looked toward the estate.

“Jonathan Thorne Junior wasn’t the boy Alistair wanted to inherit. He was the boy Alistair wanted to erase.”

Before Varek could question her, Naomi interrupted.

“Everyone, stop.”

They froze.

“What happened?” Varek asked.

“I’ve accessed the medical terminal.”

“Can you open the doors?”

“Not yet. There’s a live video feed.”

“Show me.”

A small image appeared on Varek’s phone.

Daniel was sitting on a chair inside a white room.

A woman stood behind him.

She wore a hospital gown, and her dark hair fell over her shoulders.

Varek leaned closer.

It was the missing girl.

She placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder and looked directly into the camera.

“Varek,” she said.

His breath caught.

The girl moved closer to the screen.

“Don’t come looking for me.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Daniel! Can you hear me?”

The little boy lifted his head.

“Daddy?”

Adrian nearly dropped the phone.

“I’m here, son. I’m coming.”

But the girl shook her head.

“Your son is safe for now. But if you enter this facility, Alistair will kill him.”

Varek narrowed his eyes.

“Who are you?”

She stared at him for several seconds.

Then she answered.

“My name is Isabella Thorne.”

Grace covered her mouth.

Isabella continued.

“And I know why everyone has been searching for the sixth child.”

Varek moved closer to the screen.

“Who is the sixth child?”

The girl looked at Samuel.

Then she looked at Varek.

Finally, she spoke.

“The sixth child isn’t me.”

She lifted Daniel’s hand and placed it against the camera.

“It’s him.”

The screen went black.

And somewhere beneath the estate, a door began to unlock.