The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 51 — The Man Who Sold His Son

Adrian couldn’t move.

Daniel’s little arms were wrapped around his neck, but the words coming from the boy’s mouth seemed to have pushed him into another world.

“Before you became my daddy, you were the man who gave me to him.”

Adrian looked into his son’s frightened eyes.

“Daniel, listen to me. I have never given you to anyone.”

The boy shook his head.

“You were wearing a black coat. You carried me into a big room. There was a woman crying.”

Adrian swallowed.

“Who was the woman?”

Daniel pointed toward Helena.

“Her.”

Everyone turned.

Helena stood beside the medical equipment, her face pale.

Adrian slowly looked at her.

“What is he talking about?”

Helena said nothing.

Alistair laughed softly.

“Perhaps you should ask your mother.”

Adrian’s grip tightened around Daniel.

“Stop playing games.”

“Games?” Alistair stepped closer. “You want to know why this boy was placed in your care? You want to know why you were given a new name, a new identity, and a family that never truly belonged to you?”

Varek raised his weapon.

“One more step and I’ll shoot.”

Alistair stopped.

“You still think a gun can solve what your family created.”

“Try me.”

Alistair looked at Adrian.

“Twenty-five years ago, you were given a task. You were supposed to protect a child. Instead, you delivered him to the wrong people.”

Adrian shook his head.

“I wasn’t even born twenty-five years ago.”

“Not you as Adrian.”

Alistair smiled.

“Damian Mercer.”

Miriam entered the chamber behind Varek.

“That’s enough, Alistair.”

He turned.

“Doctor Cole. Still pretending to be innocent?”

“I know what you did.”

“Then tell them.”

Miriam looked at Adrian.

“Your original identity was Damian Mercer. You were brought to St. Catherine’s as a child after your mother disappeared. You were raised under the protection of Richard Thorne.”

Adrian frowned.

“That is already in the records.”

“Yes. But those records are incomplete. Richard didn’t simply raise you. He trained you to carry out assignments for the family.”

“Assignments?”

Miriam nodded.

“When you were old enough, you were given responsibility for a child. That child was Daniel.”

Adrian stared at her.

“How old was I?”

“Sixteen.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Your birth records were changed. You were older than the official documents claimed.”

Samuel stepped into the chamber.

“Are you saying Adrian was sixteen when Daniel was born?”

Miriam nodded.

“And the child was not originally called Daniel.”

Adrian looked down at the little boy.

“Then what was his name?”

Miriam hesitated.

“Jonathan.”

Alistair smiled.

“Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Varek moved closer.

“Why did you give Adrian the child?”

Alistair looked at him.

“Because Adrian was useful. He had no confirmed place in the family structure, no inheritance claim, and no one who could question his movements. He was the perfect guardian.”

“Then why did Daniel say Adrian handed him over?”

“Because he did.”

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

Alistair continued.

“Richard ordered him to deliver the child to a private medical facility. Adrian obeyed. He was told the child would receive treatment and protection.”

Adrian’s face tightened.

“I don’t remember that.”

“Of course you don’t. Your memories were altered after the incident.”

Miriam stepped forward.

“Alistair, you are leaving out an important detail.”

He glanced at her.

“Which one?”

“Adrian was not the person who handed the child over.”

Silence filled the chamber.

Alistair’s smile disappeared.

Miriam opened the medical file she had been carrying.

“The transfer document was signed by someone else.”

She placed it on the table.

Varek examined the signature.

It belonged to Richard Thorne.

Adrian stared at it.

“Then why does Daniel remember me?”

Miriam looked at the boy.

“Because you were there. You tried to stop the transfer.”

Daniel lifted his head.

“Daddy?”

Adrian looked at him.

“You remember me?”

Daniel nodded.

“You were crying.”

Adrian’s expression broke.

“What?”

“You said you didn’t want to leave me there. Then the big man shouted at you.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

A strange image flashed through his mind.

A narrow hallway.

A crying child.

A woman standing near a metal door.

Someone shouting his name.

Then darkness.

He opened his eyes.

“Richard.”

Miriam nodded.

“Your memory is beginning to return.”

Alistair suddenly moved toward the control panel.

Varek raised his weapon.

“Don’t!”

But Alistair pressed a button.

The chamber doors began closing.

Miriam rushed toward the controls.

“He’s activating the emergency lock!”

Naomi’s voice came through the earpiece.

“Varek, the system is shutting down. You have less than a minute before the entire facility locks.”

Samuel ran toward the control panel.

“Tell me what to do!”

“Find the red switch beneath the second monitor!”

Samuel dropped to his knees and reached underneath the desk.

Evelyn grabbed Daniel’s medical equipment and pulled it away from the bed.

Adrian held his son tightly.

Varek moved toward Alistair.

“You’re not leaving this place.”

Alistair drew a small pistol from inside his jacket.

Varek fired first.

The bullet struck the control panel beside Alistair.

Sparks burst across the wall.

Alistair ducked behind the equipment.

Helena screamed.

“Stop! You’ll destroy everything!”

Varek moved toward her.

“Where is Isabella?”

Helena stared at him.

“She’s not here.”

“Where is she?”

“Alistair moved her before the transfer began.”

“To where?”

Helena looked toward the floor.

“The old cemetery.”

Varek frowned.

“Why would you take her to a cemetery?”

Helena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Because that’s where her mother was buried.”

Before Varek could question her, Samuel pulled the red switch.

The emergency lights flashed.

The doors stopped closing.

Naomi shouted through the earpiece.

“Access restored! Get out now!”

Adrian carried Daniel toward the corridor.

Varek grabbed Helena’s arm.

“You’re coming with us.”

She struggled.

“Let me go!”

“Not until you tell me everything.”

Alistair emerged from behind the equipment.

He was bleeding from his forehead, but he still held the gun.

“Helena!”

She turned.

“Don’t listen to him,” Alistair ordered.

Helena looked at him.

“You promised me.”

“I kept my promise.”

“You promised Isabella would live.”

Alistair raised his weapon.

“And she will, provided you stop talking.”

Varek pulled Helena behind him.

“Tell me where the cemetery is.”

She looked directly into his eyes.

“Not the cemetery you know. There’s another one beneath the old family chapel.”

Miriam went pale.

“That’s impossible. The chapel was sealed after the fire.”

Helena shook her head.

“The fire never destroyed the lower level.”

Varek looked at her.

“What’s buried there?”

Helena’s voice trembled.

“Nothing.”

She swallowed.

“That’s why Alistair chose it.”

⸻

They escaped the underground facility through the maintenance tunnel.

Alistair did not follow.

Naomi confirmed that the main security system had been temporarily disabled, but she warned them that the estate’s external cameras were still active.

Adrian refused to release Daniel.

The little boy had fallen asleep against his shoulder.

Evelyn walked beside them, holding the medical file Miriam had taken from the control room.

Samuel remained quiet.

He had spent years believing Matthew had protected him because he was special. Now he wasn’t sure whether he had been protected or simply stored for a purpose.

Varek stopped beside the vehicle.

“Helena, tell me something.”

She looked at him.

“Why did Alistair order you to exchange me with Jonathan’s son?”

Helena lowered her eyes.

“Because Jonathan’s son was the original heir.”

“Which son?”

“The first one.”

Varek’s jaw tightened.

“And who was I?”

Helena looked at him for a long moment.

“You were the child I was supposed to keep.”

Grace suddenly stepped forward.

“She’s lying.”

Helena turned sharply.

“Be quiet, Grace.”

“No. You’ve lied enough.”

Varek looked between them.

“What is she talking about?”

Grace took the bloodstained bracelet from his hand.

She turned it over and pressed a small metal section near the clasp.

A hidden piece opened.

Inside was a tiny folded strip of paper.

Varek unfolded it.

There was only one sentence.

IF THIS CHILD IS FOUND, DO NOT RETURN HIM TO HELENA VALE.

Beneath the message was a signature.

ISABEL THORNE.

Varek stared at the handwriting.

“Who was Isabel warning us about?”

Grace looked at Helena.

“She wasn’t warning them about Helena.”

She turned toward Varek.

“She was warning them about the person who took the child from Isabel’s arms.”

Varek looked at the signature again.

“Who?”

Grace’s answer came quietly.

“Your mother.”

Before Varek could respond, Naomi called.

“Varek, I found something in the cemetery records.”

“What?”

“There are two graves registered under Isabel Thorne’s name.”

Varek frowned.

“Two?”

“Yes. One contains her remains.”

Naomi paused.

“The other has a burial date from twenty-five years ago, but the body was never identified.”

Varek looked at Helena.

“Who is buried there?”

Helena began to cry.

Then she whispered:

“Your mother.”

Varek’s phone rang.

An unknown number.

He answered.

A woman’s voice came through.

“Varek, if Helena has told you that I am dead, don’t believe her.”

His entire body went still.

“Who is this?”

The woman took a shaky breath.

“My name is Isabel Thorne.”

And then she said something that made Varek’s blood run cold.

“Stop looking for your mother. She’s standing right beside you.”