The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 77 — Bring the Children

The message remained on the computer screen.

BRING THE CHILDREN.

DO NOT BRING THEIR REPLACEMENTS.

Varek read it again.

Then he turned towards Jonathan.

“What does that mean?”

Jonathan looked exhausted.

“It means someone has opened the original family register.”

“Who?”

“The girl.”

Mary shook her head.

“She wouldn’t do this.”

Jonathan gave a bitter laugh.

“You still think your granddaughter is the innocent little girl you lost?”

Mary stepped towards him.

“She was six years old!”

“And she was already more dangerous than everyone in this room.”

Varek grabbed Jonathan by the front of his shirt.

“Stop speaking about her like she’s a weapon.”

Jonathan looked directly into his eyes.

“Then stop pretending you know what she is.”

Adrian pulled Varek away.

“We need to understand the message before we do anything.”

Varek released Jonathan.

“Who are the children?”

Jonathan looked towards Samuel.

“The original children. The ones who were assigned roles before the replacements were created.”

Matthew examined the computer.

“According to the register, there were four original children.”

“Four?” Victor asked.

Matthew nodded.

“The first Varek, Samuel, Matthew and Daniel.”

Adrian frowned.

“Where does that leave me?”

Jonathan answered.

“You were never one of the original four.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

“Then why am I listed as guardian of the original Daniel?”

“Because you were assigned to protect him.”

“By whom?”

Jonathan didn’t answer.

Varek turned towards Matthew.

“Find the original list.”

Matthew began typing.

The computer displayed several folders, most of them locked.

He opened the first one.

A document appeared.

ORIGINAL FAMILY ARRANGEMENT — FIRST GENERATION

1. VAREK — MEMORY SOURCE.

2. SAMUEL — MEMORY CARRIER.

3. MATTHEW — RECORD CONTROLLER.

4. DANIEL — INHERITANCE HOLDER.

Below the names were four photographs.

Varek stared at the first photograph.

It showed a little girl with braided hair.

The second showed a boy who looked like Samuel.

The third showed a child who looked like Matthew Cross.

The fourth photograph was damaged.

Only the child’s hand was visible.

But there was something familiar about the bracelet.

Adrian leaned closer.

“That’s the bracelet from the hospital.”

Matthew enlarged the image.

The name beneath it became visible.

DANIEL CROSS.

Adrian stepped backwards.

“That’s the boy I tried to save.”

Varek turned towards him.

“You’re certain?”

“I remember that bracelet. I remember holding his hand.”

“Then why did everyone say you were responsible for his death?”

Adrian’s expression became bitter.

“Because I was the last person they saw with him.”

Matthew opened another document.

It contained a transfer record.

ORIGINAL DANIEL CROSS.

TRANSFERRED TO: ADRIAN THORNE.

STATUS: PROTECTED.

REPLACEMENT IDENTITY: DANIEL THORNE.

Adrian stared at the screen.

“Replacement identity?”

Matthew nodded.

“Someone created another Daniel after the original was transferred.”

“Where is he?”

Matthew continued reading.

“His current identity is sealed.”

Varek looked towards Jonathan.

“You know where he is.”

Jonathan shook his head.

“I don’t.”

“You’re lying.”

“Believe whatever you want.”

A sudden noise came from the corridor.

Victor turned immediately.

“Someone’s coming.”

He raised his gun.

A woman stepped into the nursery.

It was Eleanor.

Varek stared at her.

“What are you doing here?”

Eleanor looked around the room.

Then her eyes settled on the computer.

“You found the message.”

Varek approached her.

“Did you know about the first Varek?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

“Did you know she was my sister?”

“Yes.”

Varek’s jaw tightened.

“And you never told me?”

“I was ordered not to.”

“By whom?”

Eleanor looked towards Jonathan.

“By him.”

Jonathan laughed.

“Don’t pretend you were only following orders, Eleanor.”

She turned towards him.

“At least I tried to save the children.”

“By taking one child and abandoning the others?”

Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.

“I was given one child. I couldn’t save everyone.”

Varek stepped closer.

“Why did you choose me?”

Eleanor looked at him.

“Because your mother begged me.”

“Isabella?”

She nodded.

“She knew they would come for you. She asked me to take you somewhere they would never think to look.”

Varek struggled to control his anger.

“Did she know I had a sister?”

“Yes.”

“Did she know the girl was alive?”

Eleanor hesitated.

“She believed she was.”

Varek looked towards Mary.

“Why didn’t anyone search for her?”

Mary wiped her face.

“I searched for years. Every hospital, every private facility, every orphanage. But the records kept changing.”

Eleanor looked at the computer.

“Because they wanted you to stop searching.”

Matthew turned towards her.

“Do you know where the girl is now?”

Eleanor nodded.

“At the old estate.”

Victor frowned.

“The Thorne estate?”

“Yes.”

Varek looked towards the door.

“Then we’re going there.”

Mary grabbed his arm.

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

“Because the message says to bring the children.”

Varek glanced at Samuel.

“We have him.”

Mary shook her head.

“He is not the only one.”

Matthew looked at the list again.

“Who else?”

Mary pointed at the four photographs.

“The original children.”

Varek counted the names.

“Samuel, Matthew, Daniel and the girl.”

Matthew looked at her.

“Then where is the original Matthew?”

A voice answered from behind them.

“Standing right here.”

Everyone turned.

The second Matthew had returned.

He was holding a small black case.

Victor raised his weapon.

“Put that down.”

The stranger smiled.

“I came to deliver something.”

Varek pointed his gun at him.

“Where have you been?”

“Preparing for the reunion.”

He placed the black case on the table.

Matthew Cross stared at him.

“What is inside?”

“The original identity records.”

“How did you get them?”

The stranger looked towards Jonathan.

“Your father gave them to me.”

Jonathan’s face changed.

“Don’t involve me in this.”

The stranger laughed.

“You always involve yourself when there’s something to inherit.”

He opened the case.

Inside were four hospital bracelets.

Each carried a name.

VAREK THORNE.

SAMUEL CROSS.

MATTHEW THORNE.

DANIEL CROSS.

Beneath them was a fifth bracelet.

It had no name.

Only a number.

ZERO.

Varek looked at the stranger.

“Why are there five?”

The second Matthew smiled.

“Because you have been counting the wrong children.”

He picked up the bracelet marked Zero.

“The original arrangement had four children. But there was another child who was never included in the inheritance.”

Mary stared at the bracelet.

“Where did you get that?”

The stranger ignored her.

He turned towards Varek.

“Subject Zero wasn’t the memory keeper. She was the reason the entire arrangement was created.”

Matthew Cross stepped closer.

“Who was Subject Zero?”

The stranger looked at the computer.

Then he answered.

“Your mother.”

Varek froze.

“Isabella?”

The stranger shook his head.

“Not the woman who gave birth to you.”

He looked towards Mary.

“Your mother was Subject Zero’s daughter.”

Mary’s face went pale.

Varek slowly turned towards her.

“Who was my mother?”

Mary opened her mouth.

But before she could answer, Samuel suddenly pointed towards the corridor.

“She’s here.”

A little girl stood at the entrance.

She wore a white dress and carried an old photograph.

Her face was exactly like the one Varek had seen in the glass.

She looked at him.

Then she smiled.

“Hello, little brother.”

Varek couldn’t move.

The girl walked towards him.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Mary rushed forward.

“My baby!”

The girl stepped away from her.

“Don’t call me that.”

Mary stopped.

The child looked at Varek again.

“My name is Varek.”

Varek swallowed.

“You’re my sister?”

The girl nodded.

“Yes.”

“How old are you?”

She smiled.

“Twenty-nine.”

Nobody spoke.

Varek stared at her.

She looked six years old.

But she claimed to be his age.

Then she raised the photograph.

It showed a newborn baby in a hospital bed.

Beside the baby was a woman whose face had been scratched out.

The girl pointed at the woman.

“That’s the person who gave birth to you.”

Varek stared at the photograph.

“Who is she?”

The girl leaned closer.

“Ask the woman who has been pretending to be your grandmother.”

Mary’s face crumpled.

The little girl smiled again.

“Because Mary Thorne is not my grandmother.”

She turned towards Eleanor.

“She’s my mother.”