The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 85 — The Grandmother’s Secret

Richard’s words hung in the corridor.

“Your grandmother.”

Varek stared at Isabella.

“Who is he talking about?”

Isabella’s lips trembled.

“Richard, put the gun down.”

“Answer him.”

“Not here.”

Richard laughed.

“You still think you can protect them with silence?”

Adrian raised his weapon.

“Move away from her.”

Richard glanced at him.

“Careful, Daniel. You have spent your entire life searching for your identity. Don’t ruin the moment when you’re finally about to discover it.”

“My name is Adrian.”

“That’s what they called you.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

Richard turned towards Varek.

“And you. You have been asking who gave birth to you. Perhaps you should stop looking at the women who raised you and start looking at the woman who created this entire family.”

Varek looked at Isabella.

“Tell me the truth.”

She closed her eyes.

“Your grandmother’s name was Eleanor Thorne.”

Varek frowned.

“Eleanor?”

Behind him, the little girl stepped forward.

“That’s not true.”

Richard smiled.

“Of course she would say that. She has been trained to reject anything that threatens the story she was given.”

The girl looked at Isabella.

“Grandmother?”

Isabella nodded slowly.

“Yes, my child.”

The girl stepped backwards.

“But Eleanor said she was my mother.”

“She raised you. She was not the woman who gave birth to you.”

Varek felt his head begin to ache.

“Then who was Eleanor?”

Isabella looked at him.

“She was my daughter.”

The silence that followed was heavy.

Varek stared at her.

“You’re saying Eleanor was your daughter, and she gave birth to me and my twin?”

“Yes.”

“But Richard just said our grandmother gave birth to all six children.”

Isabella looked down.

“Because Eleanor was not my only daughter.”

Richard interrupted.

“She had another daughter. A daughter whose identity was removed from every family record.”

Varek turned towards him.

“Who?”

Richard’s smile widened.

“Your real mother.”

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi was pacing around the room.

She had tried calling Varek several times, but none of the calls connected.

Evelyn stood near the entrance while Isabella’s old letter lay open on the table.

Daniel was sitting quietly on the sofa.

“Mummy?”

Naomi turned.

“Yes, baby?”

“Can I see the picture again?”

She hesitated before picking up the photograph.

Daniel pointed at the woman standing behind the two little boys.

“That’s her.”

“Who?”

“The woman who came to my room.”

Naomi examined the photograph.

The woman was standing at the far end, partly hidden by a curtain.

Her face was difficult to see.

“Are you sure?”

Daniel nodded.

“She told me not to be scared.”

Naomi felt a chill.

“What else did she say?”

Daniel looked down.

“She said she was waiting for me.”

Evelyn approached them.

“Naomi, I think we should move.”

Before Naomi could respond, the security alarm sounded.

Isabella rushed towards the control panel.

“Someone has entered the compound.”

Evelyn immediately took out her weapon.

“How many?”

“Two.”

“Where?”

“At the main entrance.”

Naomi lifted Daniel into her arms.

“Is there another exit?”

“Yes. But we need to move quickly.”

They headed towards the back corridor.

Just as Evelyn opened the emergency door, the lights went out.

A man’s voice came from the darkness.

“Nobody needs to run.”

Evelyn raised her weapon.

“Show yourself.”

A small light came on.

A man stood at the end of the corridor.

He wore a dark jacket and held his hands where they could be seen.

Naomi recognised his face.

It was the same man from Daniel’s bedroom.

The man who had called himself Daniel.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

He looked at the little boy in her arms.

“Hello, Daniel.”

The child buried his face against Naomi’s shoulder.

Evelyn kept her weapon raised.

“Stay where you are.”

The man sighed.

“I’m not here to hurt him.”

“Then leave.”

“I can’t.”

He looked at Naomi.

“Your mother asked me to bring the boy home.”

Naomi shook her head.

“My mother is dead.”

The man gave a sad smile.

“That’s what they told you.”

⸻

In the underground corridor, Richard lowered his gun slightly.

“Do you know why Naomi was given the surname Cross?”

Varek said nothing.

“Because the Thorne family had already used the name Naomi. They needed another identity for the child who carried the original records.”

Isabella looked at him.

“Stop.”

Richard ignored her.

“Naomi’s mother was not the woman who raised her. She was placed with another family after the original transfer.”

Varek’s thoughts raced.

“Are you saying the woman in the photograph was Naomi’s mother?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did the record call her the original guardian?”

“Because she was both a child and a guardian at different stages of the arrangement.”

Adrian frowned.

“That makes no sense.”

Richard smiled.

“That’s because you still believe the records follow time in a straight line.”

Matthew’s voice came from behind them.

“He’s talking about the identity transfer.”

Everyone turned.

Matthew had entered the corridor.

Victor followed him.

Matthew looked at the computer display on the wall.

“The system didn’t simply change names. It assigned the identity of one person to another. Some records were created years after the events they claimed to describe.”

Varek looked at him.

“So the photograph could be real, but the date could be false?”

“Exactly.”

Richard laughed.

“You’re getting closer.”

Adrian moved towards him.

“Where is the other child?”

Richard’s expression changed.

“Which one?”

“The second Daniel.”

Richard glanced towards the little girl.

“Ask your brother.”

Varek turned towards her.

She was staring at Richard with fear in her eyes.

“Do you know where he is?”

The girl nodded.

“He’s not in the hospital.”

“Where is he?”

She slowly pointed towards the floor.

“Under us.”

Jonathan, who was still lying wounded near the door, lifted his head.

“No.”

Varek looked down the corridor.

“What’s beneath this level?”

Isabella answered quietly.

“The original maternity ward.”

Richard smiled.

“And the woman who gave birth to the six children is waiting there.”

⸻

At the secure location, the stranger lowered his hands.

“My name is Daniel Thorne.”

Naomi stared at him.

“That’s impossible.”

He looked at the little boy.

“Not all of us were given the same chance to grow up.”

Evelyn moved closer to Naomi.

“You’re not taking him anywhere.”

Daniel Thorne shook his head.

“I’m not here for the boy.”

“Then why are you here?”

He looked at Naomi.

“Because you’re the only person who can tell me where my mother is.”

Naomi frowned.

“Your mother?”

He nodded.

“Isabella Thorne.”

Naomi looked towards the photograph in her hand.

Then she noticed something she had missed before.

The woman standing behind the two boys was wearing the same necklace Naomi had found in her mother’s belongings.

But the pendant was different.

It had the number six engraved on it.

Daniel Thorne followed her gaze.

“Where did you get that?”

Naomi touched the pendant around her neck.

“It belonged to my mother.”

The stranger’s expression changed.

“Then you have been carrying the key all along.”

Naomi stepped backwards.

“What key?”

He pointed towards her necklace.

“The key to the original maternity ward.”

Before Naomi could respond, her phone rang.

Varek.

She answered immediately.

“Varek!”

His voice came through, urgent and strained.

“Naomi, don’t give anyone your necklace.”

She looked at Daniel Thorne.

“Someone is here. He says he’s Daniel Thorne.”

There was a brief silence.

Then Varek spoke.

“Don’t let him leave.”

Daniel Thorne smiled.

“Tell Varek I said hello.”

Naomi’s eyes widened.

Varek heard him.

“Naomi, get away from him!”

But before she could move, Daniel Thorne reached into his jacket and pulled out a photograph.

It showed a woman holding six newborn babies.

On the back were five names and one sentence.

THE SIXTH CHILD WAS NEVER THE LAST.

Naomi stared at the photograph.

Then Daniel Thorne whispered:

“There’s a seventh child, and she’s the one who raised you.”