The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 86 — The Seventh Child

Naomi stared at the photograph in Daniel Thorne’s hand.

Six newborn babies.

Six names.

And one sentence that made her blood run cold.

THE SIXTH CHILD WAS NEVER THE LAST.

“Who raised me?” she asked.

Daniel Thorne looked at her for a long moment.

“Your grandmother.”

Naomi shook her head.

“My grandmother died when I was young.”

“Did you see her body?”

Naomi opened her mouth but couldn’t answer.

She remembered the funeral. She remembered the black clothes, the crying relatives and the long journey home.

But she had never seen her grandmother’s face after she died.

Her mother had told her that she passed away in the hospital.

“You’re lying,” Naomi whispered.

Daniel shook his head.

“Your mother didn’t tell you everything because she wanted you to have a normal life.”

Evelyn stepped forward.

“Who is this grandmother you’re talking about?”

Daniel looked at her.

“The woman who raised Naomi’s mother. The woman who knew about the six children before any of them were born.”

Naomi held her necklace.

“Give me a name.”

Daniel’s expression became serious.

“Mary Thorne.”

Naomi looked towards the photograph.

“Mary?”

“Yes.”

“She’s Varek’s grandmother.”

Daniel shook his head.

“That’s the identity she uses now.”

Naomi stepped backwards.

“You’re saying Mary raised my mother?”

“She raised more than your mother.”

He pointed at the photograph.

“She was responsible for the seventh child.”

Evelyn raised her weapon.

“Where is this seventh child?”

Daniel looked towards Naomi.

“Standing in front of me.”

Naomi froze.

“What?”

“You’re the seventh child, Naomi.”

⸻

Inside the underground facility, Varek was still trying to understand what the girl had revealed.

“You’re saying the second Daniel is beneath us?”

The little girl nodded.

“He’s in the old maternity ward.”

Adrian looked at Richard.

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

Richard smiled.

“Because I wanted you to find him yourself.”

“Why?”

“Because the moment you see him, you’ll understand why I needed you to believe you were the only Daniel.”

Adrian stepped towards him.

“Open the maternity ward.”

Richard shook his head.

“You don’t give orders here.”

Varek raised his weapon.

“Then I’ll make you.”

Richard looked at him.

“Go ahead. But remember, if you kill me, you’ll never know which of the children is your real family.”

Varek lowered his weapon slightly.

Richard smiled.

“That’s better.”

Matthew moved towards the computer.

“I can open the lower level, but I need access to the original register.”

Jonathan struggled to sit up.

“Use my access.”

Matthew looked at him.

“You don’t have access anymore.”

“I built the first system.”

“And you helped destroy it.”

Jonathan looked at Varek.

“Listen to me. There’s something you need to know about the woman beneath the chapel.”

Varek turned.

“Isabella?”

Jonathan shook his head.

“She isn’t the only woman who was buried.”

A strange silence followed.

Adrian frowned.

“Who else?”

Jonathan looked towards Mary.

“Her.”

Mary stiffened.

“What are you talking about?”

Jonathan swallowed.

“The original Mary Thorne was buried beneath the chapel. The woman you’ve known as Mary is her replacement.”

Varek looked at the elderly woman.

“Is that true?”

Mary’s eyes filled with tears.

“I never wanted to take her name.”

Jonathan continued.

“She was the first Subject Zero. The original mother of the system.”

The little girl suddenly screamed.

“Stop calling her that!”

Everyone turned.

She pointed at Mary.

“She’s not the original Mary. She’s my grandmother.”

Mary covered her face.

For the first time, Varek understood that the names in the records were not merely mistakes.

They were weapons.

People had been forced to live under identities that belonged to others.

And some had been buried without anyone knowing who they really were.

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi struggled to speak.

“You’re saying I’m the seventh child?”

Daniel nodded.

“Your mother knew.”

“Then why did she let me grow up believing I was ordinary?”

“Because she wanted you to remain outside the system.”

Naomi looked at Evelyn.

“This is madness.”

Evelyn didn’t lower her weapon.

“Who gave birth to her?”

Daniel looked at Naomi.

“That’s the question you should be asking.”

Naomi felt tears gathering in her eyes.

“Who is my mother?”

Daniel answered quietly.

“Isabella Thorne.”

Naomi shook her head.

“My mother was Isabella Cross.”

“That was the name she used after leaving the family.”

“Where is she now?”

Daniel looked down.

“I don’t know.”

Naomi’s voice broke.

“You came here claiming to know everything. You told me she was alive, and now you say you don’t know where she is?”

“I know where she was last seen.”

“Where?”

He pointed towards Naomi’s necklace.

“Inside the original maternity ward.”

Evelyn moved closer.

“Why does she need that necklace?”

“Because it opens the seventh compartment.”

Naomi looked at the pendant.

“What is inside?”

Daniel’s expression darkened.

“The original birth records. The names of every child. And the identity of the person who ordered the transfers.”

Naomi slowly removed the necklace.

Before she could hand it over, Evelyn caught her wrist.

“Don’t.”

Daniel sighed.

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”

Evelyn raised her weapon.

“Step away from her.”

Daniel didn’t move.

Then Daniel Cross, who had been watching quietly, spoke.

“Mummy?”

Naomi turned towards him.

“Yes, baby?”

He pointed at Daniel Thorne.

“That’s not the man who came to my room.”

Naomi’s eyes widened.

“What?”

Daniel Cross shook his head.

“The man who came before looked like him, but he had a different face.”

Evelyn immediately turned towards the stranger.

“Who sent you?”

Daniel Thorne smiled.

“Someone who doesn’t want Naomi to find the seventh compartment.”

A sharp sound came from the entrance.

Then the lights went out.

⸻

In the underground facility, Matthew finally opened the lower access.

A staircase appeared behind the computer wall.

Cold air rushed into the nursery.

Adrian picked up a torch.

“Let’s go.”

Varek turned towards the little girl.

“Stay with Jonathan.”

She shook her head.

“I’m coming.”

“You need to be safe.”

“I’ve spent twenty-nine years being kept away from everything. I’m not staying behind again.”

Varek looked at her.

Then he nodded.

“Stay beside me.”

They descended the staircase.

At the bottom was a large medical room with several glass chambers.

Most were empty.

One contained a small hospital bed.

A child was lying on it.

Adrian approached slowly.

“Daniel?”

The child opened his eyes.

He looked exactly like Adrian at that age.

But there was something else.

A small mark beneath his left thumb.

Varek stepped closer.

The child stared at him.

Then he whispered:

“You’re late.”

Adrian’s eyes filled with tears.

“Who are you?”

The child looked towards him.

“I’m Daniel.”

Adrian swallowed.

“I’m Adrian.”

The boy shook his head.

“No. You’re the other one.”

Before anyone could ask what he meant, the child pointed towards a door behind the glass chamber.

“She’s waiting.”

Varek turned towards the door.

“Who?”

The child smiled.

“The woman who gave birth to all of us.”

A lock clicked.

The door slowly opened.

And a woman stepped into the light.

She looked exactly like Naomi.

But unlike the woman in the old photograph, this one was older.

Her eyes moved across the room before settling on Varek.

Then she spoke.

“Which one of you is my son?”

Nobody answered.

The little girl began to cry.

“Mother.”

The woman looked at her.

For a moment, her face softened.

Then her expression changed.

“Why is she still alive?”

Varek stepped in front of his twin.

“Don’t come near her.”

The woman looked at him coldly.

“Then you should ask your grandmother why she switched the babies.”

She turned towards Adrian.

“And you should ask Richard why he gave you a dead boy’s name.”

Finally, she looked directly at the little girl.

“Because the child standing beside Varek is not my daughter.”

The woman smiled faintly.

“My daughter died twenty-nine years ago.”