The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 93 — The Father Who Shot His Own Blood

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Richard’s voice continued echoing through the maternity ward.

“Your real father is the man who just shot Isabella.”

Varek slowly turned towards the corridor.

Lucian.

The man who had entered the room wearing Jonathan’s face.

The man who had shot Isabella.

The man who had escaped.

“Samuel,” Varek said quietly. “Who is Lucian?”

Samuel looked uncomfortable.

“I thought he was dead.”

“Stop saying that. Tell me who he is.”

Samuel glanced at the little girl.

“He was recorded as the fifth child. But his identity was transferred before he could grow up. Someone took his name, his records and his place in the family.”

Adrian frowned.

“Richard said the man who shot Isabella is our father.”

Samuel nodded.

“That’s what the system has been trying to hide.”

Varek shook his head.

“You’re telling me the man who has been manipulating this family is my father?”

“No. I’m telling you that the man who shot Isabella is connected to your biological father. Richard may be using the truth to make you believe something else.”

Varek looked towards the computer.

“Can we identify him?”

Samuel entered a command.

The screen displayed several photographs.

One showed Eleanor holding two newborn babies.

Another showed a young man standing beside her.

The man’s face was partially covered by a black mark.

Samuel enlarged the photograph.

Varek stared.

He recognized the eyes.

He had seen them before.

In his own childhood photographs.

And in the face of the man who had raised him.

“That’s not Richard,” Adrian said.

Samuel shook his head.

“No.”

“Then who is he?”

Samuel entered another command.

A name appeared.

BIOLOGICAL FATHER: MATTHEW THORNE.

Varek stepped backwards.

“Matthew?”

Adrian looked at him.

“Which Matthew?”

Samuel’s fingers stopped moving.

“The original Matthew Thorne.”

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi was struggling to process what she had just heard.

“You’re saying Jonathan Thorne is my father?”

The woman nodded.

“Yes.”

“But the woman in the maternity ward said Isabella was my mother.”

“She was.”

Naomi shook her head.

“Then why did she say there were three Isabellas?”

“Because three women carried that identity. One gave birth to you. One raised you. The third was used to replace the first.”

Evelyn looked at the woman.

“Which one are you?”

The woman gave a tired smile.

“I’m the woman who gave birth to Naomi Thorne.”

Naomi stared at her.

“Then why don’t I recognize you?”

“Because you were taken away when you were still a baby.”

“Who took me?”

The woman looked towards the photograph.

“Mary.”

Naomi’s voice became shaky.

“Mary raised me?”

“No. Mary arranged for you to be raised by another woman. She needed you to grow up with a different identity.”

Naomi looked at the pendant.

“Why?”

“Because your birth gave her access to something she could never control.”

“What?”

The woman leaned closer.

“The seventh compartment.”

Evelyn folded her arms.

“What’s inside it?”

The woman looked at Naomi.

“Seven original birth records. The real names of every child. And the ownership documents that prove who inherited the Thorne estate.”

Naomi frowned.

“Why would Mary need all that?”

“Because she wasn’t trying to protect the family.”

The woman paused.

“She was trying to become its owner.”

A loud bang came from the entrance.

Evelyn immediately raised her weapon.

Richard’s voice came through the speakers.

“Naomi, don’t believe that woman.”

The younger Isabella turned towards the camera.

“Still pretending to be the hero, Richard?”

There was silence.

Then Richard answered.

“You should have stayed dead.”

Naomi looked between them.

“You know each other?”

The woman nodded.

“Richard was the first person who helped Mary steal the children’s identities.”

Naomi felt sick.

“Why?”

“Because he believed the Black Ledger would make him powerful enough to control the entire family.”

Richard laughed through the speakers.

“Tell her the rest.”

The woman stiffened.

“Tell her what?”

“Tell her who you really gave birth to.”

Naomi looked at her.

The woman lowered her eyes.

Richard continued.

“Tell her about the boy you left in the nursery.”

⸻

In the maternity ward, Varek was still staring at Matthew Thorne’s photograph.

Adrian approached the screen.

“Isn’t Matthew the man who was declared dead twenty-eight years ago?”

Samuel nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then how can he be our father?”

“Because the death certificate was created before the body was found.”

Varek looked at him.

“Another false death record?”

“Exactly.”

Samuel opened another file.

It contained a hospital photograph of a man lying on a bed.

His face was partly hidden, but his left hand was visible.

There was a mark beneath his thumb.

Varek’s breathing changed.

He looked at his own hand.

The same mark.

Adrian noticed.

“What’s that?”

Samuel enlarged the photograph.

“Matthew had the same mark.”

Varek shook his head.

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

“No. But this might.”

Samuel opened the attached medical report.

PATERNITY TEST — ORIGINAL SAMPLE.

CHILD ONE: LUCIAN THORNE.

CHILD TWO: FEMALE SUBJECT FOUR.

BIOLOGICAL FATHER: MATTHEW THORNE.

Varek stared at the result.

“So Lucian and the little girl are my father’s children.”

Samuel nodded.

“And you.”

Varek looked towards the little girl.

She was still holding Isabella’s hand.

“Then why did the system call me Lucian?”

“Because your original identity was transferred.”

Adrian looked confused.

“Who is the man calling himself Lucian?”

Samuel closed the file.

“Someone who was given the name after the original Lucian disappeared.”

Adrian frowned.

“Was he another child?”

Samuel nodded.

“Yes.”

“How many children are there?”

Samuel looked at the computer.

“More than the family has admitted.”

Suddenly, the little girl spoke.

“Samuel?”

He turned.

“Yes?”

“Where is the other boy?”

Samuel froze.

“What other boy?”

“The one who used to sleep beside me.”

Varek crouched beside her.

“Do you remember his name?”

She nodded.

“Matthew.”

Samuel’s face went pale.

Adrian stared at him.

“Matthew Cross?”

The girl shook her head.

“No. The other Matthew.”

Samuel slowly looked towards the screen.

A hidden file had appeared.

SUBJECT EIGHT — STATUS: ACTIVE.

CURRENT LOCATION: UNKNOWN.

IDENTITY: MATTHEW THORNE.

Varek stepped closer.

“There’s an eighth child?”

Samuel whispered, “There was never supposed to be.”

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi was waiting for the younger Isabella to answer Richard.

The woman finally spoke.

“I gave birth to two children.”

Naomi stared.

“Who were they?”

The woman looked at her.

“You and a boy.”

Naomi’s lips parted.

“I have a brother?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

The woman closed her eyes.

“He was taken before you.”

Richard interrupted.

“Tell her his name.”

The woman shook her head.

“Don’t.”

“Tell her!”

Naomi stepped closer.

“Who is my brother?”

The woman looked at her with tears in her eyes.

“His name is Adrian.”

Naomi stopped breathing.

Evelyn looked at her.

“Adrian Thorne?”

The woman nodded.

Naomi shook her head.

“No. Adrian is my partner. He’s Daniel’s father.”

“That is the identity they gave him.”

Naomi took a step backwards.

“You’re saying Adrian is my biological brother?”

The woman reached for her hand.

“Yes.”

Naomi pulled away.

“No. That’s impossible.”

Richard’s voice returned.

“Now you understand why I needed you separated.”

Naomi looked at the screen.

“What did you do to us?”

Richard laughed.

“Nothing you haven’t already done to yourselves.”

Then the security system suddenly shut down.

Every camera went black.

Evelyn grabbed Naomi’s arm.

“We need to move. Now.”

But before they could reach the safe room, someone opened the main entrance.

A young man walked inside.

He looked almost exactly like Adrian.

He held up both hands.

“Don’t shoot.”

Naomi stared at him.

“Who are you?”

The stranger looked at her.

Then he smiled.

“Hello, little sister.”

He placed a photograph on the table.

It showed two newborn babies.

One had a hospital bracelet marked ADRIAN.

The other had a bracelet marked NAOMI.

But beneath both names was the same handwritten note:

BORN FROM THE SAME MOTHER.

The stranger looked directly at Naomi.

“There’s something else you need to know.”

He paused.

“Daniel Cross is not Adrian’s first child.”

Naomi’s face went pale.

The stranger smiled.

“He’s mine.”