The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 95 — The Eighth Child Speaks

“Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you?”

Daniel’s voice was different.

Naomi stared at her son.

The little boy who had spent his life asking for bedtime stories and holding her hand was now looking at Matthew with an expression she had never seen before.

There was no fear in his eyes.

Only recognition.

Matthew slowly stepped backwards.

“Who are you?”

Daniel smiled.

“You know who I am.”

Naomi moved closer to her son.

“Daniel, baby, what’s happening?”

He didn’t look at her.

Instead, he pointed at Matthew.

“He took my name.”

Matthew shook his head.

“That’s impossible.”

Daniel tilted his head.

“You were supposed to protect me. Instead, you took my place.”

Evelyn raised her weapon.

“Naomi, move away from him.”

Naomi refused.

“He’s my son!”

Daniel finally turned towards her.

His expression softened.

“Mummy, I’m still here.”

Naomi’s eyes filled with tears.

“Then tell me what’s happening.”

He looked down at his hands.

“I remember things I shouldn’t remember.”

“What things?”

“The rooms. The people. The other children. The woman who carried me.”

Naomi knelt in front of him.

“Which woman?”

Daniel looked towards the photograph on the table.

“The woman who gave birth to me.”

Naomi swallowed.

“Isabella?”

He nodded.

“She told me never to forget her face.”

Matthew suddenly rushed towards the table.

He grabbed the metal key and tried to remove it from the pendant.

Evelyn fired a warning shot.

“Drop it!”

Matthew stopped.

Daniel looked at him.

“You still don’t understand.”

Matthew slowly turned.

“Understand what?”

Daniel’s expression became cold again.

“I was the first child.”

⸻

Inside the underground maternity ward, Varek was staring at the sleeping man on the hospital bed.

The original Adrian.

The man who had carried his name before the transfer.

Adrian stood beside him, struggling to control his breathing.

“Are you telling me I have been living someone else’s life?”

Samuel nodded.

“Your identity was transferred. Your memories were altered. Your records were changed.”

Adrian looked at the sleeping man.

“Then what am I?”

“You’re still Adrian. But you weren’t the first person to carry that name.”

Adrian shook his head.

“How many times will I have to hear that?”

Varek placed a hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll find out who you are.”

Adrian looked at him.

“And what about you? The computer says your original name was Lucian.”

Varek glanced at the little girl.

She was sitting beside Isabella, holding her hand.

“I don’t care what name they gave me. I want to know who gave birth to me.”

Samuel approached the computer.

“There’s something else.”

Varek sighed.

“Of course there is.”

Samuel opened a hidden file.

The screen displayed a list of eight subjects.

Some names were familiar.

Others were unfamiliar.

SUBJECT ONE: UNKNOWN.

SUBJECT TWO: UNKNOWN.

SUBJECT THREE: UNKNOWN.

SUBJECT FOUR: JONATHAN THORNE.

SUBJECT FIVE: LUCIAN THORNE.

SUBJECT SIX: DANIEL THORNE.

SUBJECT SEVEN: NAOMI THORNE.

SUBJECT EIGHT: DANIEL CROSS.

Varek stared.

“Daniel Cross is the eighth child?”

Samuel nodded.

“That’s what the original archive says.”

Adrian looked confused.

“Then who are Subjects One, Two and Three?”

Samuel opened another section.

The names remained hidden.

A message appeared.

IDENTITIES SEALED BY ORIGINAL GUARDIAN.

Varek turned towards the computer.

“Who is the original guardian?”

Samuel looked at him.

“Naomi.”

Varek frowned.

“The Naomi we know?”

“I don’t know.”

A second message appeared.

ORIGINAL GUARDIAN: NAOMI THORNE.

CURRENT STATUS: ACTIVE.

Then the system displayed a photograph.

It was Naomi.

But beneath the photograph was a date from twenty-nine years ago.

Adrian stepped closer.

“She was here before Daniel was born.”

Samuel nodded.

“She was here before any of you were born.”

⸻

The secure location had become tense.

Matthew was standing near the entrance with his hands raised.

Evelyn kept her weapon trained on him.

Naomi held Daniel close.

“Daniel, look at me.”

He turned.

“Yes, Mummy.”

“Do you remember everything?”

He shook his head.

“Not everything.”

“Are you still my little boy?”

Daniel looked confused.

“Of course.”

Naomi hugged him tightly.

“Then that’s all I need to know.”

Matthew laughed quietly.

“How touching.”

Evelyn pointed her weapon at him.

“Shut up.”

Matthew looked at Daniel.

“You shouldn’t have awakened.”

Daniel stepped away from Naomi.

“Why?”

“Because the memories were sealed for a reason.”

Daniel shook his head.

“You were afraid I would remember what you did.”

Matthew’s expression hardened.

“What did I do?”

“You took the fourth child.”

Naomi looked between them.

“Who is the fourth child?”

Daniel pointed at Matthew.

“He’s the one they gave the name Jonathan.”

Matthew shook his head.

“That’s not true.”

Daniel continued.

“Then they gave him another name. Lucian.”

Matthew’s face changed.

Naomi looked at Evelyn.

“Is he saying Matthew is Jonathan and Lucian?”

Evelyn didn’t answer.

Daniel approached the table.

He picked up the photograph of the seven babies.

Then he pointed at the fourth baby.

“This one was never supposed to have a name.”

He moved his finger to the fifth baby.

“This one was supposed to be me.”

Finally, he pointed at the seventh.

“And this one was supposed to be my sister.”

Naomi looked at the photograph.

“Who is your sister?”

Daniel raised his eyes.

Then he said a name.

“Varek.”

Naomi froze.

⸻

In the maternity ward, the computer began flashing.

SUBJECT EIGHT MEMORY RESTORED.

Samuel stared at the screen.

“It’s happening.”

Varek looked at him.

“What’s happening?”

“The eighth child’s memories are returning.”

Adrian moved towards the computer.

“Can you stop it?”

Samuel shook his head.

“Not from here.”

A new message appeared.

MEMORY SOURCE CONNECTED TO SUBJECT FIVE.

Varek felt a sudden pain in his head.

He grabbed the edge of the table.

A memory flashed through his mind.

A small room.

A woman singing.

Two babies lying beside each other.

One of them was crying.

The woman picked up the second baby and whispered:

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

Varek opened his eyes.

He was breathing heavily.

The little girl rushed towards him.

“Varek!”

He looked at her.

For a moment, he didn’t recognize her.

Then he saw the hospital room again.

The woman.

The babies.

And a man standing beside the door.

He remembered the man’s voice.

“Take the boy. Leave the girl.”

Varek turned towards Samuel.

“I remember him.”

“Who?”

“The man who took me.”

Samuel approached.

“Can you describe him?”

Varek looked towards the screen.

A photograph had appeared.

It showed a younger Richard Thorne standing beside a woman holding two newborn babies.

But the man beside Richard was not the person Varek expected.

It was Adrian.

Not the Adrian standing beside him.

The original Adrian from the hospital bed.

Varek stared.

“Why was he there?”

Samuel’s face went pale.

“Because he wasn’t just another child.”

Adrian looked towards the sleeping man.

“What are you saying?”

Samuel swallowed.

“The original Adrian was the person who arranged the first identity transfer.”

Varek turned towards him.

“You’re saying he did this to his own family?”

Samuel nodded.

“Yes.”

The hospital monitor suddenly began beeping faster.

The original Adrian’s fingers moved.

Then his eyes opened.

He looked at the man standing beside his bed.

And whispered:

“Where is my daughter?”

Adrian stepped forward.

“What daughter?”

The original Adrian looked directly at him.

Then he pointed towards the little girl.

“Her.”

The girl slowly backed away.

Varek moved in front of her.

“Stay away from her.”

The original Adrian smiled weakly.

“You’re protecting the wrong child.”

He turned towards Varek.

Then he spoke the words that changed everything.

“Your sister is not the little girl.”

A long silence followed.

“Your sister is Naomi.”