The Hidden heir’s revenge

Chapter 98 — The Man Who Made Them

“That’s not Adrian.”

Daniel’s words sent a chill through the room.

Naomi looked at the security screen again.

The man outside had the same face as the original Adrian. He even had the same dark eyes and the same small scar near his eyebrow.

But Daniel was certain.

“Who is he?” Naomi asked.

Daniel shook his head.

“The first one.”

Matthew moved towards the security panel.

“Don’t open that door.”

Evelyn stared at him.

“Do you know him?”

Matthew hesitated.

“I know what he represents.”

“Stop speaking in riddles!” Naomi shouted. “Who is that man?”

Matthew looked at her.

“He’s the man who created the original identity system.”

Naomi glanced at Daniel.

“But Adrian said he helped build it.”

“Adrian helped with the first transfer. This man designed the entire process.”

The stranger outside raised his hand and knocked three times.

Nobody moved.

Then the security speaker came alive.

“Naomi Thorne.”

His voice was calm.

“I know you’re inside.”

Naomi stepped away from the screen.

“How does he know I’m here?”

Matthew answered quietly.

“Because the system has already recognized you.”

The man outside smiled.

“Open the door, daughter.”

Naomi froze.

Her mother grabbed her hand.

“Don’t listen to him.”

The stranger continued.

“I’ve waited twenty-nine years to see you again.”

Daniel suddenly covered his ears.

“Make him stop!”

Naomi held him.

“Daniel, what’s happening?”

The boy began shaking.

“He’s inside my head.”

The security screen flickered.

A new message appeared.

EIGHTH SUBJECT RECOGNIZED.

ORIGINAL CREATOR IDENTIFIED.

WELCOME HOME, FATHER.

Matthew stepped backwards.

“No. That’s impossible.”

The man outside laughed.

“Did you really think you could keep me out forever?”

⸻

In the maternity ward, Samuel was still trying to stabilize the original Adrian.

The monitor had returned to a steady rhythm, but his condition remained dangerous.

Varek stood beside the computer.

“That file says I was renamed. What was my original name?”

Samuel searched the archive.

“I can’t find it.”

“Search the fifth subject.”

Samuel typed again.

A folder appeared.

SUBJECT FIVE — ORIGINAL IDENTITY RESTRICTED.

CURRENT IDENTITY: VAREK THORNE.

MEMORY SOURCE: FEMALE.

MEMORY RECEIVER: MALE.

Varek stared at the screen.

“Female memory source?”

Samuel nodded.

“That could explain why the little girl was kept in the chamber.”

Adrian looked towards the child.

“Are you saying she carries Varek’s original memories?”

Samuel hesitated.

“Possibly.”

Varek turned towards the girl.

“Is that why you remember things that happened before I was born?”

She nodded slowly.

“I remember the hospital.”

“What else?”

“I remember a woman crying. She kept saying she wanted both of us.”

Varek crouched in front of her.

“Do you remember her face?”

The little girl closed her eyes.

“She had a necklace.”

“What kind?”

“Gold. It had two little circles.”

Samuel suddenly stopped typing.

“What did you say?”

The girl opened her eyes.

“Two circles.”

Samuel searched another file.

A photograph appeared.

It showed a young woman wearing a gold necklace with two connected circles.

Beneath it was a name.

ELEANOR THORNE — ORIGINAL MATERNAL RECORD.

Varek stared at the photograph.

“That’s Eleanor.”

The little girl nodded.

“She carried me.”

Adrian looked at Samuel.

“Does that mean Eleanor was her mother?”

Samuel shook his head.

“It means Eleanor was recorded as her mother. We still don’t know whether the record was genuine.”

Varek looked at the child.

“Do you remember who the other baby was?”

She pointed at him.

“You.”

Varek swallowed.

“Then why did you say Mary was your mother?”

The little girl lowered her head.

“Because Mary told me she was.”

Samuel closed the photograph.

“Someone has been teaching these children different versions of the same story.”

Varek stood.

“Then we find the person responsible.”

A voice came from the hospital bed.

“You’re already looking at him.”

Everyone turned.

The original Adrian had opened his eyes.

⸻

At the secure location, Naomi’s mother was crying.

“He’s not your father,” she whispered.

Naomi looked at her.

“Then why is he calling me his daughter?”

The woman shook her head.

“Because he calls every child he created his own.”

Matthew moved towards the entrance.

“Stay here.”

Evelyn blocked him.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“We cannot let him enter.”

“Then tell us how to stop him.”

Matthew looked at the security screen.

“There’s a manual override beneath the main panel. If we activate it, we can isolate the building from the archive.”

Evelyn moved towards the panel.

“Show me.”

Matthew opened the lower compartment and revealed a small metal switch.

But before he could touch it, the security screen changed.

The stranger outside was no longer alone.

Two guards stood behind him.

One of them held a medical case.

The other held a photograph.

Naomi moved closer.

She recognized the photograph immediately.

It was the little girl from the maternity ward.

The stranger spoke again.

“Naomi, I need you to understand something.”

She said nothing.

“The child you call Daniel is not the only one I came to collect.”

Naomi’s stomach tightened.

“Where is the other child?”

The stranger smiled.

“With the man who believes he is protecting him.”

Naomi immediately thought of Varek.

She reached for her phone and called him.

This time, the call connected.

“Varek!”

His voice came through.

“Naomi? Are you safe?”

“There’s a man here. He looks exactly like the original Adrian, but Daniel says he’s the one who created the system.”

Varek went silent.

Then he asked, “Is he alone?”

“No. He has two men with him.”

“Don’t open the door. Whatever he tells you, don’t believe him.”

Naomi looked at the stranger.

“He says he wants to collect the children.”

Varek’s voice became urgent.

“Which children?”

“Daniel and the little girl.”

Varek closed his eyes.

The original Adrian had told him not to bring Naomi to the maternity ward.

Now someone else was trying to collect both children.

“Naomi, listen carefully. The original Adrian is awake. He says the final transfer has started.”

Naomi looked at Daniel.

“Then what do we do?”

“Keep Daniel away from the pendant.”

Daniel suddenly looked up.

“Tell Varek I remember him.”

Naomi stared at her son.

“What?”

Daniel moved closer to the phone.

“Tell him I remember the first time he saved me.”

Varek heard him.

“Daniel?”

The boy began crying.

“Please don’t let them change me again.”

The call suddenly disconnected.

The lights went out.

⸻

Inside the maternity ward, Varek stared at his phone.

“Naomi!”

There was no response.

Samuel rushed towards the main control panel.

“The entire system is being overridden!”

Adrian grabbed the little girl’s hand.

“Stay close to me.”

Varek turned towards the original Adrian.

“Who is the man outside Naomi’s facility?”

The original Adrian’s expression changed.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he answered.

“His name is Adrian Thorne.”

Varek frowned.

“But you’re Adrian.”

The man shook his head.

“No. I’m the second Adrian.”

Adrian, the man standing beside Varek, stepped backwards.

“Then who am I?”

The original Adrian looked at him.

“You’re the third.”

Silence followed.

Samuel slowly turned towards the screen.

A new file had appeared.

ADRIAN THORNE — IDENTITY RECORDS

FIRST: ORIGINAL CREATOR.

SECOND: TRANSFER ARCHITECT.

THIRD: CURRENT PROTECTOR.

Varek looked at the original Adrian.

“You mean the man outside is the first Adrian?”

The man nodded.

“He’s the one who started everything.”

“Why does he look exactly like you?”

“Because he is my brother.”

Varek stared at him.

The original Adrian continued.

“We were born on the same day. We were given the same name. But only one of us was supposed to survive.”

Samuel looked horrified.

“Then which one of you was kept in the chamber?”

The original Adrian turned towards the little girl.

“Ask her.”

Varek looked down.

The little girl was staring at the hospital bed.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

Then she slowly whispered:

“Uncle Adrian.”

The original Adrian reached towards her.

“Come here, my child.”

But the girl stepped behind Varek.

“No.”

The man’s expression hardened.

Varek moved in front of her.

“Why did she call you uncle?”

The original Adrian looked at him.

“Because her real father is the man standing outside Naomi’s facility.”

He paused.

“And the woman who gave birth to her is not Eleanor.”

Varek’s blood ran cold.

“Then who is her mother?”

The original Adrian leaned back against the pillow.

“Mary.”

Before Varek could ask another question, the computer displayed a new photograph.

It showed Mary holding a newborn baby.

Beside her stood a younger version of the man outside Naomi’s facility.

At the bottom of the photograph were five words:

THE FIRST DAUGHTER WAS NEVER NAOMI.