2025-08-15 21:35:28
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 436
Sparrow moved to the duffel bag and began pulling items out, laying them on the table. Harry watched, his heart pounding."Weapons," Sparrow said, placing a compact pistol and several magazines beside it. "Nothing fancy, but reliable. Clean, untraceable." He added a hunting knife in a worn leather sheath. "For close quarters, if it comes to that."Harry swallowed hard but said nothing.Sparrow continued, pulling out a small electronic device. "Satellite phone. Encrypted. We'll be able to communicate even in the mountains." He placed it beside the weapons. "And a GPS unit—preloaded with topographical maps of the region. We won't get lost."Harry's respect for Sparrow's preparation grew with each item.Sparrow reached into the bag again and produced a thick envelope. "Cash. Enough to bribe our way past checkpoints, pay for information, buy supplies if needed. Untraceable."He set it down and looked at Harry. "And a vehicle. An old truck, nothing distinctive. It's parked two blocks away,
Chapter 435
The weight of the decision pressed on Harry as he walked the short distance to Wilfreda's room. The night air was cool, but he barely felt it. His mind was consumed with Marta, her face, her voice, the way she had looked at him like he mattered.Wilfreda opened the door before he could knock, as if she'd been waiting. Her eyes searched his face, reading the tension there."Harry? What's wrong?"He stepped inside, and she closed the door behind him. The room was warm, filled with the smell of the tea she'd been drinking. Homey. Safe. Everything he was about to leave behind."I need to tell you something," he began. "And I need you to listen before you say anything."Wilfreda's expression shifted, concern deepening. "Okay."Harry took a breath. "Sparrow and I are going after Marta. Ourselves. Without waiting for Chance or anyone else."Wilfreda's face went pale. "Harry, no. That's insane. You're not trained for that. You don't have backup, resources—""We have each other." The words fel
Chapter 434
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wayne,My name is Gary Banks. This letter will likely be the most difficult thing you ever read, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for the pain it will cause, for the confusion, for the questions that will swirl in your minds. But I believe you deserve to know the truth.Twenty-five years ago, on the night of November 14th, your son was born at St. Mary's Hospital. So was I.He paused, reading the words back. They felt inadequate, too small for the weight they carried. But they were true.What I'm about to tell you is not speculation or theory. It has been confirmed by multiple blood tests and a confession from the nurse who was on duty that night—Rachel O'Malley.Gary's hand trembled as he wrote Rachel's name.Due to a chaotic night—a power outage, understaffing, exhaustion—two babies were accidentally switched. I was placed in the bassinet meant for your son. Your son was placed in the bassinet meant for my parents, Philip and Susan Banks.The nurse who made the mi
Chapter 433
The evening had settled into that comfortable warmth that only comes from good food, good company, and the quiet satisfaction of seeing your child happy.William and Eleanor Wayne sat in their cozy living room, the last traces of Marcus and Janelle's visit still lingering in the air, the extra mugs on the coffee table, the lingering scent of Eleanor's famous apple pie, the echo of laughter that seemed to bounce off the walls.William leaned back in his favorite armchair, a contented smile on his face. "Who'd have thought that our little boy would someday grow up into a man that can now make decisions about settling down with a woman he can call his own wife."Eleanor smiled, tucking her feet beneath her on the sofa. "How time flies? Twenty-five years ago, he was wrapped in a baby cot, dependent on us for everything. Today, he's a full grown man, making his own choices, building his own life." She shook her head in wonder. "And I like that girl, William. I really do."William raised an
Chapter 432
The room spun around Gary. He gripped the arm of the sofa, steadying himself."I didn't realize until the next morning," Rachel continued, her voice breaking. "By then, both mothers had already held their babies. Already named them."Gary closed his eyes, the image too painful to bear."I stood there," Rachel whispered, "staring at those two bassinets, knowing what I'd done. And I was terrified. I was young—only thirty-seven. I had a career, a future. If I confessed, I'd lose everything. My job, my license, my reputation. The hospital would be sued. The families would be devastated.""So you said nothing." Chance's voice was hard."I said nothing." Rachel sobbed. "I told myself it didn't matter. A baby is a baby. They're loved either way. The Wayne's would love their son just as much as the Banks would love theirs. It was better, I told myself, to let them be happy in their ignorance."Gary opened his eyes, staring at her. "Better for who? For you?"Rachel flinched as if struck. "For
Chapter 431
The search for Rachel O'Malley began the moment Julia returned to her office.She handed the file to Chance and Gary, her expression grim. "This is our only lead. Rachel O'Malley was the nurse on duty the night Gary was born. If anyone knows what happened, it's her."Chance studied the file, his jaw tight. "Twenty-five years is a long time. She could be anywhere. She could be dead.""Then we find out." Julia's voice left no room for argument.Gary stood silently, Courtney's hand in his. The weight of the search pressed on him—the possibility of answers, the fear of what those answers might reveal. But beneath the fear, there was something else. Hope. The desperate hope that the truth might finally set them free.***The investigation consumed the next two weeks.Gerald's team worked around the clock for Rachel O'Malley's trail through decades of records—marriage licenses, tax returns, property deeds, utility bills. She had married briefly in her forties, changed her name to Rachel S
You may also like
God of War, Returned For His Wife
DoAj43281.5K viewsXayne Xavier, The Ironclad Protector
Blanco Burn194.5K viewsInvincible Billionaire Heir
Chanhlee81.9K viewsThe Pinnacle of Life
Evergreen Qin1.7M viewsThe Illegitimate Heir
Kabirat Aleem1.6K viewsMysterious Trillionaire Kingpin
Debbie chocolate 193 viewsAwakened Behind Bars: The Golden Finger
Koko's quill 645 viewsThe Tyrant Heir's Return: Reclaiming the Thorne Empire
William Tsang519 views