Chapter 5: The Girl Who Was Never Supposed to Exist
The photograph slipped from Adrian's hand and landed on the nursery floor.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The girl in the picture could have been Maya's twin.
Same dark hair.
Same round cheeks.
Same wide, serious eyes.
But there was one difference.
The girl was older.
Maybe eight.
Maybe nine.
And behind her stood a brick wall Adrian recognized immediately.
The old greenhouse at the eastern edge of the property.
Maya looked at the photograph.
“She looks like me.””
Adrian bent down and picked it up.
“She does.””
Vanessa's breathing grew faster.
Daniel noticed.
“Vanessa,” he said quietly, “you knew she was alive.””
“No.””
“You did.””
“No!””
Her voice cracked through the room.
“She was supposed to be dead.””
Maya stared at her.
“Why?””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Adrian slowly stood.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I said she was supposed to be dead.””
The silence that followed felt heavier than the darkness outside.
Adrian took one step toward her.
“You told me Elena disappeared.””
“She did.””
“You told me she was taken.””
“She was.””
“You told me you didn't know where she was.””
“I didn't.””
Daniel held up the photograph.
“Then how do you explain this?””
Vanessa stared at the girl.
Her voice became barely audible.
“I don't know.””
Daniel walked toward the window.
“You do.””
“No.””
“You recognized the photograph before anyone else.””
Vanessa turned on him.
“Because I've spent eight years wondering whether she was alive!””
Adrian's face tightened.
“Wondering?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I woke up every morning wondering whether someone had found her. Whether she was cold. Whether she was hungry. Whether she remembered me.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because you weren't supposed to know she existed!””
The words seemed to stop Adrian's heart.
Maya looked from one adult to another.
“Daddy…”
He didn't answer.
She tugged at his sleeve.
“Who is she?””
Adrian looked down at the child he had spent seven years protecting.
“I don't know.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You know enough now.””
He pulled another document from his folder.
“This was taken from a private archive.””
He handed it to Adrian.
It was a medical record.
A birth date.
A blood type.
A mother's name.
Vanessa Vale.
And beneath it, the father's name.
Adrian's hand tightened around the page.
“Thomas Mercer.””
Vanessa nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
Maya's face changed.
“So she is Vanessa's daughter.””
“Yes,” Adrian said.
“But not yours.””
He looked at Vanessa.
“No.””
Maya was quiet for a moment.
Then she asked the question that made everyone uncomfortable.
“Why does she look like me?””
Nobody answered.
Daniel did.
“Because Elena and Maya share the same father.””
Adrian's eyes widened.
The room seemed to tilt.
“No.””
Daniel stared at him.
“Adrian.””
“No.””
Adrian looked again at the medical record.
Then at the photograph.
Then at Maya.
“You're wrong.””
“I verified the records.””
“You're wrong.””
Daniel's voice remained calm.
“You had a relationship with Vanessa before she married you.””
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
She closed her eyes.
“Tell me,” he said.
Vanessa whispered, “It was before we were married.””
“How long?””
“Three months.””
“And you never told me?””
“You said you wanted a clean start.””
“That doesn't answer my question.””
Vanessa looked at Maya.
Then back at Adrian.
“I didn't know I was pregnant.””
Adrian's face was pale.
“You knew about Elena?””
“After she was born.””
“And you knew she was mine?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Then you lied to me for eight years.””
“I was trying to keep her alive.””
Adrian stared at her.
“You let me believe I had one child.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of Thomas?””
“Of everyone.””
Daniel stepped between them.
“Thomas knew the truth.””
Adrian turned.
“How?””
“Because he had the original test results.””
Adrian looked at the folder.
“You have a DNA test?””
Daniel removed another envelope.
“I do.””
Vanessa backed away.
“No.””
Adrian took it.
His fingers hesitated before opening it.
Inside was a laboratory report.
He read the first line.
Then the second.
His eyes stopped.
Daniel watched him.
“Read the conclusion.””
Adrian swallowed.
“Probability of paternity…”
His voice broke.
He couldn't continue.
Daniel said it for him.
“Ninety-nine point nine percent.””
Maya looked between them.
“Daddy?””
Adrian sat down on the edge of the old rocking chair.
He looked overwhelmed.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Adrian…”
“Don't.””
She stopped.
“You let me raise Maya believing she was my only child.””
“I know.””
“You watched me grieve when I thought I had missed nothing.””
“I know.””
“You watched me love her.””
Vanessa whispered, “I know.””
“Then why?””
Vanessa's tears finally fell.
“Because the moment Thomas found out Elena was yours, he wanted something from you.””
“What?””
“Your company.””
Adrian stared at her.
“He threatened me.””
Daniel nodded.
“Thomas discovered the pregnancy and used it.””
Vanessa continued.
“He said he'd expose everything unless I helped him.””
“Help him do what?””
“Move money.””
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“How much?””
“Millions.””
Daniel looked down at the financial records.
“More than sixty million dollars.””
Maya looked at Clara.
The number meant nothing to her.
But Adrian's expression told her it was enormous.
“You transferred that money?”” he asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
“Not willingly.””
Daniel corrected her.
“You signed the documents.””
“Because he had Elena.””
Adrian suddenly stood.
“Where was she?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“He put her with another family.””
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
Daniel pointed toward the old greenhouse.
“The girl in this photograph was taken there six months ago.””
Adrian stared.
“Why would Thomas bring her onto this property?””
“Because this is where everything started.””
Vanessa's face went white.
“What do you mean?””
Daniel opened another document.
“Thomas didn't take Elena for revenge.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“He took her because he discovered something about Adrian's family.””
Adrian frowned.
“What?””
Daniel looked directly at him.
“Your father's estate.””
Adrian's expression changed.
“My father died eight years ago.””
“Yes.””
“What does that have to do with Elena?””
Daniel slid an old legal document across the table.
A trust agreement.
Adrian read it.
Then stopped.
“What is this?””
“Your father's final trust.””
Adrian looked at the signature.
“The document says that if I had another biological child, that child would receive a controlling interest in the family property.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Adrian slowly understood.
“The mansion.””
Daniel nodded.
“Not just the mansion.””
He tapped the document.
“The land. The company shares. The estate trust.””
Maya frowned.
“So Elena owns it?””
“Not yet,” Daniel said.
Adrian looked at the document.
“Only if she's alive and legally recognized.””
“And now someone wants you to find her.””
Vanessa suddenly shook her head.
“No.””
Adrian turned.
“What?””
She looked terrified.
“It's a trap.””
Daniel studied her.
“Why?””
“Because whoever sent that photograph wants Adrian to claim Elena.””
“And?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Then the trust changes.””
Adrian's face hardened.
“What are you saying?””
Vanessa looked toward Maya.
“Someone wants to separate everything from Maya.””
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't understand.””
Adrian immediately pulled her close.
“No one is taking anything from you.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Unless there is another clause.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Adrian's expression darkened.
“What clause?””
She shook her head.
“Vanessa.””
“I can't.””
“What clause?””
Vanessa finally spoke.
“If Elena returns to the estate before her eighteenth birthday…”
She stopped.
Adrian waited.
“What happens?””
Vanessa whispered:
“The trust automatically transfers control to her guardian.””
Adrian frowned.
“Who is her guardian?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You.””
Nobody moved.
Adrian stared.
“What?””
“You would control everything until Elena turns eighteen.””
Daniel's face went still.
“That means somebody doesn't want Elena found.””
Vanessa nodded.
“They don't.””
“Who?””
Vanessa looked toward the nursery window.
“I don't know.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Then who sent the photograph?””
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“I don't know.””
Adrian looked at the photograph again.
There was something strange about the girl's expression.
She wasn't smiling.
She looked frightened.
Like someone had taken the picture without her permission.
Then Maya noticed something.
“Daddy.””
Adrian looked down.
“What?””
She pointed to the corner of the photograph.
“There.””
A tiny number had been written in blue ink.
*17.*
Daniel took the photograph.
His face changed.
“What does seventeen mean?”” Adrian asked.
Daniel turned it over.
There was writing on the back.
He read it silently.
“What?””
Adrian grabbed the picture.
A message had been written beneath the word *ELENA — ALIVE.*
*SEVENTEEN MINUTES.*
Adrian frowned.
“Seventeen minutes until what?””
Daniel checked his watch.
Then the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
The mansion's security alarm suddenly stopped.
Every monitor in the house went black.
Clara rushed into the nursery.
“Mr. Adrian!””
“What happened?””
“The gates opened.””
Adrian looked toward her.
“All of them?””
“Yes.””
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
His face changed.
He put the call on speaker.
Static filled the nursery.
Then a girl's voice whispered:
“Daddy?””
Adrian froze.
Maya looked up at him.
The voice came again.
“Please don't let them find me.””
Then the call ended.
Adrian stared at the phone.
Daniel slowly lowered it.
Vanessa began sobbing.
“No…”
Adrian turned toward the dark hallway.
“Where is she?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Find her.””
Daniel nodded.
Then a terrible thought crossed Adrian's face.
He looked at the clock on the nursery wall.
Only two minutes remained.
“Two minutes until what?”” Maya asked.
Nobody answered.
Because from somewhere outside the mansion came the sound of a car engine.
And through the nursery window, headlights slowly appeared.
A black SUV had stopped beside the greenhouse.
May you like
Its rear door opened.
And a little girl stepped out.
