Chapter 6: The Girl at the Greenhouse
The little girl stood beneath the rain, barefoot on the gravel.
Adrian couldn't breathe.
For one impossible second, he thought the photograph had come to life.
The same dark hair.
The same eyes.
The same small face.
She was wearing a faded blue coat, much too thin for the cold October night. Her hair clung to her cheeks as rain soaked the shoulders of her clothes.
Maya stood beside the nursery window.
“Daddy…”
Adrian didn't answer.
The girl slowly lifted her head.
Even from that distance, he could see the fear in her eyes.
Then she whispered something.
The glass muffled her voice.
Daniel moved toward the window.
“Stay back.””
Adrian grabbed the latch.
Daniel stopped him.
“Wait.””
“She could be Elena.””
“We don't know who she is.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“That's my daughter.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You've wanted that to be true for eight years.””
Adrian pulled open the window.
Cold rain blew into the nursery.
The girl looked up.
Her eyes widened.
She pointed toward the greenhouse.
Then she shook her head violently.
Don't go there.
Adrian understood.
“Come inside,” he called.
The girl didn't move.
Behind her, the black SUV remained running.
Its headlights cut through the rain.
No driver was visible.
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Get her.””
Daniel was already moving.
They raced downstairs.
Maya followed.
Clara caught her hand.
“No, sweetheart.””
“But that's Elena!””
“We don't know yet.””
Maya looked through the front doors.
The little girl was still standing beside the greenhouse.
Then she turned suddenly.
Someone was watching from inside the greenhouse.
A tall silhouette appeared behind the fogged glass.
Maya screamed.
“Daddy!””
Adrian stopped.
The greenhouse lights flickered on.
For a moment, the silhouette was perfectly visible.
A man.
Long dark coat.
Hands at his sides.
Watching.
Then the lights went out again.
Adrian ran across the lawn.
Daniel was right behind him.
They reached the greenhouse.
The door stood open.
“Hello?”” Adrian shouted.
Nothing.
Only the sound of rain hitting the glass roof.
Then Adrian heard a soft sniffle.
He turned.
The little girl was hiding behind an overturned flowerpot.
She looked terrified.
Adrian crouched.
“It's okay.””
She didn't move.
“My name is Adrian.””
“I know.””
The answer stopped him.
“How?””
The girl stared at him.
“You're my father.””
Adrian's heart seemed to stop.
Daniel looked around the greenhouse.
“We need to get her inside.””
The girl shook her head.
“No.””
“Why?”” Adrian asked.
“Because they'll come back.””
“Who?””
She glanced toward the mansion.
“The people who took me.””
Adrian held out his hand.
“Come with me.””
The girl hesitated.
Then slowly stepped forward.
The moment Adrian saw her clearly, he knew.
Not because of the photograph.
Not because of the documents.
Because she had the same tiny crescent-shaped mark near her left eyebrow as Maya.
The mark he had seen on Maya since she was a baby.
Adrian swallowed.
“Elena?””
The girl nodded.
“Yes.””
Behind him, Daniel whispered, “Oh my God.””
Adrian reached for her.
She flinched.
He stopped immediately.
“I won't hurt you.””
Elena studied his face.
“You're really my father?””
“Yes.””
“Did Mommy tell you?””
Adrian looked toward the mansion.
“Not until tonight.””
Elena looked down.
“She was scared.””
“She should have told me.””
“She wanted to.””
Adrian frowned.
“When?””
“Sometimes.””
“Then why didn't she?””
Elena's eyes moved toward the greenhouse wall.
“Because Thomas told her what would happen.””
“Where is Thomas?””
The girl's face went white.
“He's close.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Is he in the mansion?””
Elena shook her head.
“No.””
“Where?””
“He's watching.””
Daniel looked around.
“From where?””
Elena pointed toward the greenhouse ceiling.
“Cameras.””
Adrian looked up.
Tiny black lenses were hidden among the beams.
Daniel swore under his breath.
“They've been watching this property.””
Elena nodded.
“For years.””
Adrian felt a cold anger rise inside him.
“Who are they?””
Elena hesitated.
“There are three.””
“Three people?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
She looked at him.
“I only know one name.””
“Whose?””
“Thomas.””
The greenhouse doors suddenly slammed shut.
Elena screamed.
Daniel spun around.
Adrian pulled Elena behind him.
Someone was outside.
A shadow moved across the glass.
Then another.
Then silence.
Daniel drew the small flashlight from his coat.
“Stay here.””
He moved toward the side door.
Adrian held Elena close.
“It's okay.””
“No,” she whispered.
“He knows you're here.””
A metallic clicking sound came from the ceiling.
Elena covered her ears.
“What is that?””
“The cameras.””
Daniel stopped.
A red light blinked above them.
Then every camera lens turned at once.
Toward Elena.
Daniel's expression changed.
“They found us.””
The greenhouse lights exploded.
Glass shattered above them.
Elena screamed.
Adrian threw himself over her.
Rain poured through the broken roof.
Daniel pulled them toward the door.
“Move!””
They ran.
A dark figure appeared at the far end of the greenhouse.
Adrian saw only a face for half a second.
Then the figure disappeared through a side exit.
“Thomas!””
Adrian chased him.
Daniel grabbed his shoulder.
“Don't!””
Adrian pulled free.
“He was here!””
“You have Elena.””
Adrian stopped.
Elena was standing in the doorway, terrified.
He turned back.
She was pointing at the ground.
A black leather wallet lay beside the shattered glass.
Daniel picked it up.
Inside was an identification card.
He stared at it.
“What?””
Adrian took it.
The name on the card wasn't Thomas Mercer.
It was someone else.
*MICHAEL CROSS.*
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Who is Michael Cross?””
Daniel's face went pale.
“My brother.””
Adrian stared.
“You said your brother was dead.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I thought he was.””
Elena stepped closer.
“He isn't dead.””
Daniel looked at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because he's the one who brought me here.””
Silence.
Adrian stared at Daniel.
“You knew?””
“No.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I didn't know he was alive.””
Elena looked toward the broken greenhouse.
“He told me something.””
“What?””
“That Daniel would come.””
Daniel's face drained of color.
“When?””
“Tonight.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“What else did he tell you?””
Elena swallowed.
“He said not to trust Vanessa.””
Adrian looked toward the mansion.
Vanessa was standing in the doorway, watching them.
Elena immediately moved behind Adrian.
Vanessa didn't come closer.
She simply whispered:
“I'm sorry.””
Elena stared at her.
“You left me.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I thought you were dead.””
“I wasn't.””
“I know.””
“You knew?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Not until tonight.””
Elena looked at her for a long moment.
Then she noticed something.
A small silver chain around Vanessa's neck.
Elena's eyes widened.
“Where did you get that?””
Vanessa touched the chain.
“What?””
“That.””
She pointed to a pendant hidden beneath Vanessa's collar.
Vanessa pulled it out.
It was a tiny silver raven.
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“Where did that come from?””
Vanessa's hand began shaking.
“Thomas gave it to me.””
Elena shook her head.
“No.””
“What?””
“He didn't.””
Adrian looked between them.
“Then who did?””
Elena whispered:
“The man who raised me.””
“Who was that?””
She hesitated.
Then quietly said:
“Michael.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“My brother raised you?””
Elena nodded.
“He said Thomas wasn't my real enemy.””
Daniel looked at her.
“What did he mean?””
Elena looked directly at Adrian.
“He said your family has been lying about my mother.””
Adrian's face tightened.
“What lie?””
Elena pointed toward the mansion.
“She isn't the person you think she is.””
Vanessa started crying.
“Stop.””
Elena's expression hardened.
“You told me my mother died.””
Vanessa froze.
“I…”
“You said she died when I was little.””
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
“Who is Elena's mother?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Elena did.
“My mother isn't Vanessa.””
The rain seemed to disappear.
Adrian stared.
“What?””
Vanessa's knees nearly gave way.
Elena looked at him.
“She raised me.””
Adrian's voice was barely audible.
“Then who is your mother?””
Elena reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small folded photograph.
She handed it to Adrian.
He opened it.
A woman stood beside a hospital bed.
Young.
Dark-haired.
Beautiful.
And unmistakably familiar.
Adrian's hand began to shake.
He knew her.
He had known her before Vanessa.
Before Maya.
Before the mansion.
Before everything.
“No,” he whispered.
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
His face changed.
“Adrian…”
Adrian couldn't take his eyes off the photograph.
Because the woman standing beside the newborn baby was someone he had spent eight years believing was dead.
His first wife.
Maya's biological mother.
Elena's biological mother.
A woman named Sarah.
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And beneath the photograph, written in faded blue ink, were seven words:
*SARAH DIDN'T DIE. SHE WAS TAKEN.*
