Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Adrian stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
Sarah.
His wife.
The mother of his child.
The woman he had buried eight years ago.
He remembered the phone call.
The hospital corridor.
The white sheet.
The doctor who had looked him in the eyes and said there had been nothing anyone could do.
He remembered signing papers with shaking hands.
He remembered holding a tiny baby—Maya—in his arms while the rain hammered against the hospital windows.
And now Sarah was standing in a photograph with another baby.
Elena.
Alive.
Adrian looked at the girl in front of him.
“You said my wife raised you.””
Elena nodded.
“Not my biological mother.””
“No.””
“Then who was Vanessa?””
Elena glanced at her.
“Someone who was afraid.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Adrian turned toward her.
“You told me Sarah died.””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“I believed she did.””
“You knew she was alive.””
“No.””
“You knew something.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Adrian stepped closer.
“You let me mourn her for eight years.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
“From the people who took her.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Who took Sarah?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You always say that,” Adrian said.
Vanessa looked at him.
“This time it's true.””
Elena reached for Adrian's hand.
He looked down.
Her fingers were cold.
“She's alive,” Elena whispered.
Adrian's throat tightened.
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because Michael told me.””
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Your brother.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“What did he tell you?””
Elena stared at the broken greenhouse glass.
“He said Sarah had been moved three times.””
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Moved where?””
“Different places.””
“Why?””
“Because people were looking for her.””
“Who?””
Elena hesitated.
“Thomas.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Thomas wanted leverage.””
“No,” Elena said.
Her voice was calm.
“Thomas wasn't the one who took her.””
Adrian looked at her.
“Then who was?””
Elena swallowed.
“The man who owned the hospital.””
Silence.
Daniel frowned.
“What hospital?””
“The hospital where Sarah gave birth.””
Adrian's mind raced.
“St. Vincent's?””
Elena nodded.
Daniel looked at Adrian.
“That hospital shut down six years ago.””
“I know.””
Adrian stared at the photograph again.
“Why would anyone take Sarah from a hospital?””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Because Sarah knew something.””
“What?””
Vanessa looked at the ground.
“She discovered where the money was going.””
Adrian stared.
“What money?””
“The money Thomas stole.””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Sixty million?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Most of it.””
Adrian's voice became quieter.
“You said the money was stolen from me.””
“It was.””
“Then why was Sarah investigating it?””
“Because she realized the money wasn't staying with Thomas.””
Daniel slowly opened the black folder.
“There was another account.””
Adrian turned.
“What account?””
“One nobody knew about.””
Daniel pulled out a bank statement.
The account holder's name was blank.
Only a series of numbers appeared.
Adrian studied the page.
“Where did you get this?””
“From Michael.””
Daniel turned another page.
A list of transfers.
Every transfer happened on the same day each year.
Halloween.
Eight years ago.
Seven years ago.
Six.
Five.
Four.
The pattern continued.
Maya stared at the documents.
“Why Halloween?””
Nobody answered.
Elena did.
“Because that's when they moved Sarah.””
Adrian looked at her.
“Every Halloween?””
Elena nodded.
“They changed the place.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“Who moved her?””
“I never saw their faces.””
“How do you know?””
“Because Michael told me.””
Adrian looked toward Daniel.
“Where is your brother now?””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“I don't know.””
“You should.””
“He disappeared six months ago.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“He didn't disappear.””
Daniel turned.
“What?””
Vanessa stared at him.
“He was taken.””
Daniel froze.
“By whom?””
Vanessa looked at Adrian.
“The same people who took Sarah.””
Adrian's expression darkened.
“Then why bring Elena here?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't.””
“Who did?””
“I don't know.””
Elena stepped closer to her.
“Michael brought me.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Michael wanted Adrian to find you.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew the truth was coming out.””
Adrian turned to Daniel.
“Truth about what?””
Daniel looked at the files.
“The company.””
“What about it?””
“Your father's company wasn't built the way you were told.””
Adrian frowned.
“My father inherited it.””
“No.””
Daniel pointed toward an old document.
“He bought it.””
“With what?””
“Money from Sarah's family.””
Adrian stared.
“What?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Sarah was wealthy before she married you.””
Adrian remembered.
Sarah had always hated talking about money.
She had once told him her family had complicated investments.
She had never mentioned anything substantial.
“My father knew?””
Vanessa whispered, “Everyone knew.””
“Everyone except me?””
Nobody answered.
Maya stepped into the greenhouse.
She had been listening from the doorway.
“Daddy?””
Adrian turned.
“Come here.””
Maya approached him.
He crouched.
“What is it?””
She held out the pink ribbon they had found in the nursery.
“There was something inside.””
Adrian took it.
The ribbon had a tiny seam.
Clara appeared behind Maya.
“I found this when she showed me.””
Daniel carefully cut the seam with a small knife.
A thin strip of paper slid out.
Adrian unfolded it.
Three words were written in blue ink.
*ROOM 314. TONIGHT.*
Daniel looked at his watch.
“That's thirty minutes from now.””
“Where?””
Adrian asked.
Daniel looked at the paper.
“No address.””
Elena spoke.
“St. Vincent's.””
Adrian looked at her.
“It's abandoned.””
“Michael still has a key.””
Daniel stared.
“How do you know?””
“Because he gave it to me.””
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small brass key.
A number was engraved on it.
314.
Adrian took it.
His pulse accelerated.
“Then we're going.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You aren't going alone.””
“I'm not leaving Elena here.””
“You're not taking her into an abandoned hospital.””
Elena stepped forward.
“I have to go.””
“No,” Adrian said.
“She could be there.””
He stopped.
Elena looked directly into his eyes.
“Sarah could be there.””
Adrian couldn't answer.
Maya took his hand.
“Daddy, if she's Mom…”
He looked down.
Maya's voice broke.
“You have to find her.””
Adrian pulled his daughter into his arms.
“I will.””
Behind them, Vanessa whispered:
“Don't.””
Adrian turned.
“Why?””
Vanessa stared at the brass key.
“Because room 314 isn't where Sarah was kept.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Then what's there?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with fear.
“Evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
“Of what happened the night Sarah was taken.””
Adrian stepped toward her.
“What happened?””
Vanessa looked at Elena.
Then Maya.
Then finally Adrian.
“She wasn't taken from the hospital.””
Adrian frowned.
“Where, then?””
Vanessa's voice dropped to a whisper.
“She was taken from this house.””
Nobody moved.
Adrian's face went white.
“That can't be.””
“It happened eight years ago.””
“You said she died.””
“I lied.””
“You said there was an accident.””
“I lied.””
“You said you saw the body.””
Vanessa began crying.
“I never saw a body.””
Adrian stared at her.
“Then whose body did I bury?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Adrian.””
He looked at Daniel.
“We need to go.””
Adrian shook his head.
“Not yet.””
He turned toward Vanessa.
“I want the whole truth.””
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“I can't tell you everything.””
“Why?””
“Because the person who ordered Sarah's disappearance is still alive.””
Adrian's expression changed.
“Who?””
Vanessa stared at him.
“You've trusted him for years.””
Daniel frowned.
“Who?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Then the mansion lights suddenly flickered back on.
Every monitor in the security room came alive at once.
Clara ran in.
“Mr. Adrian!””
They followed her.
Every screen showed the same live image.
The front gate.
A black sedan had stopped outside.
A man was stepping out.
He looked older.
Thinner.
But Adrian recognized him immediately.
Thomas Mercer.
The man everyone believed had vanished eight years ago.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Thomas looked directly into the security camera.
Then he raised a folded piece of paper.
On it were four words.
*BRING ME MY DAUGHTER.*
Maya clutched Adrian's arm.
Elena backed away.
Vanessa whispered:
“He found her.””
Then every screen went black.
A single phone began ringing inside the mansion.
May you like
Nobody moved.
It was coming from the locked room beneath the nursery.
