Chapter 3: The Second Daughter
Adrian stared at the message until the words stopped looking real.
*You found Lily.*
His thumb hovered over the screen.
Then another vibration.
*Now choose which daughter you want to save.*
“Adrian?””
Vivienne’s voice came from behind him.
He turned slowly.
She was staring at his phone.
“What does that mean?”” she asked.
Adrian didn't answer.
Daniel saw his expression and immediately reached for his arm.
“Don't respond.””
“I wasn't planning to.””
“Good.””
Lily tugged at Adrian’s jacket.
“Daddy?””
He looked down.
“What?””
Her face had gone pale.
“Is my sister okay?””
Adrian felt a hard knot form in his chest.
“She’s here.””
Lily looked toward the baby in her arms.
“Anna?””
“Yes.””
She hugged the toddler.
“Then who are they talking about?””
Adrian and Daniel exchanged a look.
Neither man spoke.
Vivienne suddenly stepped closer.
“There has to be an explanation.””
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because there is one.””
“Then give it to me.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Daniel looked at her sharply.
“Ask her about the hospital.””
Vivienne glared at him.
“Stay out of this.””
“You've been in it from the beginning.””
Adrian turned to Daniel.
“What is he talking about?””
Daniel pulled him aside.
“Before Emma disappeared, she had another child.””
Adrian felt the floor tilt beneath him.
“What?””
“Not with you.””
The words came slowly.
“Emma's daughter was born years before Lily.””
Adrian stared.
“That makes no sense.””
“She died.””
Lily was listening.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“She had complications during childbirth. The baby survived, but Emma was told she didn't.””
Adrian's eyes moved toward Vivienne.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Because Emma didn't know you were being lied to.””
“Who lied to her?””
“Your father.””
The answer came instantly.
Adrian shook his head.
“My father died six years ago.””
“He knew about Emma's first child before you did.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked toward the black SUV outside.
“Because the baby's father was someone your family considered dangerous.””
Adrian frowned.
“Who?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said a name Adrian had not heard in years.
“Julian Cross.””
Adrian went completely still.
Vivienne's father.
The room seemed to narrow around them.
Julian Cross had been Victor Vale's oldest rival.
A billionaire industrialist who had spent decades fighting the Vale family in courtrooms, boardrooms, and private negotiations.
Julian had died three years earlier under circumstances the newspapers called an accident.
Adrian looked at Vivienne.
“You told me your father never knew Emma.””
Vivienne's expression cracked.
“I never said that.””
“You said he had nothing to do with her.””
“I didn't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I am not!””
Her voice echoed through the hall.
Lily flinched.
The baby began crying.
Adrian immediately turned away from Vivienne.
“She's scared.””
Vivienne pressed a hand over her mouth.
For one brief second, guilt crossed her face.
Then it disappeared.
Daniel noticed.
So did Adrian.
A wedding coordinator approached nervously.
“Mr. Vale, the police are outside. They're asking whether you want the building locked down.””
“Lock every entrance.””
Adrian glanced at Daniel.
“No one leaves.””
Daniel nodded.
The coordinator hurried away.
Vivienne stared at Adrian.
“You can't keep everyone here.””
“I can.””
“This is my wedding.””
Adrian looked at her.
“Not anymore.””
Her face crumpled.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I need answers.””
She whispered, “About a child who walked into our wedding?””
“About everything.””
A phone began ringing.
Not Adrian's.
Daniel reached into his coat.
His expression changed when he saw the number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
The color drained from his face.
“What?””
He walked several steps away.
Adrian watched him.
“Who is it?”” he demanded.
Daniel turned.
“It’s St. Agnes.””
“What happened?””
Daniel pressed the phone against his ear.
“I need you to repeat that.””
The guests were silent again.
Then Daniel lowered the phone.
His hands were shaking.
“The clinic records were altered.””
Adrian stepped toward him.
“By whom?””
“The patient Emma Harper wasn't registered under Emma Harper.””
“Then under what name?””
Daniel looked at Vivienne.
Then at Adrian.
“Vivienne Cross.””
Everything stopped.
Adrian stared at his fiancée.
“No.””
Vivienne shook her head violently.
“That isn't true.””
Daniel held out the phone.
“The nurse said the woman admitted under your name had the same medical history as Emma.””
Vivienne's lips trembled.
“I didn't know.””
Adrian moved closer.
“Why would Emma use your name?””
“I don't know.””
“Why would the hospital have your identification?””
“I don't know!””
“Why did you investigate her?””
Vivienne burst into tears.
“I was trying to protect you!””
Daniel scoffed.
“From the truth?””
Vivienne ignored him.
“I found out someone had been sending threats,” she said.
“I thought they were after Adrian.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
She wiped her face.
“That if you knew Emma was alive, you'd leave me.””
The words hung in the air.
Adrian stared at her.
“So you knew.””
Vivienne lowered her gaze.
“I knew she might be alive.””
“Might?””
“I wasn't certain.””
“How long?””
Silence.
“How long, Vivienne?””
She whispered, “Six weeks.””
A wave of shock moved through the room.
Six weeks.
Adrian suddenly remembered the first strange email.
The anonymous photograph of Emma standing outside a clinic.
He had received it six weeks earlier.
Vivienne had told him it was fake.
She had hugged him afterward.
She had promised him there was nothing to worry about.
He had believed her.
Now he felt sick.
“You knew for six weeks.””
“I was trying to find her.””
“Why?””
“Because your father left instructions.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What instructions?””
Vivienne looked at him.
“He knew Emma had children.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Don't.””
Vivienne ignored him.
“He knew one of them could destroy the Vale family's reputation.””
“What does that mean?””
“Your father believed Emma's first daughter wasn't dead.””
Adrian's heart slammed against his ribs.
“You said she died.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That's what they told Emma.””
Adrian looked at Lily.
She was staring at the adults with frightened eyes.
“Lily,” he said gently, “what did your mother tell you about your sister?””
Lily's face changed.
“She said Anna wasn't my first sister.””
Adrian froze.
“What?””
Lily's tiny fingers tightened around the baby's blanket.
“I had another sister.””
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Lily, what did she call her?””
Lily looked frightened.
“She called her Rose.””
Adrian felt cold spread through his body.
“Rose?””
Lily nodded.
“She said Rose was taken away.””
“By who?””
“I don't know.””
“Did your mother ever see her again?””
Lily shook her head.
“But she said someone was keeping Rose safe.””
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Who?””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“I don't know.””
“Then we're running out of time.””
His phone vibrated again.
This time the message contained a photograph.
Adrian opened it.
His blood turned cold.
It showed a little girl sitting in a dark room.
She looked about ten.
Long brown hair.
A pale pink sweater.
A silver bracelet around her wrist.
And on the wall behind her was a handwritten number.
*24.*
Lily saw the picture.
She screamed.
“Rose!””
Adrian's grip tightened around the phone.
The little girl in the photograph looked directly at the camera.
Someone had written a message beneath the image.
*You have thirty minutes.*
Then another.
*Bring the key to Harper Station.*
Daniel stepped closer.
“Don't go.””
Adrian looked at him.
“She's my daughter.””
“You don't know what they'll do.””
“I know what they'll do if I don't.””
Daniel grabbed his shoulder.
“This is a trap.””
Adrian pulled away.
“Then I'll walk into it.””
Vivienne suddenly said, “I'll come with you.””
Adrian turned.
“No.””
She stared at him.
“You need me.””
“Why?””
“Because I know where they took her.””
Daniel's face changed.
“You what?””
Vivienne's eyes filled with tears.
“I wasn't supposed to tell anyone.””
Adrian took one step toward her.
“Tell me now.””
She shook her head.
“Not here.””
His voice became dangerously quiet.
“Vivienne.””
She looked at him.
“They took Rose to the old Vale textile mill.””
Daniel's face went white.
“That building burned down.””
Vivienne nodded.
“Everyone thinks it did.””
Adrian stared at her.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying the fire was staged.””
The hall erupted in whispers.
Adrian felt every piece of the night click into place.
The missing years.
His father's lies.
Emma's disappearance.
Vivienne's secret.
The mysterious messages.
And now Rose.
He looked toward the wedding doors.
Outside, the black SUV was gone.
But another vehicle had stopped at the curb.
A white ambulance.
Daniel's phone rang again.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through the speaker.
Daniel's expression collapsed.
“What?””
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
Adrian stared at him.
“What happened?””
Daniel looked at Lily.
“She was never at St. Agnes.””
“Who?””
“Emma.””
Adrian's blood ran cold.
Daniel swallowed.
“They just found her car.””
“Where?””
“Outside the old textile mill.””
Adrian looked at Vivienne.
She was crying silently now.
Then Lily suddenly whispered something that made everyone turn.
“Daddy…”
Adrian knelt.
“What?””
She pointed toward the wedding altar.
“There.””
A small black envelope had appeared beneath the white roses.
No one had seen anyone place it there.
Adrian walked toward it.
He opened the envelope.
Inside was one photograph.
Emma.
Alive.
Tied to a chair.
And standing behind her was a man whose face Adrian knew better than anyone.
His own father.
Victor Vale.
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With a handwritten sentence across the bottom:
*You were never supposed to find your daughters.*
