Chapter 8: The Woman Wearing My Mother’s Necklace
For one second, my mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
The woman standing at the end of the passage looked like a memory.
Not a person.
A memory.
The same dark hair.
The same gentle curve of her face.
The same necklace.
The necklace my mother wore in every photograph from my childhood.
The necklace I remembered touching when I was small.
The necklace my father once told me was “the most important thing your mother owns.””
And now it was hanging from another woman’s neck.
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t speak.
The woman smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
Like she knew exactly what she had done to my mind.
“Damon.””
Hearing my name from her mouth made my stomach turn.
I stepped back.
“Who are you?””
Ethan immediately moved in front of Lily.
That small movement told me everything.
He knew something.
“You know who I am,” the woman said.
“No.””
My voice was sharper than I expected.
“My mother is alive.””
The woman tilted her head.
“Is she?””
The question landed harder than it should have.
I looked at my phone.
The screen was still black.
No signal.
No call history.
Nothing.
Like the conversation had never happened.
“You were listening.””
The woman smiled.
“I was waiting.””
“For what?””
“For you to finally learn the truth.””
I laughed once.
A bitter sound.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I looked around the hidden passage.
“Everyone has a truth.””
I pointed at the necklace.
“So explain yours.””
The woman touched it.
“My name is Claire.””
The name meant nothing.
But Ethan reacted.
A slight movement.
Almost invisible.
I noticed.
“You know her.””
Ethan’s face tightened.
“I’ve heard the name.””
“Where?””
He didn’t answer.
Claire smiled.
“Ethan always was the cautious one.””
My eyes moved between them.
“You know my brother.””
“I know both of you.””
That sentence made the air feel heavier.
“Who are you?””
Claire took a slow step forward.
“I was someone your father trusted.””
“Another person.””
“Yes.””
“Another person who kept secrets.””
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“I deserved that.””
The answer surprised me.
Most people who hid things from me always had an excuse.
She didn’t.
“I was your father’s assistant.””
I stared.
“Assistant?””
“For fifteen years.””
That meant she had been around my family.
Around me.
Around my childhood.
“You knew my mother?””
“Yes.””
“Were you there when she died?””
Claire looked down.
“Yes.””
The room became silent.
My hands curled into fists.
“Then why are you wearing her necklace?””
Her eyes lifted.
“Because she gave it to me.””
I froze.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
Claire looked at Lily.
Then back at me.
“Your mother knew she might not survive.””
The words made my chest tighten.
“What are you saying?””
“She asked me to protect something.””
“What?””
“You.””
Nobody spoke.
I wanted to believe her.
I hated that I wanted to believe her.
Because believing anyone now felt dangerous.
“Then why did my mother warn me about you?””
Claire’s expression changed.
A sadness crossed her face.
“She warned you about me?””
“Yes.””
“Through the phone?””
“Yes.””
Claire closed her eyes briefly.
Then whispered:
“She knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That you would hear lies from everyone.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
“It means your mother didn’t know who to trust.””
I looked at Ethan.
Then Lily.
Then the dark hallway.
Everyone had a different version.
Everyone claimed they were protecting someone.
But nobody could explain why I had spent my whole life in the dark.
“Where is my mother?””
Claire didn’t answer.
That scared me.
“Where is she?””
“She’s gone.””
My heart dropped.
“What?””
Claire looked away.
“She was taken.””
“When?””
“Minutes ago.””
“By who?””
A voice answered from behind us.
“By someone who was never supposed to find her.””
I turned.
Victor stood at the entrance.
His suit was torn.
A cut ran across his forehead.
But he was alive.
And the moment he appeared, Claire’s expression changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
“You.””
Victor stared at her.
“Claire.””
My anger returned instantly.
“You know her too.””
Victor looked at me.
“Damon—”
“No.””
I stepped forward.
“No more.””
My voice echoed through the passage.
“I want the truth.””
Nobody spoke.
So I continued.
“My father.””
I pointed at Victor.
“My mother.””
I pointed at Claire.
“My brother.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Lily.””
Then I looked between all of them.
“All of you have spent years deciding what I deserve to know.””
My voice shook.
“But nobody asked me what I was willing to lose to find out.””
Silence.
Finally, Victor spoke.
“You’re right.””
The admission caught me off guard.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“But I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
He looked at Lily.
“Of failing again.””
The answer softened something inside me.
But only slightly.
“Failing who?””
Victor’s eyes lowered.
“Your father.””
I shook my head.
“You keep acting like he was some hero.””
Victor looked up.
“He wasn’t.””
The honesty stopped me.
“He made terrible choices.””
“Then why protect him?””
“Because despite everything he did wrong, he spent his final years trying to fix it.””
Victor stepped closer.
“He knew he had created monsters by giving powerful people too much trust.””
“Adrian.””
“Yes.””
“Claire?””
Her face tightened.
“Not Claire.””
I looked at him.
“Then who?””
Victor didn’t answer.
And that scared me.
“Victor.””
He took a breath.
“The person who betrayed your father wasn’t outside the family.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What are you saying?””
He looked at Ethan.
Then Lily.
Then me.
“I’m saying Marcus Cross was betrayed by someone with his own blood.””
Nobody moved.
Ethan’s face changed.
“You knew?””
Victor looked at him.
“Yes.””
My stomach turned.
“No.””
Victor looked at me.
“Damon.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then said:
“The person your father trusted more than anyone.””
I waited.
“Who?””
Victor whispered:
“Your grandfather.””
The world seemed to stop.
“My grandfather died before I was born.””
“Yes.””
“Then how?””
Victor looked toward the old files.
“Because he wasn’t the victim.””
My mind raced.
“My grandfather was involved?””
“Yes.””
“With Adrian?””
“No.””
Victor’s voice became darker.
“With something older.””
“What?””
Victor walked toward the hidden compartment.
He removed another file.
One I hadn’t noticed before.
On the cover was a symbol.
The same symbol carved into the old Cross headquarters.
“What is that?””
Victor opened it.
Inside were names.
Hundreds of names.
Companies.
Politicians.
Executives.
People who had shaped the world.
At the top of the list was one word.
*The Circle.*
Ethan stared at the file.
“They’re still active.””
Victor nodded.
“Yes.””
Claire stepped closer.
“And now they know Damon has the files.””
A loud sound interrupted us.
A vibration.
Not from a phone.
From the mansion.
The entire building shook.
Then every screen in the hidden room turned on.
A video appeared.
A man sat in a dark room.
Older.
Gray hair.
Cold eyes.
I knew that face.
I had seen it in old family portraits.
My grandfather.
Richard Cross.
Impossible.
The video began.
“My grandson.””
My blood ran cold.
The recording continued.
“If you are watching this, then Marcus failed.””
I stared at the screen.
The old man smiled.
Not kindly.
“You finally found the truth.””
The video paused.
Then one final sentence appeared.
A sentence that made Ethan step backward.
A sentence that made Lily start crying.
A sentence that changed everything.
*Your sister was never the child I wanted to erase.*
The screen flickered.
May you like
And the next line appeared.
*She was the child who inherited everything.*
