Chapter 14: The Sister Who Had Been Watching Us
I stared at the photograph.
Then I showed it to my mother.
She made a sound I had never heard before.
It was somewhere between a sob and a gasp.
"Sophie.""
She touched the screen with trembling fingers.
"My baby.""
I looked toward the hospital entrance.
"She's outside.""
My mother stood so quickly that her chair scraped backward.
"Where?""
I called the number.
Someone answered immediately.
"Hello?""
A young woman's voice.
"Is this Briar?""
"Yes. Where are you?""
"I'm across the street.""
"Why didn't you come inside?""
A pause.
"Because I don't know if I can face everyone.""
I swallowed.
"You're my sister.""
"I know.""
"Mom is here.""
Silence.
Then a shaky breath.
"Is she really alive?""
I looked at Elena.
"Yes.""
The woman on the phone began crying.
"I thought I was the only one left.""
I closed my eyes.
"Come inside, Sophie.""
Five minutes later, the hospital doors opened.
A young woman entered wearing a gray coat and carrying a small backpack.
She looked at my mother.
Then stopped.
Elena stood.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Sophie whispered:
"Mom?""
My mother rushed forward.
They embraced so tightly that I thought neither would ever let go.
"I'm sorry," Elena sobbed.
"I'm so sorry.""
Sophie buried her face against her shoulder.
"I waited for you.""
"I know.""
"Every birthday.""
"I know, sweetheart.""
"Every Christmas.""
My mother held her face.
"I know.""
Sophie finally pulled away.
Then she looked at me.
"Briar?""
I nodded.
She laughed through her tears.
"You look exactly like the photograph.""
I hugged her.
And for the first time in my life, I understood what it felt like to have a family I hadn't known existed.
But the reunion didn't last long.
Sophie looked toward Damien.
"Where's Richard?""
Damien stood.
"He escaped.""
Sophie nodded as if she'd expected that answer.
"He'll come for me.""
"Why?""
She opened her backpack and removed a small envelope.
"Because I have the original documents.""
Julian stepped forward.
"What documents?""
Sophie placed them on the table.
"Daniel gave these to the nurse who helped me escape. She raised me under another identity and told me never to trust anyone with the raven symbol.""
I looked at the papers.
They contained bank records, property deeds, and a list of names.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Richard Hensley.
But another name was written beside his.
Corbin Ashworth.
I looked at my twin.
He didn't deny it.
Sophie turned toward him.
"You helped Richard find me.""
Corbin lowered his head.
"I was sixteen.""
"You were twenty-two when you found my address.""
He looked away.
"I didn't know what he was planning.""
Sophie shook her head.
"You always knew enough.""
Corbin's voice cracked.
"I thought he would let us go.""
"Go where?""
"Anywhere. Away from this family.""
She stared at him.
"You could have come for me.""
Corbin had no answer.
Then Sophie opened the final envelope.
Inside was a handwritten statement from Daniel.
It named the people responsible for the attack on the night he disappeared.
Richard Hensley.
Vincent Ashworth.
And a third person.
*Dr. Samuel Hensley.*
I frowned.
"Who is Samuel?""
Sophie looked at me.
"Richard's father.""
My mother went pale.
"He was the doctor who treated me after the accident.""
Sophie nodded.
"He falsified the medical records. He declared you dead, arranged the funeral, and transferred you to a private facility.""
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"Because Richard needed someone to control the Ashworth family after Vincent died.""
Damien looked at the documents.
"Then Richard was planning this for years.""
Sophie nodded.
"He wanted the trust. But there was another reason.""
She removed a final photograph.
It showed Daniel standing beside a little girl.
The girl was Sophie.
But behind them stood another man.
A younger Damien.
And his hand rested on Daniel's shoulder.
On the back, Daniel had written:
The only man I trust with my children.
I looked at Damien.
"Why is this important?""
Sophie answered.
"Because Daniel left one final instruction. If all three children were reunited, the trust would transfer to a foundation in their names. But if one beneficiary was declared legally dead, the entire inheritance would pass to the remaining beneficiary.""
Julian frowned.
"So Richard wanted one of us dead.""
"Yes.""
Corbin swallowed.
"Which one?""
Sophie looked at him.
"Me.""
Silence.
"He needed Briar and Julian alive to unlock the trust. But he wanted me gone because my documents could expose the entire operation.""
I stared at my sister.
"Then why did he let you live?""
"Because he thought I was too young to understand what I had.""
Damien approached.
"Where is Richard now?""
Sophie opened her phone.
She showed us a message.
*MIDNIGHT. OLD FAMILY CEMETERY. BRING ALL THREE CHILDREN.*
Underneath was a photograph of a grave.
Daniel Mercer's grave.
But there was something wrong.
The name on the headstone had been scratched away.
My mother covered her mouth.
"He's trying to make us come together.""
Julian shook his head.
"It's a trap.""
I looked at Damien.
"What do we do?""
He glanced toward the surgical recovery room.
"First, we wait for Shadow.""
As if he'd heard his name, Dr. Patel appeared.
"He's awake.""
We rushed toward the recovery room.
Shadow lay beneath a blanket, an oxygen tube resting near his muzzle.
His eyes opened when I approached.
"Hey, handsome.""
His tail moved.
Damien knelt beside him.
"You stubborn old soldier.""
Shadow slowly lifted his head and licked Damien's hand.
Then he turned toward Sophie.
His ears twitched.
Sophie began crying.
"Shadow.""
The dog made a soft whine.
She reached into her backpack and removed a tiny photograph.
It showed Daniel holding Shadow as a puppy.
On the back was a message.
If Shadow ever finds all three children, take them to the cemetery. The truth is buried beneath my name.
My mother stared at it.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Daniel knew we'd come back.""
