Chapter 12: The Bloodline Nobody Expected
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at the cassette recorder.
My mother's voice had just destroyed another piece of our family history.
One of us wasn't biologically related to Richard.
And the man responsible was Evelyn Cross's husband.
I looked at Michael.
"Do you know anything about this?""
He shook his head.
"No.""
Daniel laughed quietly.
"Of course you don't. Richard made sure nobody knew.""
I turned toward him.
"Then why are you telling us?""
Daniel put the recording device back into his pocket.
"Because I want the truth too.""
Michael stepped forward.
"After everything you've done?""
Daniel looked at him.
"You think I chose this life?""
"You helped lock me behind a wall!""
Daniel's expression tightened.
"I never wanted you dead.""
"But you knew where I was!""
"I was a child when Richard started telling me what happened. By the time I understood, he had already made me an accomplice.""
Michael looked away.
I couldn't tell whether Daniel was lying.
But his hands were trembling.
I picked up the original cassette.
"Let's hear the rest.""
Daniel nodded.
I pressed play.
My mother's voice returned.
"If you're hearing this, then Richard has probably told you that I was unstable. He will tell you that I betrayed him. He will tell you that I abandoned my children.""
There was a pause.
Then she continued.
"None of that is true.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Richard discovered that Evelyn's husband, Thomas Cross, was involved in the hospital records. Thomas had been secretly working with Richard for years. When I discovered the arrangement, I threatened to expose them.""
The tape crackled.
"One of the babies was Thomas's biological child. Richard knew. He wanted to hide that child because the inheritance would pass through the true bloodline.""
Michael looked at Daniel.
"Which child?""
The recording continued.
"Richard believed the third baby was Thomas's. But he was wrong. The third child was actually mine and Richard's. The child he gave away was not the one he thought.""
I stopped the tape.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel looked confused.
Michael stared at the floor.
Then I understood.
My father had switched the babies because he believed one of them belonged to another man.
But he had made a mistake.
He had separated the wrong children.
I pressed play again.
My mother's voice became softer.
"Mark, Michael, I need you to understand that the names on your birth certificates may not belong to the children you think they do.""
The recording ended.
A long silence followed.
Then Daniel spoke.
"Richard has been searching for the third child for years.""
"Why?""
"Because the original trust recognizes biological descendants, not registered identities.""
I looked at the documents.
"Then who is the rightful heir?""
Daniel gave a humorless smile.
"That's what Richard has been trying to discover.""
Michael suddenly sat down.
"My entire life was a lie.""
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're still my brother.""
He looked up.
"Even if we're not related?""
I nodded.
"Especially then.""
Daniel turned toward the staircase.
"We need to leave.""
I blocked his path.
"Not until you tell me where Claire is.""
He hesitated.
Then he pulled out his phone and showed me a photograph.
Claire was sitting in a small apartment.
Her hands were tied.
A man stood behind her.
Richard.
I felt my stomach turn.
"Where is she?""
Daniel looked at me.
"At the old Bennett estate.""
"Why did you say she was safe?""
"Because she was. Until your father found out she had the recording.""
I grabbed his jacket.
"Take me there.""
Daniel didn't resist.
But before he could answer, a loud bang echoed above us.
Someone had entered the church.
Michael grabbed the cassette.
"Police?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Richard.""
We heard footsteps descending the stairs.
Then our father's voice.
"Daniel, my boy. Are your brothers behaving?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
I stared at him.
"You called him.""
He didn't deny it.
"I had to.""
Michael stepped toward him.
"You son of a—"
Daniel suddenly shoved me behind the cabinet.
"Get down!""
A gunshot shattered the silence.
Wood splintered above our heads.
I grabbed Michael and pulled him behind the cabinet.
Our father appeared at the bottom of the stairs, holding a pistol.
"Give me the tape, Mark.""
I held it tightly.
"No.""
He sighed.
"Your mother always made you difficult.""
I looked at him.
"You killed her.""
His expression remained calm.
"I did what I had to do.""
Michael shouted.
"You murdered Patricia too!""
Richard looked at Daniel.
"Is that what you've been telling them?""
Daniel stepped into the open.
"Tell them the truth.""
Richard smiled.
"Which truth?""
"Tell them who my real father is.""
My father lowered the gun slightly.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
Daniel pulled out the birth certificate.
"Tell them.""
Richard stared at him.
Then he laughed.
"You're not my son, Daniel.""
Daniel's face went white.
Richard continued.
"You're not even Thomas Cross's son.""
I looked at the document.
"Then whose son is he?""
Richard slowly turned toward me.
And his next words made Michael collapse against the wall.
"Daniel is Evelyn's firstborn child.""
I stared at him.
"That doesn't make sense.""
Richard smiled.
"It makes perfect sense, Mark.""
He pointed the gun toward Daniel.
"Because Evelyn didn't just help switch your mother's babies.""
He paused.
"She gave birth to me.""
The silence was absolute.
Daniel looked at Richard in horror.
"You're saying you're my—"
Richard nodded.
"Your biological brother.""
Then he looked at Michael.
"And Michael is your father.""
I felt the room spinning.
Three generations of lies.
One family built on stolen identities.
And somewhere above us, Claire was waiting for someone to rescue her.
Richard raised his gun again.
"Now, Mark, hand me that tape.""
Before I could move, Daniel stepped between us.
"Don't touch my brothers.""
Richard's finger tightened around the trigger.
Then a voice came from the staircase.
"Richard Bennett. Put the gun down.""
A woman stood at the top of the stairs.
Silver hair.
A familiar face.
My mother.
May you like
Alive.
And she was holding a document that could destroy every person in the room.
