Chapter 11: The Nurse Who Sold Two Little Girls
The Kane estate was surrounded by trees, high stone walls, and security cameras.
It had once belonged to my grandfather.
Now Vincent controlled every entrance.
Adrian's SUV stopped several hundred yards from the main gate.
Marco opened the rear door.
"Sir, we have six men on the east side, four near the garage, and at least two inside the main building.""
Adrian studied the security photographs.
"Any sign of Elena?""
"She's being held in the west wing.""
"And Thomas?""
Marco pointed to the basement level.
"According to the last thermal scan, he's in a medical room below the east staircase.""
I stared at the building.
This was where my childhood had ended.
Somewhere behind those walls, my parents were waiting.
Victoria sat beside me.
"Vincent used to bring me here every summer.""
I looked at her.
"Did he ever tell you about me?""
She nodded.
"Every birthday.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted me to believe you were responsible for everything wrong in his life.""
Her voice broke.
"He told me you had been born sick. That our grandfather had chosen you over me. That Mother loved you more.""
I reached for her hand.
"None of that was true.""
"I know that now.""
She looked toward the mansion.
"But when I was little, I believed him.""
Adrian approached us.
"We have two options. We can storm the building, or we can make Vincent come outside.""
I looked at him.
"How?""
He held up the original trust documents.
"We tell him we have the evidence.""
Marco frowned.
"That could be dangerous.""
"He's not going to destroy the documents if he believes he can still take them.""
I shook my head.
"Vincent doesn't care about the documents. He cares about controlling us.""
Adrian studied me.
"Then what do you suggest?""
I looked at Victoria.
She understood immediately.
"He's obsessed with the family image.""
I nodded.
"We give him an audience.""
An hour later, Adrian contacted Vincent.
He agreed to meet in the estate's main hall.
We entered through the front doors.
Vincent stood beside the fireplace, wearing a dark blue suit.
He was older than I remembered from the photographs, but his face was unmistakable.
The man from my nightmares.
The man who had carried me away from the fire.
His eyes moved toward my hair.
Then toward the crescent-shaped mark behind my ear.
He smiled.
"Well, look who's finally come home.""
I stepped forward.
"Hello, Uncle Vincent.""
His smile widened.
"I always knew you were a clever little girl.""
Adrian moved beside me.
"Where are our parents?""
Vincent poured himself a drink.
"Still alive. For the moment.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"Let them go.""
Vincent looked at her.
"After everything I've done for you?""
"You stole my childhood.""
"I gave you a future.""
"You gave me a cage.""
Vincent laughed.
Then he looked at me.
"Do you know what your mother did to keep you alive?""
I held his gaze.
"She protected us.""
"She signed the papers that separated you.""
"Because you threatened her.""
His expression changed.
For the first time, I saw genuine anger.
"Your mother was weak. Your grandfather was weak. Thomas was a fool. I was the only person willing to do what was necessary.""
Adrian stepped closer.
"You arranged the fire.""
Vincent took a sip of whiskey.
"Your grandfather was becoming a problem.""
"You tried to kill two children.""
"I tried to protect the company.""
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"By turning me into your daughter and pretending Isabella never existed?""
Vincent placed his glass on the mantel.
"You were both supposed to be grateful.""
I reached into my coat and removed the memory card.
"We have the recording.""
His eyes moved toward it.
"Give it to me.""
"No.""
He stepped forward.
"Isabella, don't make this difficult.""
I raised my phone.
"The original trust is backed up. The documents are already with Adrian's lawyers.""
Vincent stared at me.
Then he began laughing.
"You still don't understand, do you?""
He walked toward a large portrait above the fireplace.
It showed my grandfather standing between Vincent and Thomas.
"Your grandfather didn't just leave you money. He left you a secret.""
He pressed a hidden button behind the frame.
A section of the wall opened.
Inside was a safe.
Vincent entered a code and removed a thick envelope.
He placed it on the table.
"Your mother signed a confession after the fire. She admitted that she had arranged the children's separation and helped me steal the inheritance.""
Adrian grabbed the envelope.
"That's a lie.""
"Is it?""
Vincent pulled out a document.
It carried Elena's signature.
I looked at it.
The handwriting was genuine.
But something else caught my attention.
The date.
The confession had been signed three days after the fire.
I remembered Elena's bruised face in the recording.
I remembered her saying Vincent had threatened Thomas.
Then I noticed the bottom of the document.
A witness signature.
*Margaret Lewis.*
I looked at Vincent.
"Where is Margaret?""
He smiled.
"She's been a very useful woman.""
A door opened behind us.
Two guards escorted an elderly woman into the hall.
Her hair was gray.
Her shoulders were bent.
But I recognized the face immediately.
Margaret.
The woman from my childhood memories.
She looked at me.
Then she began crying.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
I stepped toward her.
"Why?""
Margaret looked at Vincent.
He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Tell them what you told me.""
She swallowed.
Then she whispered:
"I was paid to take Isabella from the hospital.""
Victoria gasped.
Adrian's face hardened.
Margaret continued.
"But there was something Vincent didn't know.""
She reached into her pocket and removed a small photograph.
It showed a baby wrapped in a yellow blanket.
"Before I took Isabella, I switched the hospital bracelets.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
Margaret looked directly into my eyes.
"The child Vincent believed he had taken was not Isabella.""
She turned toward Victoria.
"And the girl he raised as his daughter wasn't the child he thought she was, either.""
Vincent suddenly grabbed her arm.
"SHUT UP!""
Margaret pulled away.
"Your mother never gave you the right child, Vincent.""
May you like
Then she looked at me.
"And the real reason your grandfather separated you is much worse than the inheritance.""
