Chapter 4: The Mother Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
The two men outside the salon moved at the same time.
One reached inside his jacket.
Marco immediately stepped between them and the entrance.
"Everybody down!"" he shouted.
Daniel ducked behind the reception desk. Richard dropped his expensive tablet, and the remaining customers screamed as Adrian pulled me away from the window.
But Elena didn't move.
She stood in the middle of the salon, gripping her silver cane with both hands.
"Don't let them take her!"" she screamed.
Adrian rushed toward her.
"Mother! Get behind me!""
Elena grabbed his arm.
"No, Adrian. You don't understand. They're not here for me.""
Her eyes found mine.
"They've come to finish what they started ten years ago.""
A loud crack shattered the salon's front window.
Marco drew his weapon.
The two men outside disappeared behind a black SUV as another vehicle pulled up beside it.
"Sir, we need to leave. Now!""
Adrian wrapped his coat around my shoulders.
"Stay close to me, Wren.""
I looked at Elena.
She was staring at the birthmark behind my ear.
Then she whispered something that made my stomach turn.
"My little moon. I knew you'd survive.""
I froze.
"You're my mother?""
Her chin trembled.
She reached toward my face but stopped just inches away.
"I've searched for you every single day.""
"Then why didn't you find me?""
The question came out sharper than I intended.
Elena lowered her hand.
"Because someone made sure I believed you were dead.""
Adrian stepped between us.
"Mother, we can discuss this somewhere safe. Tell me who sent those men.""
Elena looked at him.
"Your uncle.""
"Vincent?""
She nodded.
"Vincent didn't just steal your sister's inheritance, Adrian. He arranged the fire. He arranged the funeral. And he arranged my disappearance.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Why?""
"Because your grandfather left Isabella nearly eight hundred million dollars. The money was supposed to remain hers until she turned twenty-one.""
"And you?""
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"I was supposed to be her guardian.""
Adrian looked toward the broken window.
"Then why did you let everyone believe you were dead?""
Elena opened her handbag and pulled out an old photograph.
It showed a younger Vincent standing beside a man I didn't recognize.
Behind them was a hospital bed.
A little girl lay beneath a white blanket.
I couldn't look away.
"Who's that?"" I asked.
Elena looked at me.
"Your sister.""
The room went silent.
I felt Adrian's hand tighten around mine.
"What sister?"" he asked.
Elena swallowed.
"Isabella wasn't the only child I gave birth to.""
My heart began pounding.
"What are you saying?""
"Before the fire, I had two daughters. Isabella and another little girl. Your father insisted the second child had died shortly after birth.""
Adrian frowned.
"Our father?""
Elena nodded.
"But I never saw a body. I never received a death certificate. I only had a nurse's word.""
She looked at me.
"And then, after the fire, Vincent showed me a photograph of a little girl wearing Isabella's necklace. He told me she had died.""
"Why would he lie?"" I whispered.
"Because he needed me to stop looking.""
Marco returned from the entrance.
"Sir, the vehicles are gone. But we can't stay here.""
Adrian nodded.
He guided Elena toward the private exit.
As we reached the back corridor, she suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Wait.""
She stared at my face.
"There's something I need to ask you.""
"What?""
"Do you remember a woman named Margaret?""
I searched my memory.
A hospital room.
A bottle of milk.
A woman singing softly.
Then a name.
"Margaret?""
Elena began crying.
"She was your nurse.""
I shook my head.
"Why does that matter?""
"Because Margaret was the last person who saw you before you disappeared from the hospital.""
Adrian looked at Marco.
"Find her.""
Marco nodded.
Elena continued.
"She called me eleven years ago. She said she had proof that Isabella was alive. Before she could tell me where the proof was, someone broke into her apartment.""
"Was she killed?"" Adrian asked.
Elena shook her head.
"No. She vanished.""
We reached the underground garage.
Adrian opened the rear door of his armored SUV.
I climbed inside beside Elena.
As the vehicle pulled away, I watched Manhattan disappear behind the tinted glass.
I had spent ten years believing I had no family.
Now I had a billionaire brother, a mother who had supposedly died twice, and an uncle who might have ordered my murder.
Elena took my hand.
"I know you have questions.""
I looked at her.
"I have hundreds.""
She nodded.
"Then ask me one.""
I swallowed.
"Why did someone tell me never to cut my hair?""
Elena's expression changed.
She slowly reached into her handbag and removed another photograph.
It showed a little girl standing beside a man in a dark suit.
The girl had long hair covering her ears.
The man was holding a pair of scissors.
Elena pointed to him.
"That's the man who took you from the hospital.""
I stared at his face.
A cold shiver traveled down my spine.
Because I recognized him.
He was the man from my nightmares.
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And beneath the photograph, Elena had written his name.
*VINCENT KANE.*
