Chapter 4: The Man Who Died Twice
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stood beside the dining table, staring at the photograph of my mother and the medical documents Adrian had dropped.
My father.
I had remembered his face.
Not clearly. Not completely.
But enough to remember his dark eyes, the little scar above his eyebrow, and the way he used to lift me onto his shoulders.
He had been alive when I last saw him.
Or at least, I thought he had.
"Adrian," I whispered.
"My father was killed?""
Adrian looked at Eleanor.
"Tell us everything.""
Eleanor wiped her cheeks.
"His name was Thomas Whitmore. He was a respected businessman and the biological father of Isabella. He and your mother, Margaret, were married for twelve years.""
I frowned.
"But you said my mother ordered Vincent to take me.""
"She did.""
"Why would she do that?""
Eleanor took a shaky breath.
"Because Thomas discovered that Margaret and Vincent were secretly transferring money out of the Whitmore family trusts. Millions of dollars had disappeared. Thomas threatened to report them.""
Adrian paced toward the window.
"My uncle was stealing from the estate?""
"More than that," Eleanor replied.
"He had been planning to take control of everything for years.""
I stared at the medical envelope.
"What happened to my father?""
Eleanor looked directly at me.
"Three days before the fire, Thomas disappeared. Margaret told the police that he had abandoned his family. But I saw something that night.""
"What?""
"Vincent's car parked outside the old carriage house. Thomas was inside.""
Adrian turned sharply.
"Did you see him?""
Eleanor nodded.
"I heard shouting. Then a gunshot.""
My knees weakened.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"He was murdered?""
"I believe so.""
Adrian slammed his palm against the window frame.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Margaret threatened to have my son arrested. Vincent had planted stolen documents in his apartment. I was terrified.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"You knew I was alive, and you let me grow up on the streets?""
The words came out harsher than I intended.
She began crying.
"I didn't know where you were, sweetheart. I swear. After the fire, I searched hospitals, shelters, churches. I even hired someone to investigate.""
"Then why stop?""
"Because Vincent sent me a photograph of my son leaving his school.""
The room went silent.
"He told me that if I kept searching, my son would disappear next.""
I looked away.
I wanted to hate her.
Part of me did.
But I also recognized the terror in her eyes.
It was the same terror I had carried for ten years.
Adrian approached me.
"Wren, listen to me.""
I shook my head.
"Don't tell me everything will be fine.""
"I wasn't going to.""
"Good. Because it won't.""
He nodded slowly.
"Then we'll make sure Vincent never gets near you again.""
Marco entered carrying a laptop and several folders.
"Boss, I found something.""
He placed the laptop on the table.
"The original Whitmore estate documents were transferred through three shell companies. The money eventually ended up in an account controlled by Vincent.""
Adrian examined the screen.
"How much?""
"Approximately $780 million, including property and investment holdings.""
My mouth went dry.
"That money was mine?""
Adrian looked at me.
"Legally, it should have been held for you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Ten years sleeping in subway stations while someone stole my inheritance.""
Marco opened another file.
"There's something else. I found the hospital record from the night of the fire.""
Adrian leaned forward.
"Read it.""
Marco scanned the document.
"Female child, approximately eight years old. Admitted with smoke inhalation and head trauma. Transferred under an unidentified guardian.""
My hands began shaking.
"That was me.""
Marco nodded.
"The guardian signed the admission form using a false name.""
"Which name?""
Marco turned the document around.
I stared at the signature.
Daniel Mercer.
I didn't recognize it.
But beneath the signature was a handwritten note.
Do not contact the family. The child must remain untraceable.
Adrian looked at Eleanor.
"Who was Daniel Mercer?""
Eleanor's face changed.
She stood so quickly that her chair scraped across the floor.
"Oh, God.""
"What?"" Adrian demanded.
"Daniel wasn't a stranger.""
"Who was he?""
Eleanor looked at me.
"He was your father's younger brother.""
I swallowed.
"My uncle?""
"Yes. Thomas's brother.""
Adrian picked up the document.
"Then he saved her.""
"Possibly," Eleanor replied.
"But there's something else you need to know.""
She pointed to the hospital's discharge date.
"Daniel signed the papers twelve days later. After that, he vanished.""
I felt a memory stir.
A car.
A blanket.
A man humming while driving.
I closed my eyes.
"He took me somewhere.""
Adrian crouched beside me.
"Where?""
"I don't know. There was a little blue house. I remember a wooden swing.""
Eleanor covered her mouth.
"The house in Connecticut.""
Adrian stood.
"Which house?""
"Thomas's childhood home. Daniel used to live there.""
Marco immediately opened another search window.
"I can locate the property.""
Adrian nodded.
"Do it.""
Then my phone vibrated.
I had never owned a proper phone before that morning. Adrian had given me one so I could contact him.
The screen showed an unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A man's voice spoke.
"Wren?""
My blood turned cold.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it in nightmares.
"Who is this?""
"My name is Daniel Mercer.""
I stopped breathing.
Adrian immediately gestured for me to put the call on speaker.
The man continued.
"I know you've started remembering things.""
"Where are you?""
A long silence followed.
Then he said something that made my hands tremble.
"Your father didn't die in the carriage house, sweetheart.""
I stared at Adrian.
"What?""
Daniel's voice broke.
"Thomas was still alive when I took you from that hospital.""
Adrian stepped closer.
"Where is he now?""
The man hesitated.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"He's been living under another name for ten years.""
