Chapter 13: The Other Twin
My phone slipped from my hand.
Milo caught it before it hit the floor.
He read the message.
Then he looked at me.
“What other twin?””
I turned toward my mother.
She was already crying.
“Mom?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You just said Claire left with me.””
“Yes.””
“And now someone says there was another twin.””
“I don't know what they mean.””
Milo looked at Laura.
“You know.””
Laura's silence was answer enough.
“Tell us,” he said.
Laura sat down on the edge of the old desk.
“There were three babies.””
Nobody moved.
Daniel stared at her.
“Three?””
Laura nodded.
“Eleanor delivered triplets.””
My mother covered her mouth.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Laura opened an old medical folder.
“Two boys and one girl.””
Milo stepped backward.
“I have a brother?””
Laura looked at him.
“You had one.””
My heart pounded.
“Had?””
“He was born with severe complications.””
“What happened?””
Laura hesitated.
“Richard ordered me to record him as stillborn.””
Daniel slammed his hand against the desk.
“He was alive?””
“For twelve minutes.””
Silence.
Twelve minutes.
That was all.
My mother sank into a chair.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“You were unconscious.””
“Then why didn't you save him?””
Laura's eyes filled with tears.
“I tried.””
She opened another file.
Inside was a tiny hospital bracelet.
*BABY BOY — MERCER — 11:42 PM.*
Milo stared at it.
“That's my brother.””
Laura nodded.
“He had your mother's eyes.””
My mother reached for the bracelet.
Her fingers trembled.
“His name?””
Laura looked down.
“Ethan.””
I whispered the name.
“Ethan.””
Milo repeated it.
“Ethan.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I never knew.””
Laura looked at him.
“Richard made sure you didn't.””
My mother stared at Richard, who was being held by two officers near the stairs.
“You knew?””
Richard said nothing.
“Richard!””
He looked at her.
“You would have done anything for your children.””
“You killed one of them.””
His expression hardened.
“I saved the family.””
“You murdered my son.””
“He was dying.””
“He was alive!””
Richard didn't respond.
The officer dragged him upstairs.
But before he disappeared, he looked directly at me.
“Ask Laura what happened after those twelve minutes.””
Laura went pale.
I turned to her.
“What happened?””
She looked at the floor.
“He didn't die.””
Milo froze.
“What?””
Laura's voice shook.
“He stopped breathing.””
She swallowed.
“Then his heart started again.””
My mother stood.
“Where is he?””
Laura didn't answer.
“Where is my son?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel grabbed the folder.
“Someone does.””
Laura nodded.
“There's a private medical foundation that took custody of him.””
“Who?””
“Mercer Children's Trust.””
I looked at the name.
“That was my grandfather's foundation.””
“Yes.””
“And they kept him alive?””
“For years.””
Milo's voice became quiet.
“Why?””
Laura looked at me.
“Because Ethan wasn't just another child.””
“What made him different?””
“He had a rare blood disorder.””
Daniel frowned.
“And?””
“The foundation used him.””
My stomach turned.
“For what?””
Laura closed her eyes.
“Experimental treatments.””
My mother began shaking.
“How long?””
“Until he was eight.””
“And then?””
Laura looked at the folder.
“He disappeared.””
I felt numb.
“Another child taken.””
Milo suddenly looked at the phone.
“The message.””
He pointed.
*Ask your mother what happened to the other twin.*
I looked at Mom.
“Who sent it?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
My phone buzzed again.
A photograph appeared.
A boy.
Maybe eight years old.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small scar above his eyebrow.
He was sitting in a hospital bed.
The timestamp said:
*October 2015.*
I stared at the image.
“Milo…”
He leaned closer.
“That isn't Ethan.””
“How do you know?””
“Because Ethan had a birthmark on his neck.””
I looked at the boy again.
Then I noticed the scar.
I knew that face.
Not from memory.
From somewhere else.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who is this?””
He didn't answer.
Laura whispered,
“That's Claire's son.””
My mother went completely still.
“Claire had a child?””
Laura nodded.
“After she disappeared.””
I stared at the photograph.
Three generations of secrets.
Three children.
And suddenly, one thought hit me.
“If Claire had a son…”
I looked at Milo.
“Then who sent us the message?””
Before anyone could answer, the hospital's emergency lights flickered on.
A voice came through the speakers.
“Kate.””
My blood ran cold.
The voice sounded young.
A boy's voice.
“I'm sorry I lied to you.””
Milo looked around.
“Who are you?””
The voice answered.
“Your brother.””
May you like
The lights went out again.
Then the doors locked.
