Chapter 13: The Experiment Nobody Knew About
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Not me.
Not Daniel.
Not Ethan.
Not even Leo.
The old house seemed to hold its breath.
I looked at Daniel.
“What did you just say?””
He didn’t answer.
He was staring at the photograph in his hand.
His fingers trembled.
“That’s impossible.””
I stepped closer.
“You keep saying that.””
My voice was low.
“But every time someone says that in this house, another secret comes out.””
Daniel looked at me.
His face had changed.
The anger was gone.
The confidence was gone.
He looked like someone who had just discovered his entire life was built on a lie.
“I thought I was the first.””
“The first what?””
He looked at Leo.
“The first child.””
My stomach tightened.
“Explain.””
Daniel walked toward the wall.
The photographs were everywhere.
Years of stolen memories.
Hidden lives.
Children who had disappeared into someone else’s story.
“My grandfather believed families were created, not born.””
I nodded slowly.
“We know.””
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You don’t.””
He touched an old photograph.
“He didn’t start with Ethan.””
Ethan looked at him.
“What are you saying?””
Daniel turned.
“He started before you.””
Ethan froze.
Daniel pointed at another photograph.
A child.
A little boy.
Same dark eyes.
Same small smile.
“My grandfather called it the first success.””
I felt sick.
“Who is that?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your son.””
I stared.
“No.””
Daniel looked at Leo.
“Leo was never randomly chosen.””
My hands curled into fists.
“Careful.””
“I’m not trying to hurt you.””
“Then stop talking about my son like he’s a science project.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“I’m trying to explain why everyone has been fighting over him.””
I looked at Leo.
He was watching us silently.
Confused.
Scared.
I knelt beside him.
“Buddy, stay with me.””
He grabbed my hand.
Daniel watched.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“That’s why he chose you.””
I looked up.
“Who?””
“My grandfather.””
Silence.
“My grandfather watched you.””
The room felt colder.
“He knew you would protect him.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Daniel walked closer.
“He tested people.””
My stomach turned.
“Tests?””
“He wanted to know if love was stronger than blood.””
I stared at him.
“That’s insane.””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked away.
“But it’s what he believed.””
A sound came from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
Elina stood there.
Again.
But this time she wasn’t afraid.
She looked exhausted.
“You weren’t supposed to find this room.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Is there anything we weren’t supposed to find?””
She ignored me.
She looked at Daniel.
“You took him.””
Daniel’s face hardened.
“You took me first.””
Elina flinched.
The words hit her.
“You were a child.””
“So was I.””
A silence followed.
Then Elina whispered:
“I tried to fix it.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“I did.””
“You hid everything.””
“I protected Claire.””
“You protected yourself.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
Maybe she wanted to deny it.
Maybe she couldn’t.
Daniel walked toward her.
“You knew about Leo.””
She nodded.
“I knew his name.””
“Why?””
“Because your grandfather kept records.””
She looked at me.
“He knew every child connected to the experiment.””
The word made me sick.
“Experiment.””
She nodded.
“Changing families. Erasing identities. Seeing whether a child could adapt.””
I held Leo tighter.
“And you let him?””
Elina looked down.
“I was afraid.””
Again.
The same excuse.
The same word.
Afraid.
But fear had protected nobody.
Then Ethan stepped forward.
“What happened to Noah?””
Everyone became quiet.
Elina looked at him.
“I thought he died.””
“No.””
Her face changed.
“What?””
Ethan looked toward the back room.
“I found something.””
He walked toward a locked door.
Behind it was a small storage room.
Inside were boxes.
Thousands of documents.
He opened one.
Then another.
Finally, he stopped.
His face went pale.
“What?””
He pulled out a file.
The name on it made everyone freeze.
*NOAH MILLER — STATUS: ALIVE.*
I looked at Daniel.
“You knew.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
Then another paper slipped out.
A newer document.
A transfer record.
A child’s name.
A date.
And a destination.
Daniel picked it up.
His hands started shaking.
“No…”
“What is it?””
He looked at Leo.
Then at me.
“The experiment never ended.””
I stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“There’s another child.””
