Chapter 12: The Voice From the Past
For several minutes, I sat frozen.
Henry watched me carefully.
"Wren?""
I couldn't answer.
Because there was only one explanation my mind could accept.
And it was impossible.
"My mother called me.""
Henry went pale.
"That's not possible.""
"I know.""
"Did you record it?""
"No.""
"Did she identify herself?""
"She said my name.""
Henry looked toward the folder.
Then toward the locked office door.
"Wren, we need to leave.""
"Why?""
"Because if someone can imitate your mother's identity, they can imitate anyone.""
The thought chilled me.
Not because of the technology.
Because of the access.
Someone knew exactly what memories would break me.
Someone knew exactly which name would make me stop thinking.
I called Voss back.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then a message appeared.
From Voss's number.
COME ALONE.
No explanation.
No location.
Just those words.
I showed Henry.
His face tightened.
"Don't go.""
"It's probably not him.""
"Exactly.""
But I was already thinking.
Because whoever sent it wanted me afraid.
And fear was how Desmond had controlled people for years.
I had spent the entire night discovering secrets.
Now I needed answers.
I went to the location attached to Voss's previous calendar.
The old Ashcombe research building.
The place my father had built before Corvina existed.
It had been abandoned for years.
That alone felt wrong.
The doors were unlocked.
Inside, dust covered everything.
But the lights were on.
Someone had been there recently.
I walked through the hallway.
Past old laboratories.
Past rooms where I remembered visiting my father as a child.
Then I heard it.
A voice.
"Wren.""
I stopped.
A woman stood at the end of the corridor.
Older.
Different.
But impossible to mistake.
My mother.
Alive.
My hands started shaking.
"No.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I know.""
"You died.""
"I know what they told you.""
My heart was pounding.
"Who are you?""
She stepped closer.
"I am exactly who you think I am.""
"Then prove it.""
The sadness on her face broke something inside me.
"You hated strawberry cake after your sixth birthday because your father accidentally ordered one with nuts.""
I froze.
Only my mother knew that.
"You slept under the piano when thunderstorms scared you.""
My throat tightened.
"You kept a broken watch in your drawer because you said it was the last thing Grandpa touched.""
I couldn't move.
My mother whispered:
"I'm sorry, Wren.""
I covered my mouth.
"How?""
She looked away.
"Your father and I discovered something about Corvina.""
"The company?""
"Yes.""
"Why fake your death?""
Her face changed.
Pain.
"Because we weren't given a choice.""
A sound echoed behind us.
Footsteps.
My mother immediately grabbed my hand.
"Someone followed you.""
The lights flickered.
Then a man's voice came from the hallway.
"Wren.""
My entire body went cold.
Desmond.
My mother pulled me behind her.
"No.""
He stepped into the light.
And he wasn't alone.
Standing beside him was Elias Voss.
I stared at them.
Together.
After everything.
After all the accusations.
All the lies.
Voss looked at me sadly.
"I'm sorry.""
Desmond smiled faintly.
"Now you finally see.""
I couldn't speak.
My mother tightened her grip on my hand.
"Don't listen to them.""
Desmond looked at her.
"Still protecting her after all these years?""
My blood froze.
"You knew she was alive.""
Desmond smiled.
"Of course.""
The room spun.
"Why?""
His answer was quiet.
"Because your mother was the reason your father died.""
My mother looked at him.
"You're still lying.""
Desmond stepped closer.
"Am I?""
Then he held up a document.
The original Corvina agreement.
Page seventeen folded open.
And beneath my mother's signature was one line.
A line I had never seen before.
TRANSFER AUTHORIZED BY:
WREN ASHCOMBE.
I stared.
My name.
My signature.
A signature I had never written.
Desmond whispered:
"Your family secret isn't that I betrayed you.""
May you like
He looked at me.
"It's that your entire life was built on a lie."" :::
