The Homeless Girl Who Was Supposed to Be Dead

“Don't move,” Vincent ordered.

I stood frozen on the landing, staring at Adrian.

Blood seeped through his shirt, staining the fabric near his ribs. Daniel held a gun against the back of his neck, while Vincent watched me with the patient expression of a man who had already decided how the night would end.

“Let him go,” I whispered.

Vincent smiled.

“Come downstairs.””

Adrian lifted his head.

“Wren, don't.””

Daniel pressed the weapon harder against his neck.

“Quiet.””

I took one step toward Vincent.

Then another.

Adrian's eyes met mine.

He shook his head almost imperceptibly.

I understood what he was asking.

Don't sacrifice yourself for me.

But I had spent ten years alone. I knew what it felt like to be abandoned, and I wasn't going to leave someone who had risked everything to save me.

When I reached Vincent, he seized my arm.

“Good girl.””

He pulled me toward the corridor, but I twisted suddenly and drove my heel into his injured foot.

Vincent cursed.

I tore free and grabbed the fire extinguisher mounted on the wall.

Daniel turned at the sound.

I swung it with both hands.

The metal cylinder struck his wrist. His gun clattered across the floor, and Adrian surged forward, slamming Daniel into the wall.

“Marco!”” Adrian shouted.

Boots thundered from the stairs above.

Vincent reached for me again, but I ducked beneath his arm and ran toward the basement cell.

Adrian caught up with me seconds later.

“Are you hurt?””

“No.””

“Then keep moving.””

We reached the cell just as Marco and two guards entered the corridor. Marco disarmed Daniel while another guard forced Vincent against the wall.

“Boss, we've got them,” Marco said.

Adrian pointed toward the cell.

“Get Eleanor out.””

Marco worked on the lock while I knelt beside the door.

“Eleanor, are you hurt?””

She shook her head, crying.

“I thought he was going to kill you.””

“He won't.””

The words sounded braver than I felt.

The lock finally clicked open.

Eleanor stumbled into my arms. She was shaking so badly that I had to support her weight.

Adrian looked at her.

“Tell me the truth. Are you my mother?””

Eleanor swallowed.

“No.””

He closed his eyes briefly.

“Then who are you?””

“My name is Eleanor Whitmore. Isabella's mother was my sister, Catherine.””

I stared at her.

“My mother's name was Catherine?””

She nodded.

“Catherine Whitmore. She married Richard against Vincent's wishes. He wanted control of the Whitmore fortune, and Richard refused to give it to him.””

Adrian's expression tightened.

“Why did Vincent say my biological mother was connected to this family?””

Eleanor looked toward Vincent, who was being restrained by Marco's men.

“Because she was.””

Vincent laughed.

“Go on, Eleanor. Tell them the beautiful story.””

She flinched but continued.

“Catherine had a twin sister named Eleanor. I married Vincent Kane. My sister married Richard Whitmore. We were close until Vincent began using my marriage to gain access to the Whitmore family's businesses.””

Adrian's face hardened.

“And my mother?””

Eleanor looked directly at him.

“Your biological mother was a woman named Anna Bell. She worked as a nurse at a private hospital. When Vincent's business partner died, Anna discovered that several newborns had been illegally transferred between hospital records.””

My stomach turned.

“What does that have to do with Adrian?””

Eleanor hesitated.

“Anna gave birth to a boy. That boy was supposed to be adopted by Vincent and me. But the child disappeared from the nursery before the adoption could be completed.””

Adrian stared at her.

“You're saying I was stolen?””

“I don't know if you were stolen or exchanged. Vincent never told me the truth.””

Vincent began laughing.

“You really are a sentimental fool, Eleanor.””

Adrian crossed the corridor and grabbed his uncle by the collar.

“Where is Anna Bell?””

Vincent's smile widened.

“Dead, according to the records.””

“According to the records you controlled.””

For the first time, Vincent said nothing.

Marco searched Vincent's jacket and removed a small leather notebook, several keys, and a folded sheet of paper.

“Boss, you need to see this.””

Adrian released Vincent and took the paper.

It was an old hospital document, yellowed at the edges.

The header belonged to St. Catherine's Medical Center.

Below it were two birth entries, recorded within eleven minutes of each other.

*INFANT A: MALE — BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: ANNA BELL.*

*INFANT B: FEMALE — BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: CATHERINE WHITMORE.*

A handwritten note appeared beneath both entries.

*TRANSFER AUTHORIZED BY V. KANE.*

Adrian's face went white.

“Two babies.””

Eleanor nodded.

“Anna's son and Catherine's daughter.””

I looked between them.

“What happened to the boy?””

Nobody answered.

Then Vincent spoke.

“He became the most powerful criminal in New York.””

Adrian turned slowly.

“What did you say?””

Vincent straightened his tie despite Marco's grip on his shoulder.

“Anna's son was never meant to inherit anything. He was supposed to disappear into the system. But someone arranged for him to be adopted by the Kane family.””

Adrian looked at the hospital document again.

His hands began to tremble.

“You arranged my adoption.””

“I arranged an opportunity. Your adoptive parents wanted a child. I needed someone who could eventually control the Kane empire without questioning its foundations.””

“You knew I wasn't their biological son?””

“Of course.””

Adrian struck him.

Vincent stumbled, and Marco had to drag him upright.

“You let me mourn a mother who wasn't even my mother,” Adrian said, his voice breaking.

“You let me believe my entire life was real.””

Vincent wiped blood from his mouth.

“Your life is real. Your feelings are real. The only thing that matters is what you do with them.””

Adrian looked as though he might kill him.

I caught his arm.

“Adrian, please.””

He stared at me.

“Don't let him turn you into what he is.””

For a moment, his fury wavered.

Then Marco's phone rang.

He answered, listened, and immediately turned toward us.

“Boss, the woman we rescued upstairs has escaped.””

Adrian's expression hardened.

“Eleanor Kane?””

“Yes. She left through the east entrance before our men secured the building.””

Marco hesitated.

“And she took something with her.””

“What?””

“A folder containing the original hospital records.””

Vincent began laughing again.

I looked at him.

“You wanted us to find this.””

His laughter stopped.

I stepped closer.

“You knew we'd discover the hospital records. You knew we'd learn about the two babies. You wanted Adrian and me to believe we were connected by blood.””

Vincent's eyes narrowed.

“Careful, Isabella.””

“Why?””

I held up the document.

“Because if you had the truth, you wouldn't have needed to hide it for ten years.””

For the first time, I saw hatred in his eyes without the mask of amusement.

Then he leaned toward me.

“You should ask Eleanor why Catherine never told you that you had a brother.””

My breath caught.

“What brother?””

Vincent smiled.

“Perhaps you should look in the mirror.””