CHAPTER 9 — THE NIGHT MARGARET DIED
CHAPTER 9 — THE NIGHT MARGARET DIED
The name on the screen should have been impossible.
Edward Blackwood.
Dead for eight years.
Yet there he stood in front of Emma.
Older.
Thinner.
His hair almost completely gray.
But unmistakably alive.
Emma stared at him through tears.
“You're dead.”
Edward smiled.
“That is what everyone was supposed to believe.”
“Why?”
“Because dead men are rarely questioned.”
Emma pulled against the restraints.
“You killed my mother.”
Edward's expression hardened.
“No.”
“You threatened her.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you kill us?”
He leaned closer.
“Because your mother knew something I needed.”
Emma swallowed.
“What?”
Edward looked toward the recorder.
“The location of the original Blackwood trust.”
Emma shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“I believe you.”
That frightened her more.
Edward smiled.
“But you know who does.”
Emma remained silent.
“Leah.”
Her eyes widened.
Edward whispered:
“Your sister has the answer.”
THE CHAPEL
At the Blackwood estate, Leah couldn't sleep.
Evelyn's revelation had destroyed whatever remained of certainty.
Her mother was alive.
Or had been alive after everyone believed she died.
Edward Blackwood was alive.
Emma had disappeared.
And Daniel was apparently one of three heirs to an empire built on lies.
Leah stood before the chapel doors.
The same doors Margaret had once walked through.
The same chapel beneath which the trust had been hidden.
Daniel stood beside her.
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because my mother wanted me to find the truth.”
Daniel looked at her.
“And if the truth hurts?”
Leah smiled sadly.
“It already does.”
They entered.
The chapel was dark.
Only moonlight entered through the stained glass.
Leah walked toward the altar.
She remembered Cassandra's blood on the floor.
The photograph.
The warning.
Then she saw something beneath the altar.
A small metal box.
She pulled it free.
Inside was an old key.
And a note.
APRIL 17, 2003.
Leah stared.
“That was the night she disappeared.”
Daniel nodded.
“Not the night she died.”
Leah looked at him.
“Exactly.”
THE NIGHT MARGARET DIED
Twenty-three years earlier, Margaret stood outside the Blackwood Manor.
Rain poured around her.
She held an envelope against her chest.
Inside were the original trust documents.
The DNA records.
Thomas's medical files.
And one photograph.
She knew someone was following her.
She didn't know who.
She entered the manor through the side door.
The hallway was empty.
She walked toward the library.
Then stopped.
Edward stood there.
“You're late.”
Margaret froze.
“I thought you were in Chicago.”
Edward smiled.
“You thought wrong.”
She backed away.
“You can't have them.”
“The documents?”
“Yes.”
“I don't need the documents.”
Margaret frowned.
“Then what do you want?”
“You.”
She understood.
“You want me to authorize the transfer.”
Edward nodded.
“The trust.”
“No.”
“Margaret.”
“No.”
Edward's voice became colder.
“You don't understand the situation.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“Then you understand that Evelyn will lose everything.”
“She won't.”
“She will.”
Margaret stepped closer.
“You've already poisoned her.”
Edward smiled.
“So you know.”
Margaret's face hardened.
“You're a monster.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I'm a survivor.”
Margaret tried to leave.
Edward blocked the door.
Then another voice came from the hallway.
Cassandra.
“Edward.”
Margaret turned.
Cassandra entered.
Her face was pale.
“You said you wouldn't hurt her.”
Edward looked at her.
“I said I wouldn't kill her.”
Cassandra stared.
“Then what are you doing?”
“Finishing this.”
Margaret looked at Cassandra.
“You have one chance.”
Cassandra's eyes filled with tears.
“Margaret…”
“Help me.”
Cassandra looked at Edward.
Then back at Margaret.
For a moment, Leah's future might have changed.
Cassandra could have chosen Margaret.
She didn't.
She stepped aside.
Margaret ran.
She reached the staircase.
Edward followed.
“Stop!”
Margaret kept running.
She reached the lower hall.
Then Cassandra appeared in front of her.
Margaret stopped.
“You.”
Cassandra's face was twisted with fear.
“I can't let you leave.”
“Why?”
“Because he'll kill me too.”
Margaret shook her head.
“He'll kill you anyway.”
Cassandra pushed her.
Margaret fell.
Her head struck the marble.
She stopped moving.
Cassandra stared.
“Oh God.”
Edward arrived seconds later.
He looked down.
Margaret was still breathing.
Cassandra whispered:
“She isn't dead.”
Edward crouched.
Margaret opened her eyes.
She saw him.
“Please…”
Edward looked at Cassandra.
“Leave.”
Cassandra shook her head.
“No.”
“Leave.”
She backed away.
Edward looked at Margaret.
“You should have listened.”
He lifted her.
But he didn't finish the job.
Instead, he carried her to the private medical wing.
Because Margaret knew where the trust was.
And Edward needed her alive.
THE WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED
Margaret woke three days later.
Her head was bandaged.
Her ribs were broken.
Her left arm was fractured.
She tried to move.
A voice stopped her.
“Don't.”
She turned.
A nurse stood beside her.
“Where am I?”
“Private clinic.”
“Who brought me?”
The nurse hesitated.
“You don't need to know.”
Margaret tried to sit.
“Where is my daughter?”
“She is safe.”
“Leah?”
“Yes.”
“Emma?”
The nurse nodded.
“Safe too.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Relief flooded through her.
Then she asked:
“Who paid you?”
The nurse looked away.
“Someone who wanted you alive.”
Margaret knew immediately.
Edward.
But she was wrong.
A man entered the room.
Jonathan.
“You're alive.”
Margaret stared at him.
“Thomas's son.”
Jonathan nodded.
“I've been looking for you.”
“Why?”
“Because my father left something for us.”
Margaret's expression changed.
“The trust.”
“Yes.”
“You know?”
“I know everything.”
Margaret whispered:
“Then you know they will kill you.”
Jonathan smiled.
“They've tried.”
THE REAL PLAN
Jonathan explained everything.
Thomas had discovered that Edward was stealing from the Blackwood empire.
Victor was helping him.
Cassandra knew.
But there was another person involved.
Someone outside the family.
A banker.
A man named Richard Vale.
He had designed the financial structure that allowed Edward to move millions without detection.
And he wanted the Blackwood empire for himself.
Margaret listened.
“Then Edward isn't the mastermind.”
“No.”
“Who is?”
Jonathan looked at her.
“Vale.”
Margaret's face went pale.
“Then we're in more danger than I thought.”
“Yes.”
“What about Daniel?”
“He is being watched.”
“Leah?”
“Too.”
“Emma?”
“Cassandra has her.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“She'll protect her.”
Jonathan frowned.
“You trust Cassandra?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because Cassandra may hate me.”
She opened her eyes.
“But she loves Emma.”
THE RECORDING
Margaret spent the next week preparing.
She recorded messages.
Copied documents.
Created false identities.
And hid the original trust.
But there was one thing she couldn't control.
Daniel.
He had begun asking questions.
Why had his mother disappeared?
Why was Edward always angry?
Why did people whisper when he entered a room?
Margaret knew the truth would eventually find him.
So she recorded one final message.
She spoke directly into the camera.
“Daniel.”
Her voice trembled.
“If you're watching this, I'm probably dead.”
She paused.
“I want you to know something.”
“You were never abandoned.”
“I never stopped loving you.”
“You were taken from me.”
Margaret wiped away a tear.
“I chose to disappear because staying alive was the only way I could protect you.”
She looked toward the camera.
“And Leah.”
A long pause.
“She deserves to know who she is.”
Margaret leaned closer.
“She is not poor.”
“She is not insignificant.”
“She is not alone.”
“She is a Carter.”
“And one day…”
Her voice broke.
“…she will own half of everything they tried to steal.”
THE NIGHT THE WORLD CHANGED
Months passed.
Margaret disappeared.
The world believed she was dead.
Edward continued his life.
Victor continued his business.
Cassandra raised Emma.
Daniel grew up believing Edward was his father.
Leah grew up believing her mother was dead.
And the Blackwood empire continued.
But Margaret never stopped watching.
She lived under another name.
She moved from city to city.
She sent money anonymously.
She monitored Leah.
She watched Daniel.
She watched Emma.
And every year, she recorded another message.
Until one night—
Someone found her.
PRESENT DAY
Leah stared at the old recording.
Her mother's face appeared on the screen.
Older.
Weaker.
But alive.
Leah's knees nearly gave out.
“Mom…”
Daniel stood behind her.
He couldn't speak.
Margaret continued.
“I know you will eventually find this.”
She looked directly into the camera.
“And when you do, you will think Edward is your greatest enemy.”
A pause.
“He isn't.”
Leah's heart stopped.
“Edward was a pawn.”
Daniel whispered:
“Then who?”
Margaret continued.
“The man who destroyed Thomas.”
“The man who manipulated Edward.”
“The man who controls Victor.”
“The man who has spent twenty-three years waiting for the Blackwood children to reunite.”
Leah stared.
“Who?”
Margaret looked terrified.
Then said:
“Richard Vale.”
Daniel froze.
“Vale.”
Jonathan nodded.
“I knew that name.”
Margaret continued.
“He knows about the trust.”
“He knows about Daniel.”
“He knows about Jonathan.”
“And now…”
She looked down.
“…he knows about Leah.”
The recording ended.
THE MAN BEHIND THE EMPIRE
At the same moment, hundreds of miles away, a man sat alone in a private office.
Richard Vale.
He watched the same recording.
When it ended, he smiled.
He opened a file.
Three photographs were inside.
Jonathan Carter.
Daniel Blackwood.
Leah Carter.
He placed them side by side.
Then a fourth.
Emma Whitmore.
He stared at the four faces.
“Twenty-three years.”
He poured himself a drink.
“That's a long time to wait.”
A phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?”
A voice spoke.
“We found the woman.”
Richard stopped.
“Which woman?”
“Margaret.”
Silence.
Then Richard smiled.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
The voice gave him an address.
Richard's smile disappeared.
“That can't be.”
“What?”
“She was supposed to be hiding there.”
“Should we send someone?”
Richard looked at the photographs.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because if Margaret is alive…”
He slowly stood.
“…then she has already told Leah everything.”
THE RETURN
At the Blackwood estate, Leah walked into the library.
Evelyn was waiting.
“Where is my mother?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“You said you knew.”
“I knew where she had been.”
“Where?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“An old monastery.”
Leah grabbed her coat.
“Take me there.”
Daniel followed.
Jonathan stopped him.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“We need to understand what we're walking into.”
Daniel shook his head.
“My sister's mother is alive.”
He looked at Leah.
“I won't let her go alone.”
Jonathan nodded.
“Then I'm coming too.”
Samuel picked up his coat.
“So am I.”
Evelyn remained behind.
Leah turned.
“You're not coming?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Margaret told me never to go there.”
Leah stared.
“Why?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Because that monastery is where Thomas was taken before he died.”
THE MONASTERY
The road was narrow.
Fog covered the hills.
The monastery appeared just before dawn.
Old stone walls.
Broken windows.
An abandoned bell tower.
Leah stepped out of the car.
Her heart was pounding.
Daniel stood beside her.
“You ready?”
“No.”
“Neither am I.”
They entered.
The monastery was empty.
Dust covered the pews.
A single candle burned near the altar.
Leah walked toward it.
There was an envelope beneath the candle.
Her name.
She opened it.
LEAH,
If you are reading this, then I failed to stay hidden.
Her hands trembled.
I need you to forgive me.
Leah began crying.
I lied because the truth would have gotten you killed.
A sound came from behind her.
She turned.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Older.
Gray hair.
Thin.
But those eyes—
Leah knew them immediately.
Her entire body stopped.
“Mom?”
The woman covered her mouth.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Leah.”
Leah couldn't move.
Then she ran.
Margaret caught her.
They collapsed into each other's arms.
Leah sobbed.
“You're alive.”
“I am.”
“You left me.”
“I know.”
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Margaret held her tighter.
“Because I loved you more than I loved my own life.”
Daniel stood frozen.
Margaret looked at him.
Her face changed.
“Daniel.”
He stepped forward.
“Were you my mother too?”
Margaret began crying.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked away.
“You let me believe Edward was my father.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
Margaret nodded.
“You're right.”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“Why didn't you come back?”
“Because someone was watching you.”
“Who?”
Margaret looked toward the window.
Her expression changed.
“Richard Vale.”
A car stopped outside.
Everyone froze.
Margaret's face became terrified.
“No.”
Daniel moved toward the door.
“Who is it?”
Margaret grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because he found me.”
A shadow appeared outside.
Then another.
Margaret whispered:
“Take Leah and go.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“No.”
“Listen to me.”
She looked at him.
“If you stay, he will take all of you.”
Leah shook her head.
“I'm not leaving you again.”
Margaret looked at her daughter.
For a moment, she smiled.
Then the monastery doors exploded inward.
Gunfire erupted.
Daniel pulled Leah to the floor.
Jonathan returned fire from behind a stone pillar.
Samuel dragged Margaret toward the rear corridor.
And outside—
A man stepped from the darkness.
Richard Vale.
He looked directly through the shattered doorway.
His eyes met Margaret's.
He smiled.
“You've had twenty-three years.”
Margaret stared at him.
“Leave my children alone.”
Richard shook his head.
“You misunderstood.”
He raised his gun.
“I'm not here for your children.”
He pointed toward Leah.
“I'm here for the trust.”
Then he smiled.
May you like
“And I know exactly where it is.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
