CHAPTER 7 — THE NIGHT MY MOTHER DISAPPEARED
CHAPTER 7 — THE NIGHT MY MOTHER DISAPPEARED
The gunshot never came.
For one frozen second, the entire underground facility seemed to hold its breath.
Celeste stood in the doorway.
Her gun was aimed directly at Richard.
My father didn't move.
My mother had Sophie behind her.
Nathan was already reaching for his weapon.
Then Celeste smiled.
“Put it down, Richard.”
He stared at her.
“You came alone?”
“No.”
She glanced toward the corridor.
Footsteps echoed in the darkness.
“Of course not.”
I tightened my grip around Sophie's hand.
My mother whispered:
“Vivian, don't move.”
But I was already looking at her.
There was something in her expression.
Not fear.
Recognition.
She had seen Celeste before.
Many times.
And suddenly I realized something.
The night my mother disappeared wasn't the night she died.
It was the night she ran.
And Celeste had been there.
“Tell me the truth.”
My mother looked at me.
“Now.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Finally.”
My mother turned toward her.
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Tell her.”
Celeste's smile widened.
“Why?”
“Because she's already been hurt enough.”
I stepped forward.
“No.”
Everyone looked at me.
“I want to know.”
My mother shook her head.
“Vivian…”
“I want to know what happened the night you disappeared.”
Celeste lowered her gun slightly.
“That's a story your father has been terrified to tell.”
I looked at Richard.
He said nothing.
Celeste continued.
“Twenty-nine years ago, your mother discovered that your grandmother was going to be murdered.”
My mother's eyes closed.
“She confronted Richard.”
I looked at him.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Richard whispered:
“I told her I had no choice.”
My stomach turned.
“No choice?”
Celeste laughed.
“There is always a choice.”
Richard glared at her.
“You weren't there.”
“I was.”
“You came after.”
“No.”
Celeste's eyes hardened.
“I was there before.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Stop.”
Celeste ignored her.
“Your mother found the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The Council Ledger.”
“The one they stole tonight?”
“Yes.”
“What did it contain?”
“Names.”
“Whose?”
“Everyone.”
Celeste smiled.
“Judges. Ministers. Bankers. Police chiefs. CEOs.”
“And family members?”
“Especially family members.”
I looked at Richard.
“And my grandmother?”
Celeste nodded.
“She discovered that Richard had been selling information to the Council.”
Richard snapped:
“That isn't what happened.”
“Then tell her.”
He looked at me.
“I was infiltrating them.”
“For how long?”
“Years.”
“Why?”
“To destroy them.”
Celeste laughed.
“You became them.”
Richard's face hardened.
“I had to.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You wanted power.”
Silence.
I looked at my father.
“Did you?”
He didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My mother began crying.
“Your grandmother found out.”
“About Dad?”
“Yes.”
“And she confronted him?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
My mother swallowed.
“She disappeared.”
I stared.
“Like you?”
“Yes.”
“Was she killed?”
My mother hesitated.
“I never saw her body.”
My heart stopped.
“You never saw it?”
“No.”
“Then how did you know she was dead?”
“Richard told me.”
I looked at him.
“Did you kill her?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
He whispered:
“The Council.”
Celeste smiled.
“That's what he wants you to believe.”
I turned toward her.
“Then who?”
Celeste looked at Richard.
“Ask him where he was that night.”
The room became silent.
I stared at my father.
“Where were you?”
He looked away.
“Dad.”
He closed his eyes.
“At the Cross estate.”
“With my grandmother?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“She had the ledger.”
“And?”
“She threatened to expose everyone.”
“Did you stop her?”
“I tried to convince her to wait.”
“Why?”
“Because the Council would kill her.”
“And did they?”
Richard looked at me.
“Yes.”
“You watched?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
He whispered:
“She escaped.”
I stared.
“What?”
“She escaped.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
My mother looked at him.
“You told me she was dead.”
“I thought she was.”
“You lied.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
My mother's voice broke.
“You always say that.”
Celeste suddenly raised her gun.
“Enough.”
Everyone froze.
She looked at me.
“Your mother disappeared because she discovered something far more important than the Council.”
“What?”
Celeste smiled.
“She discovered who your real father was.”
I looked at Nathan.
Then Gabriel.
Then Richard.
“My real father?”
Celeste nodded.
“Not Richard.”
“I know.”
“Not Gabriel.”
I froze.
“Then who?”
Celeste looked at Nathan.
He went pale.
“No.”
Celeste smiled.
“Tell her.”
Nathan didn't move.
I stepped toward him.
“Nathan?”
He looked at me.
“It's complicated.”
“I'm tired of that answer.”
He sighed.
“Your mother was pregnant when she disappeared.”
“I know.”
“With you.”
“Yes.”
“But she wasn't pregnant with Gabriel's child.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Then whose?”
Nathan looked at me.
“Mine.”
Silence.
I heard my own heartbeat.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“You said Gabriel was my father.”
“I was wrong.”
“You said you were.”
“I am.”
My mother covered her face.
I stared at her.
“Mom?”
She couldn't look at me.
“Is Nathan my father?”
She whispered:
“Yes.”
The room seemed to tilt.
I looked at Nathan.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me grow up.”
“Yes.”
“You never came to me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard threatened to kill you if I did.”
I turned toward Richard.
“Did you?”
Richard looked at me.
“I did what I had to.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
I felt tears burning my eyes.
“You chose power.”
A sudden explosion shook the facility.
The lights went out.
Sophie screamed.
I grabbed her.
Gunfire erupted.
Someone shouted.
“DOWN!”
I dropped behind a concrete pillar.
Bullets struck the walls.
Nathan fired back.
Gabriel appeared from the opposite corridor.
“Move!”
I grabbed Sophie.
My mother followed.
Richard was behind us.
Celeste disappeared into the smoke.
We ran.
Down one corridor.
Then another.
A heavy door opened.
We entered a hidden chamber.
The door slammed shut.
Silence.
I looked around.
Old photographs covered the walls.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
My family.
The Vales.
The Crosses.
The Blackwoods.
The Whitmores.
The Hales.
The Mercers.
The Ashfords.
Seven families.
One empire.
One secret.
At the center of the room was a large wooden box.
My mother stared at it.
“No.”
Nathan walked toward it.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“They found it.”
“What is it?”
She whispered:
“The room where I disappeared.”
I looked at the box.
“What do you mean?”
My mother stepped closer.
“I was brought here twenty-nine years ago.”
“By whom?”
“Richard.”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To hide me.”
“From the Council?”
“Yes.”
“But you escaped.”
She nodded.
“Through the tunnel.”
I stared.
“You disappeared through here?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you go?”
She looked at me.
“To the hospital.”
“Why?”
“Because I was giving birth.”
My heart stopped.
“You were pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“With me.”
“Yes.”
I touched the wall.
“You gave birth here?”
“No.”
“Then where?”
“A small clinic.”
“Who helped you?”
My mother hesitated.
“Celeste.”
I froze.
“Celeste helped you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She was the only person I trusted.”
I looked at the door.
The woman holding a gun outside had once saved my mother.
“How?”
My mother swallowed.
“She helped me escape.”
“And then?”
“She betrayed me.”
“How?”
“She told Richard where I was.”
Richard looked at her.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“I followed Celeste.”
“And you found me.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Richard whispered:
“You had already given birth.”
I stared.
“Where was I?”
“In the nursery.”
“And Ethan?”
My mother looked confused.
“What about Ethan?”
I froze.
“Who was the baby?”
Richard looked at Nathan.
Nathan went pale.
“Don't.”
I stepped toward them.
“Who was born that night?”
Nobody answered.
I shouted:
“WHO?”
My mother finally whispered:
“Two babies.”
Silence.
My heart stopped.
“Two?”
She nodded.
“You…”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“…and Ethan.”
I couldn't breathe.
“We were twins?”
“Yes.”
I looked at Richard.
“You said Ethan was older.”
“He was.”
“By how much?”
“Seven minutes.”
I stared.
“So why did you tell everyone he died?”
Richard looked broken.
“Because the Council was searching for the male heir.”
“Why?”
“Because under the old trust law, the male heir had priority.”
I frowned.
“But I inherited it.”
“Because Ethan disappeared.”
“Who took him?”
Richard didn't answer.
Nathan did.
“Celeste.”
I turned.
“Celeste took my brother?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To force your mother to cooperate.”
My mother shook her head.
“No.”
Nathan looked at her.
“She didn't take him.”
“Then who?”
My mother whispered:
“Your grandmother.”
I stared.
“My grandmother took Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To save him.”
I couldn't understand.
“From what?”
“The Council.”
“But then why was he declared dead?”
“Because your grandmother needed everyone to believe both children were gone.”
I felt dizzy.
“So where is Ethan?”
My mother looked at me.
“I don't know.”
The door suddenly opened.
We all turned.
Celeste stood there.
No gun.
No guards.
Just a small envelope in her hand.
She looked exhausted.
“Ethan is alive.”
I stepped forward.
“Where?”
She held out the envelope.
“Read this.”
I took it.
Inside was a photograph.
A baby.
A hospital bracelet.
ETHAN VALE.
And beneath it...
a second photograph.
A man.
Older.
Scar across his cheek.
I recognized him.
The same man Sophie had described.
The same man from the messages.
I whispered:
“That's him.”
Celeste nodded.
“Your brother.”
“Where is he?”
“He was taken.”
“By whom?”
“Your grandmother.”
“Why?”
“To protect him.”
“From whom?”
Celeste looked at Richard.
“From your father.”
I stared.
“Richard?”
She nodded.
“He wanted both children.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
“You wanted the heir.”
“I wanted to protect them.”
“You separated them.”
“To save them.”
Celeste laughed.
“You always had an excuse.”
I looked at Richard.
“Did you take Ethan?”
He said nothing.
“Did you?”
Finally:
“Yes.”
My heart broke.
“Why?”
“Because the Council wanted him.”
“And you hid him?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Richard looked at me.
“I gave him to someone I trusted.”
“Who?”
His voice became barely audible.
“Your grandfather.”
I stared.
“My grandfather was dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then who received him?”
Richard looked toward the door.
“The man who is now standing outside.”
Everyone turned.
A shadow appeared behind the glass.
A familiar voice spoke.
“Vivian.”
I froze.
Ethan.
My brother.
He was alive.
And he had heard everything.
The door opened.
A man stepped inside.
He looked at me.
Then at Sophie.
Then at our mother.
Tears filled his eyes.
“I'm sorry.”
I couldn't speak.
He smiled sadly.
“I've been looking for you my whole life.”
I stepped forward.
“Ethan?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
I reached for him.
Then stopped.
There was something wrong.
Something in his eyes.
Something cold.
He whispered:
“There's one thing they didn't tell you.”
“What?”
He looked at Richard.
Then at Nathan.
Then at Celeste.
“They didn't separate us to protect us.”
My heart pounded.
“Then why?”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“Because one of us was supposed to die.”
Silence.
“Which one?”
He looked directly at me.
“You.”
My blood ran cold.
Before I could answer, he pulled a small device from his coat.
The entire facility went dark.
Sophie screamed.
And in the darkness...
Ethan whispered:
“Run, sister.”
May you like
Then the doors opened.
And the people outside were waiting for me.
