CHAPTER 7 — VANESSA'S SECOND BETRAYAL
CHAPTER 7 — VANESSA'S SECOND BETRAYAL
The message remained on the screen long after Edward disappeared.
FIND MICHAEL VOSS.
I couldn't move.
Neither could Lucas.
Vanessa stood beside the elevator, staring at the black monitors.
Then she whispered:
“He's alive.”
I turned toward her.
“You knew.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“You just said it like you knew.”
“I said it because I hoped.”
“Hoped?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“My brother disappeared when I was seventeen.”
Lucas looked at her.
“He was twenty-one.”
“Yes.”
“And you never found him?”
“No.”
“Then why would Edward tell us to find him?”
Vanessa looked at the floor.
“Because Edward never tells the truth unless the truth hurts someone.”
I stared at her.
“What are you hiding?”
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa.”
Nothing.
I stepped closer.
“What happened to Michael?”
Her lips trembled.
“He came to me the night before he disappeared.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me he had discovered something about your mother.”
My heart tightened.
“What?”
“He said Claire wasn't hiding from Edward.”
I frowned.
“Then who was she hiding from?”
Vanessa looked directly into my eyes.
“Your father.”
The words struck harder than anything Edward had said.
I looked at Lucas.
He was pale.
“That's impossible.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“That's what Michael believed.”
Lucas stepped forward.
“Michael was wrong.”
“You weren't there.”
“You don't know what happened.”
“I know what my brother told me.”
“What did he say?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“He said Claire had been lying about the identity of Emily's father.”
Lucas's jaw tightened.
“And you believed him?”
“I was seventeen.”
Vanessa's voice broke.
“I believed everything my brother told me.”
She wiped her eyes.
“Then he disappeared.”
I looked at Lucas.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the trust.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she had a child.”
“Yes.”
“And you never asked who the father was?”
Lucas closed his eyes.
“I knew.”
“What?”
“I knew she was pregnant.”
“But?”
“She told me the child was mine.”
My stomach twisted.
“And you believed her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I loved her.”
I stared at him.
That answer hurt more than I expected.
We returned to the mansion.
Nobody spoke during the drive.
When we arrived, the security system had been restored.
But the atmosphere had changed.
The staff avoided us.
The guards whispered.
And someone had placed a large envelope on the dining table.
My name was written on it.
Again.
I didn't touch it.
Daniel did.
He opened it carefully.
Inside was a photograph.
Michael Voss.
Older.
Much older.
He was standing outside a train station.
The photograph had been taken three days earlier.
Daniel looked at me.
“Michael is alive.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“Where?”
The back of the photograph contained an address.
A small coastal town.
Two hours away.
I picked it up.
“We're going.”
Lucas immediately said:
“No.”
I turned.
“You don't decide that.”
“Emily—”
“I have spent my entire life being lied to.”
He stopped.
“I am done waiting for other people to tell me when I deserve the truth.”
Lucas looked at me.
Then slowly nodded.
“I'll take you.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“I'm coming.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“Why?”
“Because you lied to me.”
Her expression collapsed.
“I know.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I know.”
“And I don't trust you.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“You shouldn't.”
She turned away.
Then said quietly:
“But if you find Michael without me, you may not survive the conversation.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because Michael knows what I did.”
“What did you do?”
She didn't answer.
That silence was answer enough.
We left at dawn.
Daniel drove.
Lucas sat in the passenger seat.
I sat in the back.
Vanessa sat beside me.
No one spoke.
Until she finally whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
I looked at her.
“For what?”
“For the necklace.”
“That isn't enough.”
“I know.”
“For the slap?”
“I know.”
“For helping Edward?”
She looked down.
“Yes.”
I stared at her.
“You knew he was watching me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the cameras.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about my mother.”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
She hesitated.
Then said:
“I knew about your father.”
My heart stopped.
“Which one?”
She looked at me.
“That's the problem.”
The car went silent.
I leaned forward.
“Explain.”
Vanessa stared out the window.
“My brother found the original birth records.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
“What did they say?”
“He told me you weren't registered as Claire's daughter.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“He said your original birth record had been changed.”
“To what?”
“That's what he never told me.”
“Why?”
“Because he disappeared.”
I looked at Lucas.
He was listening.
“Did you see the record?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.”
“What did it say?”
She swallowed.
“Your mother was listed.”
“And the father?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Blank.”
My stomach tightened.
“Blank?”
“Yes.”
“So how did Edward know?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why did he say Lucas wasn't my father?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.”
She paused.
“Maybe because Lucas isn't.”
We reached the town shortly after noon.
The address led us to an old house overlooking the ocean.
The windows were boarded.
The garden was overgrown.
But smoke came from the chimney.
Someone was inside.
Lucas knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
“Michael?”
Silence.
Then a voice.
“Go away.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Michael?”
The door opened.
A man stood there.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Thin.
His face was scarred.
But his eyes were unmistakable.
Vanessa froze.
“Michael?”
He stared at her.
Then whispered:
“Vanessa.”
She began crying.
He pulled her into his arms.
For several seconds, they simply held each other.
Then Michael looked over her shoulder.
His eyes landed on me.
His expression changed.
He stepped backward.
“No.”
I stared.
“Are you Michael Voss?”
“Yes.”
“My mother knew you.”
He nodded.
“She trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“You know who my father is.”
Michael's face hardened.
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
He looked at Lucas.
Then back at me.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I have been searching for you for twenty-seven years.”
“You were five.”
“I know.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“I failed your mother.”
“How?”
“She asked me to protect you.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Edward?”
Michael shook his head.
“Of the man who came after him.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
Michael looked at Lucas.
“Your brother.”
Lucas went rigid.
“My brother?”
Michael nodded.
“Victor.”
I felt confused.
“Victor Hale?”
“Yes.”
“But Victor was Edward's lawyer.”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“That's what everyone believed.”
Michael let us inside.
The house was filled with old files.
Photographs.
Boxes.
Newspaper clippings.
He led me into a small room.
On the wall was a photograph of my mother.
She was smiling.
Young.
Happy.
I touched it.
“When was this taken?”
“The year before you were born.”
Michael sat down.
“Your mother loved you before you were even born.”
I swallowed.
“Tell me the truth.”
He looked at me.
“The man listed on your birth certificate isn't your father.”
“I know.”
“Lucas isn't your father either.”
Lucas looked devastated.
“I told you—”
Michael raised a hand.
“Lucas believed he was.”
I turned toward him.
“Then who is?”
Michael hesitated.
“Your father was…”
The lights suddenly went out.
Michael stopped speaking.
Daniel reached for his weapon.
“Someone cut the power.”
A window shattered.
Everyone ducked.
A bullet struck the wall.
Vanessa screamed.
Michael pulled me to the floor.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Daniel moved toward the window.
“No one.”
Michael whispered:
“They're here.”
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“The people who have been hunting you since you were born.”
We escaped through the back door.
Michael led us into the woods.
He knew the terrain.
He moved quickly.
Too quickly for an old man.
“Where are we going?”
“To a safe house.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“Seven years.”
“Why?”
“Because they thought I was dead.”
“Who?”
“Edward's people.”
We reached an old cabin.
Michael unlocked the door.
Inside was a radio.
Medical supplies.
Weapons.
And another photograph.
I picked it up.
It showed my mother.
Beside her was a man.
A man I didn't recognize.
Michael saw it.
His face changed.
“Put that down.”
“Who is he?”
“No one.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“He's dead.”
“Who is he?”
Michael grabbed the photograph.
“He was the reason your mother disappeared.”
I stared at him.
“Was he my father?”
Michael said nothing.
“Was he?”
He looked at Lucas.
Then at me.
“Yes.”
My heart stopped.
Lucas stepped backward.
“Who?”
Michael finally answered.
“Alexander Hale.”
I froze.
“Edward's eldest son.”
Lucas's face went white.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
“That can't be.”
“He died before Emily was born.”
“No.”
Michael shook his head.
“That's the official story.”
I stared at the photograph.
Alexander's eyes looked strangely familiar.
Not like Lucas.
Not like Edward.
Like me.
Michael continued.
“Alexander was supposed to inherit everything.”
“Then what happened?”
“He discovered Edward was stealing from the family.”
“He tried to expose him.”
“And?”
“Edward stopped him.”
“How?”
Michael looked at me.
“He made everyone believe Alexander was dead.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Then how did my mother—”
“She was in love with him.”
I closed my eyes.
Everything changed.
Lucas wasn't my father.
Alexander was.
And my mother had been hiding the truth because Edward had murdered his own son.
Or so everyone believed.
Then Michael said something that made the room go silent.
“Alexander didn't die.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“He survived.”
Lucas stared.
“You're saying Alexander is alive?”
Michael nodded.
“I saw him.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
My heart pounded.
“Where?”
Michael looked toward the window.
“Underground.”
“Where?”
“The old Hale hospital.”
I felt dizzy.
“Then why hasn't he come for me?”
Michael's expression became painful.
“Because he doesn't know you're alive.”
“What?”
“Edward told him you died.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“My father thinks I'm dead?”
Michael nodded.
“He has been searching for your mother for twenty-seven years.”
“And my mother?”
Michael looked at me.
“She has been trying to find him.”
I whispered:
“Then where is she?”
Michael hesitated.
“She was taken.”
“By Edward?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Michael looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa's face had gone pale.
“Her.”
I turned.
“What?”
Michael pointed at Vanessa.
“Your mother was taken because Vanessa betrayed her.”
The room went silent.
Vanessa began shaking.
“No.”
Michael stared at her.
“You know what you did.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
Vanessa's tears fell.
“I was seventeen.”
“You gave them the location.”
“I was scared.”
“You told Edward where Claire was hiding.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“I didn't know what he would do.”
Michael looked at me.
“Your mother trusted Vanessa.”
I turned toward Vanessa.
“You knew where my mother was.”
Vanessa sobbed.
“Yes.”
“You gave her to Edward.”
“Yes.”
“You betrayed her.”
“Yes.”
I couldn't speak.
Vanessa fell to her knees.
“I thought they would let her go.”
“Who?”
“Edward.”
“Who else?”
She looked at me.
“The man behind him.”
I froze.
“Who?”
Vanessa whispered:
“Victor.”
Before anyone could speak, the cabin door exploded inward.
Men rushed inside.
Daniel fired toward the ceiling.
Michael pulled me behind a wall.
Lucas grabbed Vanessa.
We ran through the back entrance.
Gunshots echoed behind us.
We reached the woods.
But someone was waiting.
A black SUV.
The driver opened the door.
“Get in!”
I froze.
I recognized the voice.
It was Victor Hale.
The man from the camera.
The man who had supposedly disappeared.
He looked at me.
“Emily, get in.”
I stepped backward.
“You.”
He nodded.
“I know who your father is.”
I stared.
“Then tell me.”
Victor's face hardened.
“Your father isn't Alexander.”
I froze.
Michael shouted:
“Don't listen to him!”
Victor looked at Michael.
“Still lying after all these years?”
Michael raised his weapon.
Victor smiled.
Then said the words that shattered everything again.
“Emily, your biological father is not a Hale.”
My heart stopped.
“He is the reason Edward built the entire empire.”
He opened the SUV door wider.
“And if you want to know his name…”
He looked at Vanessa.
“…ask the woman who betrayed you twice.”
Vanessa began crying.
Victor drove away.
Leaving us standing in the road.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“What does he mean?”
She couldn't look at me.
“Tell me.”
She shook her head.
“Tell me!”
Vanessa finally raised her eyes.
And whispered:
“Your father was the man Edward spent twenty-seven years trying to kill.”
The wind stopped.
Everything went silent.
Then she added:
“And I know exactly where he is.”
My heart pounded.
“Where?”
Vanessa looked toward the road.
“In the Hale cemetery.”
I frowned.
“Why would my father be in a cemetery?”
Her voice trembled.
“Because the man buried there…”
She paused.
“…isn't your father.”
I stared at her.
“Then whose grave is it?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Your mother's.”
My blood turned cold.
“But my mother is alive.”
Vanessa nodded.
“She is.”
“Then whose body is buried there?”
Vanessa whispered:
“The woman Edward murdered to make everyone believe Claire Bennett was dead.”
I couldn't breathe.
And suddenly I understood.
The grave I had visited as a child—
the grave everyone told me belonged to my mother—
had never belonged to her.
Someone else had been buried there.
Someone whose identity had been erased.
May you like
And whatever was hidden beneath that grave…
was the final piece of the secret my mother had spent twenty-seven years protecting.
