Chapter 14 — The Daughter Who Came Home
Chapter 14 — The Daughter Who Came Home
The photograph was still glowing on Ethan's phone when the first helicopter disappeared into the night.
He couldn't look away.
The boy in the picture was perhaps twelve years old.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
Ethan's eyes.
Gabriel's face.
And beneath the collar of his shirt, barely visible, was the same crescent-shaped birthmark Ethan had seen on the twins.
His brother.
A brother Ethan had never known existed.
A brother who was supposedly dead before Ethan was even old enough to remember his own childhood.
Ethan looked at the two sleeping girls in the ambulance.
Then he looked at the burning ruins.
Nothing about his life made sense anymore.
“Who took the photograph?”
Richard stood beside him.
“I don't know.”
“Who sent it?”
“I don't know.”
“Where is my brother?”
Richard hesitated.
“That question is more complicated.”
Ethan turned.
“I've had enough of complicated.”
Richard looked exhausted.
“So have I.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Richard stared toward the ruins.
“The boy's name is Noah.”
Ethan's heart stopped.
“You know him?”
Richard nodded.
“I knew of him.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where is he?”
Richard whispered:
“Under the Blackwood estate.”
Ethan looked at the ruins.
“The fire destroyed the underground levels.”
“Most of them.”
“What survived?”
“The oldest section.”
“What is down there?”
Richard looked at him.
“The blood vault.”
Ethan turned toward the ruins.
The firefighters had finally pushed the flames back.
Steam rose from the broken stone.
Security officers moved through the property with flashlights.
Ethan walked toward them.
Richard grabbed his arm.
“You can't go back in.”
“I can.”
“The structure is unstable.”
“My brother is underneath it.”
“We don't know if he's there.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You just told me he was.”
“I told you what I believed.”
“You've been lying to me for twenty years.”
Richard flinched.
Ethan continued.
“Tonight, you stop believing.”
He pulled free.
“You start knowing.”
They found the entrance just before dawn.
It was hidden beneath the remains of the east wing.
A concrete staircase descended into darkness.
Richard stopped at the top.
“This wasn't on the original plans.”
“Then how did you know about it?”
“I didn't.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Then who did?”
A small voice answered from behind them.
“I did.”
Ethan turned.
The older of the two girls stood there.
She was barefoot.
A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders.
Ethan immediately walked toward her.
“You should be resting.”
She shook her head.
“I need to show you something.”
“What?”
She pointed down the staircase.
“That's where he lived.”
“Who?”
“Noah.”
Ethan froze.
“You've seen him?”
She nodded.
“Many times.”
“Where?”
“Behind the glass.”
Richard's face tightened.
“What glass?”
She looked at him.
“The glass room.”
Richard went pale.
“No.”
Ethan noticed.
“You know it.”
Richard said nothing.
“Richard.”
He finally whispered:
“The blood vault.”
They descended.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
The walls changed from concrete to black stone.
Old symbols had been carved into them.
At the bottom stood a massive steel door.
There were three handprints.
Two were adult-sized.
One was small.
The girl stepped forward.
She placed her palm against the smallest print.
The door opened.
A cold wind swept through the corridor.
Ethan stared.
Beyond the door was an enormous chamber.
Rows of glass rooms lined the walls.
Most were empty.
Some contained medical equipment.
Some contained old documents.
One contained a child's bed.
Another contained a collection of photographs.
At the far end was a single room surrounded by thick glass.
Ethan walked toward it.
Inside was a boy.
He was sitting on the floor.
Reading.
He looked up.
Their eyes met.
Ethan stopped breathing.
The boy slowly stood.
Neither spoke.
Then the boy whispered:
“Ethan?”
Ethan's voice broke.
“Yes.”
The boy placed his hand against the glass.
“You came.”
Ethan approached.
“I've been looking for you.”
The boy gave a sad smile.
“You didn't know I existed.”
“I know.”
“That's different.”
Ethan pressed his hand against the glass.
“What's your name?”
“Noah.”
“Are you my brother?”
Noah nodded.
“Yes.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
For the first time in his life, he felt the strange emptiness inside him begin to close.
He had always believed he was alone.
Now he understood why he had never felt complete.
A part of his family had been stolen before he could even remember it.
Ethan turned toward Richard.
“Open the door.”
Richard didn't move.
“Richard.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because the room is locked by blood.”
“What does that mean?”
“The person who created it designed it to open only when the Blackwood heir arrives.”
Ethan stepped toward the control panel.
Nothing happened.
Noah looked at him.
“You need the key.”
“What key?”
“The one Arthur gave me.”
Ethan stared.
Noah reached beneath his shirt.
A black metal key hung around his neck.
He held it up.
“I was told never to give it to anyone.”
“Who told you?”
Noah looked down.
“Arthur.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“What did he tell you?”
“That one day my brother would come.”
Ethan frowned.
“He knew about me?”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
Noah's voice became quiet.
“He said you'd either save me…”
He paused.
“…or kill me.”
Ethan's blood ran cold.
“Why would I kill you?”
Noah looked at the floor.
“Because I know what you did.”
Ethan froze.
“What did I do?”
Noah looked up.
“You killed our father.”
Silence.
Richard stepped backward.
The girls stared at Ethan.
Ethan's voice was barely audible.
“Which father?”
Noah whispered:
“Gabriel.”
Ethan felt as though the floor had disappeared.
“Gabriel is not dead.”
Noah shook his head.
“He is.”
“No.”
“I saw him die.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
Ethan remembered the collapsing Archive.
The fire.
The beam.
Gabriel disappearing beneath it.
“No.”
Noah looked at him.
“He came here.”
“Why?”
“To stop Arthur.”
“Where is Arthur?”
Noah hesitated.
“Gone.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Ethan stared at the boy.
“You said Gabriel died.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Noah looked away.
“Arthur shot him.”
Ethan's heart shattered.
“Then why did you say I killed him?”
Noah's eyes filled with tears.
“Because you brought Arthur to him.”
Ethan froze.
“You mean…”
Noah nodded.
“Arthur knew where Gabriel was because of you.”
Ethan turned away.
Guilt crashed over him.
He remembered bringing Gabriel back into the family.
He remembered believing they could finally expose Arthur.
He remembered leading him into the burning estate.
Gabriel had warned him.
And Ethan had ignored him.
Richard stepped forward.
“It wasn't your fault.”
Ethan turned.
“Don't.”
“You couldn't have known.”
“Stop.”
“You were manipulated.”
Ethan's voice broke.
“He died because of me.”
The girl approached him.
She took his hand.
“Daddy.”
Ethan looked down.
“You didn't kill him.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw him after the fire.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
She nodded.
“He was alive.”
“When?”
“After Arthur left.”
“Where?”
She pointed deeper into the vault.
“He went into the room behind Noah.”
Ethan looked toward the wall.
“There's another room?”
“Yes.”
Richard suddenly stepped forward.
“No.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Richard's face had gone white.
“That room doesn't exist.”
The girl looked at him.
“You're lying.”
Richard whispered:
“How do you know?”
“Because Arthur took me there.”
She walked toward a hidden section of the wall.
Her fingers touched a small symbol.
The wall opened.
Behind it was another corridor.
Ethan entered.
Richard followed.
The girls stayed close.
Noah remained behind the glass.
“Wait!”
Ethan turned.
Noah pressed his hand against the window.
“Don't leave me.”
Ethan stopped.
He looked at the door.
Then at Noah.
“You're coming with us.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm not allowed to leave.”
“Who says?”
Noah pointed upward.
A red light appeared.
A voice filled the chamber.
SUBJECT NOAH BLACKWOOD: CONTAINMENT ACTIVE.
Ethan's expression changed.
“Who controls this?”
Richard stared at the ceiling.
“Arthur.”
Ethan raised his weapon.
“Then we're taking him.”
He smashed the control panel.
The glass door opened.
Noah stepped outside.
For the first time in twelve years, he touched the floor beyond his room.
He looked at Ethan.
“Thank you.”
Ethan put a hand on his shoulder.
“Welcome home.”
They continued through the hidden corridor.
At the end was a small medical room.
The lights were still on.
A bloodstained chair stood in the center.
On the floor was a broken syringe.
And beside it—
a watch.
Ethan recognized it.
Gabriel's watch.
He picked it up.
There was blood on the strap.
But the blood wasn't old.
Richard stared.
“This happened recently.”
Ethan looked around.
“Where is he?”
A monitor suddenly activated.
Static filled the screen.
Then Gabriel appeared.
He was sitting in a dark room.
Alive.
Ethan's heart nearly stopped.
“Dad?”
Gabriel looked into the camera.
“If you're watching this, I've failed to stop Arthur.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where are you?”
Gabriel continued.
“The fire was a trap.”
Ethan stared.
“Arthur knew I would come.”
Gabriel's voice weakened.
“He wanted me to find the blood vault.”
Ethan frowned.
“Why?”
“Because the vault contains the original Blackwood genetic records.”
Gabriel looked directly at the camera.
“And one of those records proves something Arthur has spent thirty years hiding.”
The screen flickered.
Gabriel leaned closer.
“Ethan…”
A long pause.
“You were never meant to inherit the Blackwood empire.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“Then who was?”
Gabriel whispered:
“Your sister.”
The screen went black.
Ethan stood motionless.
“My sister?”
Richard looked at the floor.
Noah suddenly spoke.
“She isn't dead.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Noah stared at him.
“She came here.”
“When?”
“Before me.”
“Where is she?”
Noah pointed toward another corridor.
“She escaped.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Ethan's mind raced.
Seven years.
The hospital fire.
Amelia.
The twins.
Everything happened at the same time.
He looked at Richard.
“Who is she?”
Richard shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Noah spoke softly.
“You do.”
Richard looked at him.
Noah continued.
“Because she was the woman who saved me.”
Ethan stared.
“What was her name?”
Noah whispered:
“Margaret.”
Richard's face collapsed.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Richard.”
No answer.
“Who is Margaret?”
Richard began crying.
“She was my daughter.”
Silence.
Ethan's heart pounded.
“Your daughter?”
Richard nodded.
“She was the first heir.”
“Why did she disappear?”
“Because Arthur tried to kill her.”
“Where is she now?”
Richard looked toward the monitor.
“I thought she was dead.”
A voice came from behind them.
“You were supposed to.”
Everyone turned.
A woman stood at the entrance.
She was in her early thirties.
Long dark hair.
A scar across her eyebrow.
A black coat.
And the same eyes Ethan had seen in Gabriel's photograph.
She looked at Richard.
Then at Noah.
Then at Ethan.
Her expression softened.
“You found them.”
Ethan raised his weapon.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled sadly.
“I'm Margaret.”
Richard whispered:
“My daughter.”
Margaret looked at Ethan.
“And your sister.”
Ethan lowered his weapon slowly.
Margaret stepped into the light.
She looked nothing like the Blackwoods in their official portraits.
No jewelry.
No expensive clothes.
No security.
Only a scarred face and exhausted eyes.
“You're alive.”
“So are you.”
“Why did you stay hidden?”
“Because Arthur was looking for me.”
“Why did he want you dead?”
“Because I knew the truth.”
“What truth?”
Margaret looked at the twins.
“They aren't the only heirs.”
Ethan frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“There are four.”
Silence.
“Four?”
Margaret nodded.
“Noah.”
She pointed toward him.
“The twins.”
Then she looked at Ethan.
“And you.”
Ethan stared.
“That's four.”
“No.”
Margaret's expression darkened.
“There's one more.”
Ethan's heart sank.
“Who?”
Margaret looked toward the ceiling.
“The heir Arthur has been protecting.”
“Why would he protect an heir?”
“Because that child controls the final trust.”
“Who is it?”
Margaret hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Your mother.”
Ethan stared at her.
“My mother is here?”
Margaret nodded.
“She never left.”
“Where?”
Margaret turned toward the deepest section of the vault.
“Below us.”
They descended another staircase.
At the bottom was a single room.
A woman sat behind the glass.
Older.
Weak.
But alive.
Ethan stopped.
“Mom?”
The woman raised her head.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Ethan.”
He rushed to the glass.
“Why?”
She placed her hand against it.
“Because if I left, Arthur would have killed all of you.”
“Who is Arthur?”
She looked frightened.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“Arthur isn't the head of the Blackwoods.”
Ethan stared.
“Then who is?”
His mother whispered:
“The person who created him.”
A shadow appeared behind her.
The lights went out.
A man's voice echoed through the vault.
“Finally.”
Ethan turned.
The doors slammed shut.
The voice continued.
“You've all come home.”
Margaret grabbed Ethan's arm.
“No.”
A figure stepped into the emergency light.
Ethan recognized him immediately.
It was the man from the old photograph.
Arthur's father.
The man whose signature was on the original trust.
But he was not old.
He looked exactly as he had thirty years ago.
Ethan stared in disbelief.
“You're dead.”
The man smiled.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.”
Margaret whispered:
“His name is Lucian Blackwood.”
Lucian looked at Ethan.
“And you are the final piece.”
He raised his hand.
The vault doors locked.
Then the lights turned red.
BLOODLINE PURGE INITIATED.
Ethan pulled the twins behind him.
Noah stood beside Margaret.
Richard stared at Lucian in horror.
Lucian smiled.
“Let's finish what we started thirty years ago.”
And somewhere above them, the ruins of the Blackwood estate finally collapsed completely.
The family empire was burning.
May you like
But the real war had only just begun.
TO BE CONTINUED…
