CHAPTER 5 — THE FIANCÉE'S SECRET
CHAPTER 5 — THE FIANCÉE'S SECRET
Victoria stood outside the study door, one hand pressed against her mouth.
She had heard every word.
Two babies.
The clinic.
The second child.
And now Nathan was going to find the truth.
For five years, Victoria had convinced herself that the secret was buried deeply enough that no one would ever uncover it.
She had been wrong.
The worst part was not that Nathan was searching.
It was that he had finally started asking the right questions.
She stepped away from the door before anyone could see her.
Her heels clicked softly across the marble floor.
She reached the end of the hallway and stopped.
Her breathing was uneven.
Then she pulled out her phone.
There was only one person she could call.
The call connected after three rings.
“It's me.”
A man's voice answered.
“You shouldn't be calling.”
“He knows.”
Silence.
“Who knows what?”
“Nathan.”
“What does he know?”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“He knows Grace never abandoned him.”
The man's voice became colder.
“And the child?”
“He knows about Lily.”
Another silence.
Then:
“Does he know about the second one?”
Victoria swallowed.
“Not yet.”
“Good.”
“He's going to the clinic.”
The man's tone changed immediately.
“Then you need to stop him.”
“I can't.”
“You're his fiancée.”
“Not anymore.”
“What?”
“He ended the engagement.”
The man cursed under his breath.
Victoria's voice trembled.
“He hates me.”
“You brought this on yourself.”
“I did what you asked.”
“You did what was necessary.”
Victoria looked toward the staircase.
“No. It wasn't necessary.”
“What?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I never wanted Grace hurt.”
“You wanted Nathan.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew what would happen if Grace stayed.”
Victoria couldn't answer.
The man continued.
“You made your choice five years ago.”
Victoria whispered:
“I didn't know there were two babies.”
“You knew enough.”
The call ended.
Victoria stared at her phone.
Then someone spoke behind her.
“Who was that?”
She spun around.
Nathan stood at the end of the hallway.
His expression was unreadable.
Victoria's heart stopped.
“Nathan.”
“Who were you talking to?”
“No one.”
“You said, 'He knows.'”
Victoria froze.
Nathan walked closer.
“Who?”
“I was talking to a friend.”
“You don't have friends who threaten people.”
“I wasn't threatening anyone.”
“You sounded terrified.”
Victoria took a step backward.
“I've been through a lot tonight.”
Nathan stared at her.
“So have I.”
He looked toward the study.
“Did you hear what Lily said?”
Victoria remained silent.
Nathan's voice hardened.
“Did you hear her?”
“Yes.”
“And you knew.”
“No.”
“You knew about the second child.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I didn't.”
Nathan stepped closer.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Tell me I'm wrong.”
Victoria's lips trembled.
“I can't.”
Nathan's face changed.
“Then you do know.”
She began crying.
“Nathan, please.”
“Who is the child?”
“I don't know.”
“Where is the child?”
“I don't know.”
“Who does?”
Victoria looked away.
Nathan grabbed the phone from her hand.
She gasped.
“Nathan!”
He looked at the last number she had called.
Unknown.
“You've been talking to someone.”
“Give it back.”
“Who is he?”
“It's private.”
Nathan stared at her.
“Nothing about this is private anymore.”
Victoria lunged for the phone.
Nathan stepped away.
“Who is he?”
She broke.
“He works for your family.”
Nathan went still.
“Who?”
Victoria shook her head.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, they'll kill me.”
Nathan stared at her.
For the first time, he saw genuine fear in her eyes.
Not manipulation.
Not jealousy.
Fear.
“Who are you afraid of?”
Victoria whispered:
“Your father's people.”
Nathan's jaw tightened.
“My father is dead.”
“They aren't.”
Three hours later, Nathan stood outside the private clinic.
The building looked abandoned.
No sign.
No security.
No patients.
Only a steel door beneath a flickering light.
Daniel stood beside him.
“This place was closed four years ago.”
Nathan stared at the building.
“Then why are there electricity records?”
Daniel handed him a file.
“Because someone has been using it.”
Nathan looked at the latest bill.
Paid two days ago.
“Who?”
“The account is under a shell company.”
“Whose?”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“We traced the ownership.”
Nathan waited.
“It belongs to Victoria's father.”
Nathan's eyes hardened.
“So she was involved.”
“Maybe.”
“No.”
He looked at the building.
“She knew.”
Nathan walked toward the door.
Daniel caught his arm.
“Wait.”
Nathan turned.
“What?”
“We don't know what's inside.”
“Grace was brought here.”
“Five years ago.”
“And the second child may have been here.”
Daniel nodded.
Nathan pulled away.
“Then we go inside.”
The door was unlocked.
That frightened Nathan more than a locked door would have.
They entered.
The smell hit him first.
Antiseptic.
Old medicine.
Dust.
The corridor was almost completely dark.
Nathan turned on his flashlight.
Rooms lined both sides.
Most were empty.
Then Daniel stopped.
“Nathan.”
He pointed toward a wall.
A faded number.
ROOM 7.
Nathan opened the door.
Inside was a small bed.
A rusted medical cabinet.
An old chair.
Nothing else.
Then Nathan noticed something beneath the bed.
A child's toy.
A wooden horse.
He crouched.
Picked it up.
There was a name carved into the bottom.
L.
Nathan's heart pounded.
“Lily?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Could be.”
Nathan looked around.
Then he saw writing on the wall.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
Someone had scratched words into the paint.
I'M SORRY.
Nathan stared.
“Grace?”
Daniel inspected it.
“Maybe.”
Nathan touched the letters.
Then another sound came from the hallway.
A door closing.
Nathan stood.
“Who's there?”
No answer.
He ran outside.
A shadow disappeared around the corner.
Nathan chased it.
But the corridor was empty.
Only a piece of white fabric remained on the floor.
Daniel picked it up.
“It looks like part of a nurse's uniform.”
Nathan stared at it.
“Someone was here.”
Meanwhile, Victoria sat alone in her father's mansion.
She had been summoned.
The room was dark.
Her father stood beside the window.
“Why did you call me?”
Victoria stared at him.
“Nathan knows.”
“He always finds out eventually.”
“He knows about Lily.”
Her father turned.
“And the second child?”
“He suspects.”
Her father walked toward her.
“You were told to keep him distracted.”
“I tried.”
“You were supposed to marry him.”
“I did everything.”
“Except one thing.”
“What?”
“You became emotionally attached.”
Victoria looked away.
Her father laughed bitterly.
“You actually loved him.”
Victoria whispered:
“Yes.”
“That was your mistake.”
“He loved Grace.”
“He didn't know what love was.”
“He does now.”
Her father stared at her.
“No.”
Victoria looked confused.
“What?”
“He thinks he does.”
He placed a file on the table.
“Open it.”
Victoria hesitated.
Then opened it.
Her face went pale.
Inside were photographs.
Grace.
Nathan.
Lily.
And another child.
Victoria stared at the photograph.
The little boy was approximately four years old.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small birthmark beneath his left ear.
Victoria's hand began shaking.
“No.”
Her father smiled.
“That's the second child.”
Victoria looked up.
“Where is he?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Her father closed the file.
“Somewhere Nathan will never think to look.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You said he was dead.”
“I said that to everyone.”
“Why?”
“Because if Nathan learns that both children survived, he will become impossible to control.”
Victoria swallowed.
“What did you do with him?”
Her father walked closer.
“You're asking too many questions.”
“I deserve to know.”
“You deserve nothing.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“That's a child.”
“He is an asset.”
“No.”
Her father slapped the file shut.
“You've forgotten who you work for.”
Victoria looked at him.
“I don't work for you anymore.”
He smiled.
“You will.”
Back at the mansion, Nathan stood beside Lily's bed.
She was asleep.
He watched her chest rise and fall.
His daughter.
But now he couldn't stop thinking about the second child.
A boy.
Or perhaps another girl.
He didn't know.
He didn't know where they were.
He didn't know whether they were safe.
And he didn't know why Grace had never told him.
His phone rang.
Nathan answered immediately.
“Hello?”
It was Grace's lawyer.
“Mr. Cole, I have information.”
“What?”
“Grace's medical file.”
“I've seen it.”
“Not all of it.”
Nathan straightened.
“What are you talking about?”
“There was an additional page.”
“What page?”
“A neonatal record.”
Nathan's heart stopped.
“Send it.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because it was removed from the hospital archive.”
“Who removed it?”
The lawyer hesitated.
“Your father.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Is there anything else?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“The record contains two birth entries.”
Nathan's eyes opened.
“Two?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“I saw the original.”
Nathan's voice dropped.
“What does it say?”
The lawyer whispered:
“Twin A: Lily Grace Bennett.”
Nathan couldn't breathe.
“And Twin B?”
Silence.
“Nathan…”
“What?”
“The name was never entered.”
Nathan stared into the darkness.
A twin.
Lily had a twin.
His daughter had been born with a brother or sister.
And someone had erased them.
The next morning, Nathan confronted Victoria.
She was waiting in the living room.
He walked in holding the medical record.
“Tell me.”
Victoria looked at it.
Her face changed.
“You found it.”
Nathan froze.
“You knew.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew there were two.”
“Where is the other child?”
“I don't know.”
“Who took him?”
“I don't know.”
Nathan slammed the document onto the table.
“Stop lying!”
Victoria flinched.
“I swear.”
“You knew about Lily for four years.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Grace was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the clinic.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew there were twins.”
Victoria finally broke.
“Yes.”
Nathan stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because your father told me.”
“Why did he tell you?”
“Because he wanted me to marry you.”
Nathan's expression hardened.
“And you agreed.”
Victoria cried.
“I was twenty-five.”
“You were old enough to know it was wrong.”
“I was terrified.”
“Of what?”
“My father.”
Nathan stared.
“Your father?”
Victoria nodded.
“He threatened my family.”
Nathan slowly sat down.
“Tell me everything.”
Victoria wiped her tears.
“Five years ago, your father came to my family.”
“What did he want?”
“An alliance.”
“Between our families?”
“Yes.”
“What did he offer?”
“Money.”
“And what did he demand?”
Victoria looked down.
“You.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“He wanted me to marry you.”
“Yes.”
“But Grace was pregnant.”
“He knew.”
“So why didn't he simply make me marry Grace?”
“Because she wasn't part of the plan.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“What plan?”
Victoria whispered:
“Your father believed your first child would be the key to controlling the family trust.”
Nathan stared.
“But why steal the second child?”
“Because twins complicated the inheritance.”
“How?”
Victoria swallowed.
“The trust gave control to the first surviving biological heir.”
Nathan's blood ran cold.
“Surviving?”
Victoria nodded.
“If both children lived, the trust would have to be divided.”
“And if one disappeared?”
“The other would inherit everything.”
Nathan finally understood.
“They weren't protecting the company.”
“No.”
“They were protecting the inheritance.”
“Yes.”
“And my father wanted Lily.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
Nathan looked at her.
“He wanted the other child.”
“Why?”
Victoria's voice dropped.
“Because the second child was born with a different blood marker.”
Nathan frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“I don't know.”
“You know more than you're saying.”
Victoria began crying.
“He believed the second child could challenge his control of the trust.”
Nathan stared.
“That's impossible.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Victoria looked directly at him.
“Because your father wasn't afraid of the child.”
She paused.
“He was afraid of what the child would prove.”
Nathan's heart pounded.
“What would it prove?”
Victoria shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out a small photograph.
And handed it to him.
Nathan looked.
It was a newborn baby.
Two tiny infants lying side by side.
One had a small pink bracelet.
The other had a blue one.
Nathan's hands began to shake.
On the back, someone had written:
Twin A — Lily
Twin B — Adrian
Nathan stared at the name.
“Adrian.”
Victoria nodded.
“That's what they called him.”
“Where is he?”
Victoria looked at Nathan.
“I don't know.”
Nathan looked again at the photograph.
Then noticed something else.
A man stood blurred in the background.
Nathan zoomed in on the image.
His face went pale.
He recognized him.
“That's my father.”
Victoria nodded.
“And beside him…”
Nathan stared.
A second man.
Someone he knew.
Someone who had been working beside Nathan for years.
His own family's chief financial officer.
Nathan whispered:
“Martin.”
Victoria's eyes closed.
“Yes.”
Nathan stood.
“Where is Martin now?”
Victoria opened her eyes.
“He's at your company.”
Nathan's phone immediately rang.
It was Daniel.
Nathan answered.
“Daniel?”
The lawyer's voice was urgent.
“Don't go to the office.”
“Why?”
“Martin just accessed the family trust.”
Nathan's blood ran cold.
“What did he do?”
“He transferred the controlling shares.”
“To whom?”
A pause.
Then:
“To a child.”
Nathan's face went pale.
“Which child?”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“The document names Adrian Cole.”
Nathan looked at Victoria.
She was already crying.
Because the second child wasn't missing anymore.
Someone had just revealed that Adrian was alive.
May you like
And whoever controlled him now—
controlled the Cole empire.
