CHAPTER 13 — THE MOTHER'S CONFESSION
CHAPTER 13 — THE MOTHER'S CONFESSION
Jason's gun was pointed directly at Victoria.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Victoria stared at him.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't a frightened laugh.
It was almost relieved.
"So," she said quietly, "you finally chose."
Jason's grip tightened.
"Don't move."
I stepped between them.
"Jason."
"Stay back, Meline."
"You're bleeding."
"I know."
"You said the agents were dead."
"They aren't."
I froze.
"What?"
Jason glanced toward the windows.
"The bodies outside aren't federal agents."
Victoria's expression changed.
"They're Richard's men."
Jason nodded.
"They were waiting for us."
I looked at Victoria.
"How did you know?"
She didn't answer.
Jason's voice hardened.
"Because she sent them."
Victoria slowly lowered her hands.
"No."
Jason took another step.
"Don't lie."
"I didn't send anyone."
"Then explain how they knew where we were."
Victoria looked at me.
"Because someone followed you."
I frowned.
"Who?"
She whispered:
"Elizabeth."
The name struck the room like a gunshot.
My mother.
The woman I had spent my entire life believing was dead.
The woman who had supposedly protected me.
The woman whose confession had just shattered everything I thought I knew.
"Elizabeth followed us?"
Victoria nodded.
"She knew you would come here."
"How?"
"Because this was always where she wanted you to come."
I looked at the laptop.
The screen still displayed the final message.
DON'T TRUST VICTORIA.
I turned toward her.
"Why did she tell me not to trust you?"
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I betrayed her."
Jason's jaw tightened.
"Tell her."
Victoria looked at him.
"You first."
He shook his head.
"No."
"Then I'll do it."
She turned toward me.
"Your mother wasn't the architect of this."
I waited.
"Richard was."
Victoria took a breath.
"But your mother became part of it."
"How?"
"Because she thought she could control him."
"And couldn't."
"No."
She looked toward the window.
"Nobody could."
Jason lowered his gun slightly.
"Tell her everything."
Victoria looked at me.
"Twenty-five years ago, Elizabeth discovered that Richard had created a second succession agreement."
"The one separating me and Daniel."
"Yes."
"But why?"
"Because Richard didn't want either of you to inherit."
I frowned.
"Then what did he want?"
"Control."
Victoria's voice was bitter.
"He wanted the trust to remain under his administration until both children died."
My stomach tightened.
"He wanted us dead."
"Eventually."
"Eventually?"
"He needed you alive until you were old enough to unlock the trust."
I understood.
The DNA system.
The twenty-five-year requirement.
My entire childhood.
"It was never about protecting me."
"No."
"It was about waiting for me to become useful."
Victoria nodded.
"Exactly."
Jason suddenly lowered his weapon.
I looked at him.
"What happened to the agents?"
"Alive."
"Where?"
"In the basement."
Victoria closed her eyes.
"Richard's men took them hostage."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wasn't sure who had been compromised."
Jason looked at me.
"She's telling the truth."
I stared at him.
"How do you know?"
"Because I was with them."
"You were?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you say they were dead?"
"Because I needed to scare you."
"Why?"
"To get you here."
I felt my anger rise.
"You manipulated me again."
"I know."
"After everything?"
"I had no choice."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone in this family always has no choice."
Jason looked away.
Then he said something that silenced me.
"Your mother is here."
My heart stopped.
"Where?"
He pointed toward the hallway.
"Behind that door."
The door opened.
A woman stepped inside.
She was older than the photograph.
Her hair was streaked with silver.
Her face was thinner.
But her eyes—
I knew them.
I'd seen them in the mirror my entire life.
She stopped when she saw me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered:
"Meline."
My legs almost gave out.
"Mom?"
She nodded.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry."
I stared at her.
"That's all you have to say?"
"No."
She took another step.
"I have twenty-five years of things to say."
I couldn't move.
"You left me."
"Yes."
"You let me believe you were dead."
"Yes."
"You watched from a distance."
"Yes."
"You knew what they were doing to me."
"Yes."
"You knew Richard wanted me."
"Yes."
My voice broke.
"And you still stayed away."
She closed her eyes.
"Because every time I came near you, people died."
Silence.
"What?"
"Every person who helped me reach you was killed."
She looked at Victoria.
"Ask her."
I turned.
Victoria nodded.
"She's telling the truth."
My mother continued.
"I tried to protect you."
I laughed through tears.
"You sound just like everyone else."
"I know."
She reached into her coat.
I stepped back.
She stopped immediately.
"I won't hurt you."
She pulled out a small photograph.
She held it toward me.
It showed two newborn babies.
Me.
Daniel.
And beside them—
Richard.
I stared.
"Why was he there?"
My mother whispered:
"Because he was the one who took Daniel."
She finally told me everything.
Not the polished version.
Not the story prepared for lawyers.
The truth.
Richard had discovered the twins shortly after their birth.
He realized the trust required both children's genetic signatures.
So he separated us.
He kept Daniel.
Michael took me.
But Richard didn't stop there.
He manipulated Thomas.
He manipulated Jason.
He manipulated Victoria.
And eventually—
he manipulated Elizabeth herself.
"How?"
I asked.
My mother looked at the floor.
"He threatened to kill both children."
"But Daniel was already with him."
"Yes."
"And I was with Michael."
"Yes."
"So why couldn't we be reunited?"
"Because Richard had planted people everywhere."
She looked at Jason.
"Jason was one of them."
Jason's expression hardened.
"I was a child."
"You were ten."
"I didn't understand."
"You understood enough."
I looked between them.
"What did he do?"
My mother answered.
"He told Jason that if he ever revealed Daniel's location, Richard would kill his sister."
Jason closed his eyes.
"He was terrified."
My mother nodded.
"So was I."
I turned toward her.
"Then why did you send me that warning?"
"I didn't."
I froze.
"What?"
"I didn't leave the photograph."
"You didn't record the video?"
"I recorded the video."
"Then who left the photograph?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
The room became silent.
Victoria whispered:
"Margaret."
My mother looked at her.
"Yes."
"She's alive."
My mother nodded.
"I know."
I stared at them.
"Who is Margaret?"
My mother hesitated.
"Your father's sister."
"Which father?"
"Thomas."
I felt another piece of the puzzle fall into place.
"Then why did she help Richard?"
"Because she hates Thomas."
"Why?"
My mother looked at Jason.
"Because Margaret believes Thomas killed her son."
I frowned.
"Who?"
She didn't answer.
Jason did.
"My father."
I stared.
"Richard isn't your father?"
Jason shook his head.
"No."
"My mother said Richard was your father."
"She was wrong."
"Then who is?"
Jason looked at Elizabeth.
She nodded.
"His father was Michael."
I froze.
"Michael?"
"The man who raised you."
My head spun.
"Then Jason is my cousin?"
"Yes."
I looked at Jason.
He laughed bitterly.
"Welcome to the family."
I couldn't even answer.
Then the front door exploded inward.
Everyone ducked.
Gunfire tore through the room.
Jason pushed me to the floor.
Victoria grabbed my mother.
"Move!"
We ran through the hallway.
Behind us, men shouted.
Richard's voice echoed through the house.
"Elizabeth!"
My mother stopped.
I grabbed her hand.
"Keep moving."
"No."
She turned.
"He wants me."
"That's exactly why we're leaving."
She shook her head.
"He won't stop."
Jason raised his weapon.
"Then we stop him."
My mother looked at him.
"You don't understand."
"What?"
"Richard isn't here."
Jason frowned.
"What?"
She looked toward the basement.
"That voice isn't Richard."
I froze.
"Then who?"
She whispered:
"Thomas."
The basement door opened.
A man stepped into the light.
White hair.
Gray eyes.
A scar across his jaw.
Thomas.
Alive.
Again.
But this time he wasn't wounded.
He was holding a gun.
He looked at Elizabeth.
"Hello."
She stared at him.
"You shouldn't be here."
He smiled.
"Neither should you."
I stepped forward.
"You lied to me."
Thomas looked at me.
"Yes."
"You said Richard was responsible."
"He was."
"You said Daniel was your son."
"He is."
"You said Michael was your brother."
"He was."
"Then why did you say you didn't know where my mother was?"
Thomas's expression changed.
"Because I didn't."
Elizabeth looked at him.
"You knew."
He shook his head.
"Not until today."
She whispered:
"You're lying."
Thomas raised his gun.
"I've spent twenty-five years lying."
Then he looked at me.
"But this time, I came to tell you the truth."
I stared.
"What truth?"
He lowered the weapon.
"Richard is dead."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Thomas nodded.
"He died three days ago."
Jason whispered:
"Then who's been controlling the operation?"
Thomas looked at Elizabeth.
She closed her eyes.
"Margaret."
My blood went cold.
Thomas continued.
"Margaret has been running the family from the shadows."
"But why?"
"Because she believes the Vale bloodline belongs to her."
I frowned.
"She has no claim."
Thomas smiled sadly.
"She does."
He looked at Elizabeth.
"Because Margaret isn't simply my sister."
Silence.
"She's your mother."
I stared.
"What?"
Elizabeth stepped forward.
"Thomas."
He shook his head.
"She deserves to know."
My mother looked at me.
Her face collapsed.
"I didn't give birth to you."
The room stopped.
"What?"
She began to cry.
"Margaret did."
I couldn't breathe.
"Then who are you?"
Elizabeth looked at me.
"I was the woman who raised you."
She took a shaking breath.
"And the woman who stole you from your real mother."
I stepped backward.
"No."
"Your birth mother is Margaret."
The woman I'd trusted.
The woman who had helped uncover the secrets.
The woman who had warned us.
The woman who had lied to us.
I felt the floor disappear beneath me.
"Then why did she want me dead?"
Elizabeth whispered:
"Because you were never supposed to inherit."
Thomas finished the sentence.
"Margaret wanted Daniel."
I looked at Jason.
He was staring at the floor.
"Why?"
Thomas answered:
"Because Daniel isn't the true heir."
I turned.
"Then who is?"
Thomas looked directly at me.
"You."
My mother began crying.
Thomas continued.
"Daniel was created as the decoy."
I couldn't understand.
"What does that mean?"
"The trust was never designed for both twins."
He looked toward me.
"It was designed for the child carrying the original genetic marker."
My blood ran cold.
"Me."
"Yes."
"So Daniel..."
"Was the shield."
I stared at my mother.
"Why did you let me believe we were both heirs?"
She whispered:
"Because I didn't know."
"Then who knew?"
Thomas looked toward the basement entrance.
Nobody was there.
But a woman's voice came from the darkness.
"Me."
We all turned.
Margaret stepped into the light.
She was holding a gun.
Her eyes were fixed on me.
And she smiled.
"Hello, daughter."
My mother screamed.
"Margaret, no!"
Margaret raised the weapon.
"You've spent twenty-five years living the life that should have been mine."
I stood frozen.
She pointed the gun at my heart.
"Now you're going to give it back."
May you like
A single shot rang through the house.
And someone fell.
