Chapter 12 — The Night They Took Julian
Chapter 12 — The Night They Took Julian
Samuel stood in the kitchen as if he had every right to be there.
As if twenty years of lies had not just followed him through the door.
As if Thomas's blood wasn't still drying on my hands.
As if my entire family hadn't been built on secrets.
Maria remained beside me.
Her fingers were still wrapped around my arm.
I looked at Samuel.
"You said you could tell me why my father died."
He nodded.
"I can."
"Then start."
Samuel's eyes moved toward the hallway.
"Not here."
"Why?"
"Because they're listening."
I looked toward the ceiling.
"Who?"
"Everyone who has survived long enough to be afraid of the truth."
A floorboard creaked upstairs.
My heart tightened.
"The boys."
Samuel's expression changed.
"Where are they?"
"Upstairs."
"Get them."
I turned.
Maria grabbed my sleeve.
"No."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because that's what they want."
"Who?"
She whispered:
"Victor."
Samuel shook his head.
"He's already inside."
I stared at him.
"Where?"
Samuel looked toward the back entrance.
"Everywhere."
Then we heard a scream.
Julian.
I ran.
I reached the staircase in seconds.
Leo was standing in the hallway.
Alone.
His face was white.
"Where's Julian?"
He pointed toward the bedroom.
"He was here."
I rushed inside.
The bed was empty.
The window was open.
The curtains moved in the cold night air.
I ran to it.
Below, the garden lights were still on.
No one.
No car.
No movement.
"Julian!"
Leo began crying.
"Daddy!"
I turned.
"Did you see anything?"
He shook his head.
"I woke up because Julian was crying."
"What did he say?"
"He said someone was calling him."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"What did the voice say?"
Leo wiped his tears.
"It said..."
He hesitated.
"What?"
"It said, 'Your mother wants you.'"
My blood went cold.
"Which mother?"
Leo stared at me.
"Mommy."
Eleanor.
I ran downstairs.
"Samuel!"
He was already moving toward the front door.
"Don't."
He stopped.
"Where is Eleanor?"
"In federal custody."
Samuel shook his head.
"Not anymore."
"What?"
"She escaped."
My stomach dropped.
"How?"
"Someone attacked the transport vehicle."
"When?"
"Twenty minutes ago."
I looked at Maria.
She was crying.
"Victor."
Samuel nodded.
"Yes."
I felt my pulse pounding.
"They took Julian."
Samuel looked at me.
"No."
I stared.
"What?"
"They didn't take Julian."
He pointed toward the open window.
"Julian went with them."
The words hit me like a slap.
"Why would he?"
"Because he believed his mother was calling him."
"Eleanor."
"Yes."
I shook my head.
"She wouldn't."
Samuel looked at me.
"You still believe you know Eleanor."
I didn't answer.
He stepped closer.
"You don't."
The federal agents arrived eight minutes later.
The mansion became chaos.
Doors were locked.
Security cameras reviewed.
Phones seized.
Every vehicle registered.
But there was one problem.
The cameras had been disabled.
Not broken.
Disabled.
Someone with access had shut them down precisely twenty-two minutes before Julian disappeared.
The lead investigator looked at me.
"Who has access to the security system?"
I stared toward the kitchen.
Maria looked away.
"Maria?"
She shook her head.
"I don't."
Samuel answered.
"Eleanor."
"She was in custody."
"Someone else."
"Who?"
Samuel looked at me.
"You."
I frowned.
"My account?"
"Yes."
"I never gave anyone access."
"Someone didn't need your permission."
The investigator opened a laptop.
"Your administrator credentials were used."
"When?"
"Twenty-four minutes ago."
"From where?"
He turned the screen.
THE MASTER BEDROOM.
I felt sick.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because nobody was there."
The investigator looked at Leo.
"Your son was."
Leo's face went pale.
"I didn't."
I crouched beside him.
"I know."
He began crying.
"I didn't take Julian."
"I know."
"I didn't."
"I believe you."
He looked at me.
"But someone used your computer."
I stood.
"Find out how."
The investigator pulled up the footage from the hallway camera.
The recording had been partially corrupted.
Most of the screen was black.
Then an image appeared.
A figure entering the boys' bedroom.
Tall.
Wearing a dark coat.
Face hidden.
The figure bent down.
Something was whispered.
Then Julian got out of bed.
He followed.
I stared at the screen.
"Stop."
The footage froze.
I leaned closer.
The figure's hand was visible.
A ring.
Black stone.
Silver edges.
I knew that ring.
Eleanor had worn it for years.
"That's hers."
The investigator nodded.
"Looks like it."
"Where did she get it?"
Samuel answered.
"From Victor."
I turned.
"How do you know?"
"Because I gave it to her."
The room went silent.
"You?"
Samuel nodded.
"Twenty years ago."
"Why?"
"To remind her who she worked for."
My stomach twisted.
"Then Eleanor took Julian."
Samuel didn't answer.
"Didn't she?"
He looked at me.
"She took him because she was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"That Victor would kill him."
"So where is she taking him?"
"Somewhere Victor can't reach."
"Where?"
Samuel looked toward the clock.
"The old Reyes estate."
I frowned.
"Your family's estate?"
"What's left of it."
"Where is it?"
"Two hours north."
"We don't have two hours."
Samuel looked at me.
"Then we leave now."
We drove through the night.
I sat in the back seat with Leo.
Maria sat beside me.
Samuel drove.
The federal investigator followed in another vehicle.
Leo hadn't spoken for twenty minutes.
Finally, he whispered:
"Daddy."
"I'm here."
"Is Julian going to come back?"
"Yes."
"You promise?"
I looked at him.
"I promise I'll bring him home."
Maria touched his shoulder.
"He will."
Leo looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because your father never gives up."
I looked at Maria.
She smiled faintly.
"That's why I stayed."
"Stayed where?"
"Here."
"In this house?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
She looked out the window.
"Because someone needed to watch over you."
"Who?"
"Your father."
I stared.
"My father asked you to protect me?"
She nodded.
"Years ago."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he told me never to."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone had orders."
Maria looked at me.
"Your father knew what was coming."
"What?"
"He knew one day someone would come for the children."
I looked at Leo.
"And now they have."
She nodded.
"Yes."
We reached the Reyes estate at 3:42 a.m.
The property had been abandoned for years.
A huge stone house sat behind iron gates.
The windows were dark.
The garden had disappeared beneath weeds.
Samuel stopped the car.
"Nobody moves until I say."
I opened the door.
"I don't have time."
Samuel grabbed my shoulder.
"If you rush in, you may kill your son."
I froze.
"What do you mean?"
"The estate is trapped."
"Trapped?"
"Victor likes insurance."
I stared at the house.
"What kind?"
"Explosives."
Leo began crying.
I closed the door.
"Stay in the car."
"No."
I looked at him.
"I'm coming."
"Leo."
"He knows where Julian is."
I froze.
"What?"
Leo pointed toward the house.
"He told me."
"Who?"
"The man who took Julian."
"What did he tell you?"
Leo whispered:
"He said Julian is waiting for me."
I looked at Samuel.
His expression had changed.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because Victor doesn't know about Leo."
I stared.
"Then how did he know his name?"
Samuel didn't answer.
Maria suddenly whispered:
"Because he isn't Victor."
Everyone turned.
"What?"
Maria looked at Samuel.
"Someone else is controlling him."
Samuel's face hardened.
"Maria."
She shook her head.
"You know it's true."
I stared at both of them.
"Who?"
Maria looked at me.
"The person who ordered the children switched."
My heart pounded.
"My father."
She shook her head.
"Not him."
"Then who?"
She whispered:
"Eleanor's father."
I froze.
"He's dead."
"Officially."
"Maria."
"He isn't."
Samuel stepped out of the car.
"Enough."
I followed.
"Tell me everything."
He looked toward the estate.
"After your father died, the man who controlled the trust wasn't Victor."
"Who was it?"
Samuel stared at the house.
"Edward."
"Eleanor's father."
"Yes."
"But he died twenty years ago."
Samuel shook his head.
"That's what everyone was told."
I felt sick.
"Where is he?"
Samuel pointed toward the estate.
"Inside."
We entered through the basement.
Samuel disabled the first security system.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Every corridor seemed designed to confuse.
At the end of the passage, we found a steel door.
There was blood on the handle.
My heart stopped.
"Julian."
Samuel examined it.
"Not his."
"How do you know?"
"Too much."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"The blood is old."
A sound came from behind the door.
A child's voice.
"Daddy?"
I grabbed the handle.
"Julian!"
Samuel stopped me.
"Wait."
The voice came again.
"Daddy, help me."
I nearly tore the door open.
Then Leo grabbed my hand.
"That's not Julian."
I froze.
"How do you know?"
"That's not his voice."
The voice came again.
"Daddy."
Leo shook his head.
"He's pretending."
Samuel looked at him.
"How did you know?"
Leo whispered:
"Julian says Daddy differently."
My heart broke.
Seven-year-old details.
Tiny things adults never noticed.
The way his brother said my name.
The way he breathed.
The way he cried.
Leo knew.
I trusted him.
Samuel opened the door slowly.
Inside was a speaker.
No child.
Only a recording.
A trap.
The floor clicked.
Samuel shoved me backward.
"RUN!"
The corridor exploded.
The blast threw us against the wall.
My ears rang.
Dust filled the air.
I screamed:
"Leo!"
No answer.
"Maria!"
Nothing.
"Samuel!"
A hand grabbed mine.
"Here!"
Leo.
I pulled him close.
"Where's Maria?"
He pointed.
She was lying against the wall.
Bleeding.
Still conscious.
Samuel crawled toward us.
Then another voice echoed through the smoke.
"Michael."
I looked up.
Eleanor stood at the end of the corridor.
Her clothes were torn.
Her face was covered in dust.
And she was holding Julian.
Alive.
But unconscious.
My heart nearly stopped.
"Julian!"
Eleanor pressed him against her chest.
"Don't come closer."
I stood.
"Give him to me."
"I can't."
"He's my son."
"I know."
"Then give him to me."
She shook her head.
"If I give him to you, he'll die."
I stared.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Then why is he unconscious?"
"Because Victor drugged him."
My blood froze.
"Victor?"
Eleanor nodded.
"He wants the trust opened."
"Then open it."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because the trust doesn't belong to Julian."
She looked at Leo.
"It belongs to him."
Leo froze.
I looked between them.
"Then why take Julian?"
"Because Victor believes Julian is the heir."
"Isn't he?"
Eleanor shook her head.
"No."
She looked at me.
"The DNA was switched."
"Again."
"Yes."
"Who is Julian?"
She swallowed.
"He's Rebecca's son."
I stared.
"And Leo?"
"Elena's."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Eleanor began crying.
"Your father switched them."
I looked at Leo.
Then Julian.
"Then why does Julian have the mark?"
"Because Victor implanted it."
My stomach turned.
"Implanted?"
"A genetic trigger."
Eleanor looked at Julian.
"He wanted everyone to believe Julian was the heir."
"Why?"
"Because he needed you to protect him."
I didn't understand.
"Why would Victor want me protecting Julian?"
"Because the trust won't open unless you willingly bring the heir to the vault."
I stared.
"Me."
She nodded.
"The trust recognizes your blood."
"Why?"
"Because you're Elena's son."
I felt dizzy.
"Then Leo..."
"Is your biological brother."
I stared at Leo.
He was crying.
"That means..."
Eleanor nodded.
"Leo is the true heir."
The world seemed to stop.
Everything we had believed about the twins was wrong.
Every test.
Every document.
Every mark.
Every switch.
All manipulated.
Eleanor stepped forward.
"Michael, you have to trust me."
I laughed bitterly.
"You took my son."
"I saved him."
"You lied to me."
"I protected him."
"You worked for Victor."
"I betrayed him."
"You betrayed me."
"I loved you."
Silence.
I looked at Julian.
Then Leo.
"Where is Victor?"
Eleanor's expression changed.
"He isn't here."
"Then who is controlling all this?"
She looked toward the ceiling.
"Edward."
I froze.
"Your father."
"No."
"Not my father."
She shook her head.
"Mine."
Her voice became a whisper.
"My father never died."
A man's voice came from the shadows.
"Neither did I."
I turned.
An elderly man stepped into the light.
Gray hair.
Walking cane.
Cold eyes.
Eleanor's father.
Edward.
He looked at Leo.
Then Julian.
Then me.
And smiled.
"Bring me the real heir."
I stepped in front of Leo.
"You're not taking him."
Edward laughed.
"You still don't understand."
He raised his cane.
A hidden laser appeared beneath the handle.
"I don't need to take him."
He pressed a button.
The doors behind us slammed shut.
Then he looked at Julian.
"Because you already brought him to me."
I looked down.
Julian's eyes had opened.
He wasn't unconscious.
He was awake.
And he was staring directly at Edward.
"Grandfather?"
My blood froze.
Edward smiled.
"Hello, Julian."
I stared at my son.
"How do you know him?"
Julian whispered:
"Because he used to visit me when Mommy wasn't looking."
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Edward smiled.
Then he said:
"Now that everyone is finally together..."
He looked at me.
"...we can finish what your father started."
The lights went out.
And somewhere in the darkness, Leo screamed.
"JULIAN!"
I reached for him.
My hand closed around empty air.
My son was gone again.
But this time, I knew exactly who had taken him.
Edward.
And he wasn't taking Julian for the money.
He was taking him because the boy knew something none of us had yet discovered.
Something about the fourth child.
Something about the trust.
May you like
And something about me.
Something that could destroy every lie my father had spent his entire life protecting.
