Chapter 12 — The Children Doreen Stole
Chapter 12 — The Children Doreen Stole
The cry came again.
Small.
Sharp.
Terrified.
Leah stopped breathing.
A newborn.
Not Noah.
Another child.
Her child.
Her daughter.
The room remained completely dark.
“Where is she?”
Leah's voice shook.
Doreen didn't answer.
“Where is my daughter?”
A lighter clicked.
For one brief second, Doreen's face appeared in the orange glow.
She was smiling.
Then the flame disappeared.
“You've been asking the wrong question for years, Leah.”
Leah's hands curled into fists.
“I asked you where my daughter is.”
“And I'm telling you that you were never supposed to know she existed.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Mom.”
Doreen turned toward him.
“Don't.”
His voice was barely audible.
“You said she died.”
“I said the child was gone.”
“You told me there was only one.”
“There was only one child registered.”
Nathan stared at her.
“You lied to me.”
Doreen's expression hardened.
“I protected you.”
“You stole my wife's daughter.”
“She isn't your daughter.”
Nathan looked at Leah.
His face collapsed.
“She is.”
Doreen laughed quietly.
“You still don't understand.”
She raised her phone.
The screen illuminated the room.
A live video appeared.
A baby slept beneath a white blanket.
Beside the crib stood a young woman.
Simone.
Leah's heart stopped.
“Simone.”
Doreen smiled.
“Your friend has been very useful.”
Leah stared at the screen.
“Where is she?”
“Somewhere you can't reach.”
“Bring her here.”
“No.”
“Then I'll find her.”
Doreen tilted her head.
“You've been trying to find your son.”
She paused.
“Imagine how much harder your daughter will be.”
Leah stepped forward.
“Give me the phone.”
Doreen moved backward.
“You don't give orders here.”
“This is my family.”
“No.”
Doreen's voice became cold.
“This is the Carver family.”
Leah looked at Nathan.
He was staring at the screen.
At Simone.
At the baby.
Something about his expression made Leah's stomach twist.
“You knew.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Not about her.”
“But you knew there was another child.”
“No.”
Doreen interrupted.
“He knew there was another pregnancy.”
Leah turned.
Nathan looked devastated.
“I knew Simone was pregnant.”
“You knew?”
“I thought she lost the baby.”
“When?”
“Before I met you.”
Leah stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was told the pregnancy had ended.”
Doreen smiled.
“Another lie.”
Nathan looked at his mother.
“How many?”
Doreen didn't answer.
“How many lies have you told me?”
Still nothing.
Nathan's voice broke.
“How many children have you taken?”
Doreen's smile vanished.
“Enough.”
The lights came back on.
The room was surrounded.
Men stood in the doorway.
Two more blocked the hall.
Doreen held the phone.
On the screen, Simone was no longer visible.
Only the sleeping baby.
Leah stepped toward Doreen.
“Let me see her.”
“No.”
“She's mine.”
“Prove it.”
Leah stopped.
Doreen smiled.
“That is the problem, Leah.”
She tapped the screen.
“Legally, she doesn't exist.”
Leah's heart sank.
“What did you do?”
“The same thing I did with Noah.”
“Changed the records.”
“Exactly.”
“Where's the birth certificate?”
“Destroyed.”
“Hospital records?”
“Altered.”
“DNA?”
“Compromised.”
Leah stared at her.
“You planned everything.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Doreen's expression changed.
“Because children are easier to control than adults.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Mom.”
Doreen ignored him.
“Children don't understand contracts.”
“They don't understand trusts.”
“They don't understand inheritance.”
“They only understand who holds them.”
Leah felt sick.
“You're a monster.”
Doreen smiled.
“And yet you trusted me with your child.”
“I trusted Nathan.”
“Same mistake.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“Enough.”
Doreen looked at him.
“You've always been weak.”
“No.”
He stepped forward.
“I was afraid.”
“For what?”
“For becoming you.”
Silence.
Doreen's expression hardened.
Nathan continued.
“And I finally understand something.”
“What?”
“You didn't protect this family.”
He looked at Leah.
“You destroyed it.”
Doreen's men raised their weapons.
Leah instinctively moved toward Nathan.
He caught her hand.
“Don't move.”
Doreen laughed.
“Still protecting her?”
Nathan looked at her.
“Yes.”
“You'll die for her?”
“If I have to.”
Doreen's face became strangely sad.
“You really did love her.”
Nathan didn't answer.
Doreen lowered the phone.
“Then watch.”
She tapped the screen.
A new video appeared.
Simone was lying on the floor.
Blood stained her forehead.
Leah gasped.
“No.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Mom!”
Doreen smiled.
“Tell me where the trust documents are.”
Simone looked toward the camera.
Her lips moved.
Doreen leaned closer.
“What?”
Simone whispered:
“Go to hell.”
Doreen slapped her.
Leah screamed.
“Stop!”
Nathan lunged.
Two men grabbed him.
Doreen laughed.
“Now you understand.”
She looked at Leah.
“Everyone you love can be hurt.”
Leah stared at the screen.
Simone looked directly into the camera.
And mouthed two words.
Trust me.
Then the screen went black.
Leah froze.
Something about Simone's expression had been different.
Not fear.
Determination.
She had wanted Leah to see something.
But what?
Doreen turned toward the door.
“Take them to the estate.”
Leah resisted.
“Where is my daughter?”
Doreen looked over her shoulder.
“You'll meet her when you've signed.”
“What if I don't?”
Doreen smiled.
“Then she disappears.”
Leah stared.
“You can't keep doing this.”
“I already have.”
“Not anymore.”
Doreen laughed.
“You think the police will believe you?”
“Yes.”
“Your psychiatric records say otherwise.”
Leah's blood went cold.
Doreen continued:
“Your hospital file says you suffered postpartum psychosis.”
“I did not.”
“I know.”
“But the paperwork says you did.”
Nathan looked at his mother.
“You forged that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because an unstable mother can't testify.”
Leah finally understood.
The psychiatric hold hadn't been about removing her from the baby.
It had been about removing her credibility.
If Leah fought back, Doreen could tell the world she was mentally unstable.
If she accused the family, they would call it paranoia.
If she demanded her children, they would call it obsession.
And if she resisted—
they would take her away.
Again.
Doreen had built a prison without walls.
They were forced into separate vehicles.
Leah was placed in the middle of the first SUV.
Nathan was dragged into another.
Daniel was nowhere to be seen.
Rachel had disappeared during the confusion.
Leah didn't know whether she had escaped.
Or been taken.
The SUV drove through the night.
Leah watched the city disappear.
She thought about Noah.
Her daughter.
Simone.
Nathan.
Her mother.
Everyone had lied.
Everyone had hidden something.
But there was one thing Doreen didn't understand.
Leah had spent nine months being underestimated.
She had learned how people behaved when they thought she was helpless.
She had learned which doors were locked.
Which guards were loyal.
Which cameras worked.
Which nurses looked away.
And, most importantly—
she had learned that Doreen always believed she was the smartest person in the room.
That was Doreen's weakness.
Leah smiled faintly.
Because Doreen had just made the biggest mistake of her life.
She had left Leah conscious.
The estate appeared through the trees.
Huge.
Dark.
Heavily guarded.
Leah had seen it only once before.
The Carver estate.
The place Nathan had always described as home.
Now it looked like a fortress.
The SUV stopped.
A guard opened the door.
Leah stepped out.
Doreen stood on the marble steps.
“Welcome home.”
Leah looked at her.
“This was never my home.”
Doreen smiled.
“It will be.”
“No.”
Leah glanced toward the second SUV.
Nathan was being brought inside.
“You're going to lose everything.”
Doreen laughed.
“You're still making threats.”
“No.”
Leah looked directly at her.
“I'm making a promise.”
Inside, the estate was strangely quiet.
No servants.
No family.
No music.
Only guards.
Doreen led Leah into the library.
A large table stood in the center.
On it were stacks of legal documents.
Trust papers.
Medical records.
Bank statements.
And two birth certificates.
Leah stared.
One belonged to Noah.
The other—
was blank.
Doreen placed a pen beside them.
“Sign.”
Leah didn't move.
“What happens if I do?”
“Noah comes home.”
“And my daughter?”
“Of course.”
“Simone?”
“Alive.”
“Rachel?”
“Alive.”
“My mother?”
Doreen hesitated.
Leah noticed.
“What happened to her?”
“She's irrelevant.”
Leah's eyes narrowed.
“She's dead.”
Doreen said nothing.
Leah understood.
Another person she loved was gone.
Maybe forever.
She looked at the documents.
“How much?”
Doreen frowned.
“What?”
“How much is the trust worth?”
“Why?”
“You've spent years destroying lives for it.”
Leah smiled.
“So I want to know what everyone's worth.”
Doreen's expression tightened.
“Two hundred and eighty-six million.”
Leah nodded.
“That's all?”
Doreen's eyes widened.
“All?”
“Yes.”
“You think that's nothing?”
“I think it's not worth what you did.”
Doreen leaned over the table.
“You don't understand what that money represents.”
“Power.”
“Security.”
“Control.”
“Legacy.”
Leah looked at the blank birth certificate.
“No.”
She pushed it away.
“Fear.”
The door opened.
Nathan entered.
His hands were free.
Leah looked at him.
“What happened?”
“They let me go.”
“Why?”
Nathan looked at Doreen.
“Because she wants me to convince you.”
Doreen smiled.
“Exactly.”
Nathan walked toward Leah.
Doreen watched carefully.
Nathan stopped beside her.
“Don't sign.”
Doreen's smile disappeared.
“What did you say?”
Nathan looked at Leah.
“Don't sign anything.”
Doreen's guards raised their weapons.
Nathan continued.
“The documents are fake.”
Leah stared.
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw the original trust.”
“Where?”
Nathan looked toward the fireplace.
“Behind the portrait.”
Doreen went pale.
“What?”
Nathan smiled.
“You didn't know.”
Doreen rushed toward the portrait.
Nathan pulled it from the wall.
A hidden safe appeared.
Doreen froze.
Leah looked at Nathan.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Then how?”
“Your father told me.”
Leah's heart stopped.
“My father?”
Nathan nodded.
“He contacted me three years ago.”
“You spoke to him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wanted me to protect you.”
Leah shook her head.
“Then why did you help Doreen?”
Nathan's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid that if I refused, she would kill you.”
Leah stared.
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
“You let me think you betrayed me.”
Nathan looked at her.
“I thought you would hate me.”
Leah's voice broke.
“I did.”
He nodded.
“But you still loved me.”
She looked away.
“That doesn't make it okay.”
“No.”
“It doesn't erase what happened.”
“No.”
“But it explains it.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Doreen screamed.
“Enough!”
She grabbed a gun.
Nathan immediately stepped in front of Leah.
Doreen pointed it at him.
“You ungrateful bastard.”
Nathan didn't move.
“You're going to destroy everything.”
“No.”
“You're going to lose your inheritance.”
“I don't care.”
“You'll lose your family.”
Nathan looked at Leah.
“I already did.”
Doreen's hand trembled.
“Shoot him.”
The guards hesitated.
“Shoot him!”
Nobody moved.
Doreen stared at them.
“Why aren't you moving?”
One guard lowered his weapon.
“Because your money isn't worth dying for.”
Another followed.
Then another.
Doreen's face went white.
Leah finally understood.
Her power wasn't absolute.
It only existed while people believed it was.
Then the front doors exploded open.
Police flooded the estate.
Lights flashed through the windows.
Voices shouted.
“DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
Doreen turned toward Leah.
“You.”
Leah shook her head.
“I didn't call them.”
Doreen looked at Nathan.
He smiled.
“I did.”
“You had no phone.”
Nathan looked toward the safe.
“I didn't need one.”
He opened the safe.
Inside was a small transmitter.
A red light blinked.
Leah stared.
“What is that?”
“A distress beacon.”
“Who gave it to you?”
Nathan looked at her.
“Your mother.”
Leah's heart stopped.
“She knew this would happen?”
“She planned for it.”
The police entered.
Doreen dropped the gun.
But before the officers could reach her, she laughed.
“You still haven't won.”
Leah stared.
“Why?”
Doreen looked toward the staircase.
“Because the children aren't here.”
Leah's heart stopped.
“What?”
Doreen smiled.
“They were never at the hospital.”
“Where are they?”
She said nothing.
Nathan grabbed her arm.
“Where are they?”
Doreen laughed.
“You think I would keep them somewhere you could find?”
Leah felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“Noah.”
Doreen looked at her.
“Your son is alive.”
Leah exhaled.
“And my daughter?”
Doreen smiled.
“She is too.”
“Where?”
Doreen leaned closer.
“Ask your mother.”
The police arrested Doreen.
But Leah barely noticed.
She ran upstairs.
The nursery was empty.
No crib.
No blankets.
No baby.
Only a single envelope sat on the floor.
Leah opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Two newborn babies.
Side by side.
Noah.
And his sister.
On the back, one sentence.
They were separated for a reason.
Below it:
One was meant to inherit.
The other was meant to expose the truth.
Leah's hands trembled.
Nathan came into the room.
“What does it say?”
She handed him the photograph.
He read it.
His face changed.
“What?”
He turned the photograph over again.
“There is a name.”
Leah looked.
At the bottom was a handwritten word.
SIMONE.
Leah stared.
“She knew.”
Nathan nodded.
“But why?”
Before he could answer, Leah's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Leah.”
“Who is this?”
A pause.
Then:
“Your daughter.”
Leah stopped breathing.
The voice continued.
“Don't trust Nathan.”
Leah's blood ran cold.
“Who are you?”
The line went silent.
Then a second voice spoke.
A man's voice.
Calm.
Familiar.
Gabriel.
“Your daughter is safe.”
Leah's heart pounded.
“Where?”
“Where the money began.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your father's laboratory.”
“Where is it?”
Gabriel laughed softly.
“Under the hospital.”
The call ended.
Leah looked at Nathan.
He was already shaking his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“We can't go there.”
“Why?”
“Because that laboratory doesn't exist.”
Leah stared at him.
“Then why is Gabriel calling from it?”
Nathan looked toward the dark window.
“Because someone wants us to believe it does.”
Leah held the photograph tighter.
Her son was missing.
Her daughter was missing.
Her mother was missing.
And somewhere beneath a hospital that officially had no underground laboratory, someone was waiting.
For the first time, Leah wasn't afraid of what she might discover.
She was afraid of what she might find alive.
Because if the laboratory really existed—
then the seventeen children Daniel had called dead might not all be dead after all.
And if even one of them had survived...
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Leah's family secret was no longer a family secret.
It was an army.
