CHAPTER 12 — THE FOURTH CHILD
The cry came again.
Small.
Weak.
Almost swallowed by the thick walls of the underground vault.
Nathan turned toward it.
“Where?”
Claire pointed toward the far end of the chamber.
“Behind that wall.”
Reeves immediately moved to the panel.
“There has to be another room.”
Nathan walked toward the sound.
“Find it.”
Reeves examined the wall.
“There's no visible door.”
Grace pressed her hand against the concrete.
The crying stopped.
Everyone froze.
Then—
A tiny knock came from the other side.
Grace's face went white.
“She can hear us.”
Nathan crouched.
“Can you hear me?”
Silence.
He pressed his palm against the wall.
“I'm here.”
A faint sound came from behind it.
“Daddy?”
Nathan's heart stopped.
Grace looked at him.
“That's a child.”
Claire's expression became terrified.
“No.”
Nathan turned.
“What?”
Claire shook her head.
“That isn't possible.”
“Why?”
“Because she's supposed to be dead.”
Grace stepped closer.
“Who?”
Claire didn't answer.
Nathan's voice hardened.
“Who is behind that wall?”
Claire finally whispered:
“Subject Four.”
Reeves found a narrow seam.
“Stand back.”
He struck the panel with a metal bar.
The concrete shifted.
A hidden door opened.
Cold air rushed into the room.
Beyond it was a small nursery.
White walls.
A single crib.
Medical equipment.
And a little girl sitting on the floor.
She couldn't have been more than three years old.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
Gray-blue eyes.
Nathan stared.
The child looked up.
She didn't cry.
She simply stared at him.
Then she smiled.
“Daddy.”
Nathan couldn't move.
Grace covered her mouth.
Lily and Emma were brought into the room.
The moment Lily saw the child, she stopped.
“She looks like me.”
Emma stared.
“She has my eyes.”
Elena stepped forward.
“She is our sister.”
Nathan looked at Claire.
“How?”
Claire's eyes filled.
“Because she was the first.”
Nathan frowned.
“The first?”
Claire nodded.
“Before Lily.”
“Before Elena?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is she?”
Claire whispered:
“Her name is Ava.”
The little girl smiled.
“Ava.”
Nathan crouched.
“Hi, Ava.”
She studied him.
“You came back.”
Nathan's eyes filled.
“I didn't know I was supposed to.”
“You promised.”
“When?”
Ava pointed toward the wall.
“Before.”
Nathan looked at the wall.
Nothing.
Then Ava touched her chest.
“You told me.”
Nathan stared.
“I don't remember.”
Ava smiled.
“You forgot.”
Nathan froze.
Claire closed her eyes.
“He made the memory erase itself.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Who?”
“Your grandfather.”
Alexander laughed weakly from the other room.
Everyone turned.
The old man was still alive.
Nathan stepped toward him.
“You knew about Ava.”
Alexander nodded.
“She was the beginning.”
Nathan stared.
“Beginning of what?”
“The inheritance experiment.”
Grace's face hardened.
“You created her.”
“No.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Claire did.”
Grace froze.
“What?”
Alexander smiled.
“Your sister was the first successful carrier.”
Claire shook her head.
“I didn't choose this.”
“You agreed.”
“I was nineteen.”
“You understood.”
“I was lied to.”
Alexander's smile faded.
“You were ambitious.”
Claire stared at him.
“I wanted to save my family.”
“You did.”
“No.”
She looked at the children.
“You destroyed it.”
Alexander laughed.
“Families destroy themselves.”
Nathan stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Alexander looked at him.
“You want answers.”
“Yes.”
“Then listen.”
Nathan folded his arms.
“Talk.”
Alexander nodded toward Ava.
“She was conceived from the original Bennett genetic sequence.”
“Using whose DNA?”
“Claire's.”
“And whose father?”
Alexander smiled.
“Yours.”
Nathan froze.
“Mine?”
“Yes.”
“But Ava is three.”
“And you were twenty-six.”
Nathan's face changed.
The timeline was impossible.
“I was twenty-six three years ago.”
“Yes.”
“I wasn't with Claire.”
“You don't remember.”
Nathan stared.
Again.
Another missing memory.
Another piece of his life stolen.
Alexander continued:
“You and Claire were together before Grace ever knew about the children.”
Grace looked at her sister.
“Claire?”
Claire began crying.
“It wasn't what you think.”
Nathan turned toward her.
“Did we have a child?”
Claire nodded.
“Ava.”
Nathan stared at the little girl.
“Why didn't I know?”
“Because Alexander took her.”
“When?”
“The day she was born.”
Nathan's voice broke.
“And you let him?”
“I fought.”
“Not enough.”
Claire looked devastated.
“I thought he was going to kill you.”
Nathan stared.
“Why me?”
“Because Ava was the first proof that your DNA could activate the Bennett trust.”
Nathan looked at the documents.
“So Ava was the first heir.”
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“She was the first key.”
Nathan frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Alexander answered:
“She could open the trust.”
“Then why does Elena activate it?”
“She doesn't.”
Nathan looked at the console.
“But it said primary heir.”
Alexander smiled.
“Because the system was designed to lie.”
Grace stared.
“Why?”
“To make you fight over the wrong child.”
Nathan understood.
The entire inheritance battle had been engineered.
Every false birth certificate.
Every fake DNA test.
Every supposed heir.
Every disappearance.
All designed to distract from Ava.
Alexander looked at Nathan.
“While everyone fought over Lily, Emma, and Elena…”
He smiled.
“…Ava remained invisible.”
Nathan's expression hardened.
“And now?”
“Now she is visible.”
“Then the trust belongs to her.”
“No.”
Alexander shook his head.
“It belongs to all four.”
Nathan stared.
“All four?”
“Yes.”
“Then why hide Ava?”
“Because the trust has one condition.”
“What?”
Alexander's voice became almost a whisper.
“All four children must be alive.”
Grace looked toward the girls.
“And if one dies?”
“The trust dissolves.”
Nathan's blood ran cold.
Victoria had been trying to kill them.
Not for money.
To destroy the trust.
Grace whispered:
“She wanted them dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Alexander looked at her.
“Because the Ashford family couldn't control the inheritance.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“So they planned to destroy it.”
“Yes.”
“But Victoria worked with you.”
“For a time.”
“Then she betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Alexander smiled.
“She discovered another way.”
“What way?”
“To become the sole heir.”
Nathan frowned.
“How?”
Alexander pointed toward Grace.
“Through you.”
Grace froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the Bennett trust recognizes surviving blood representatives.”
Grace stared.
“I don't understand.”
“You are the last adult Bennett heir.”
“But Claire is alive.”
“She doesn't count.”
“Why?”
“She renounced her claim.”
Claire looked down.
“I signed it.”
Grace stared at her sister.
“When?”
“Five years ago.”
“Why?”
“To protect Ava.”
Alexander nodded.
“Exactly.”
Grace's face hardened.
“So Victoria wanted me.”
“Yes.”
“To marry Nathan?”
“Yes.”
Nathan's expression changed.
“Victoria wasn't after me.”
“No.”
“She wanted Grace.”
Alexander smiled.
“She wanted your legal authority.”
Grace whispered:
“She needed me to transfer the trust.”
“Yes.”
Nathan understood.
“The engagement.”
“Was a trap.”
“And the wedding?”
“Would have completed it.”
Grace closed her eyes.
Everything made sense.
Victoria hadn't simply wanted Nathan.
She wanted access to the Bennett bloodline through Grace.
And the children were the keys.
Suddenly, Ava began crying.
Nathan immediately crouched.
“What happened?”
She pointed toward the hallway.
“Bad man.”
Everyone turned.
“Who?”
Ava whispered:
“He came.”
Reeves raised his weapon.
“Who came?”
Ava pointed toward the ceiling.
“Grandpa.”
Nathan looked at Alexander.
“That's you.”
Ava shook her head.
“No.”
She looked terrified.
“Other grandpa.”
Nathan's blood froze.
“Who?”
Ava pointed toward the darkness.
“He's here.”
A sound echoed.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Someone was approaching.
Nathan moved the children behind him.
Claire stepped beside him.
Grace held Lily and Emma.
Reeves aimed his weapon.
Then a man emerged.
Nathan's heart stopped.
The face was familiar.
Too familiar.
Nathaniel Cole.
The man who had raised him.
The man everyone believed dead.
Nathan stared.
“You.”
Nathaniel smiled.
“Hello, son.”
Nathan raised his gun.
“You're dead.”
“I was supposed to be.”
“Where have you been?”
“Watching.”
Nathan's hands shook.
“You kidnapped Elena.”
“No.”
“You manipulated Grace.”
“No.”
“You created the children.”
“No.”
Nathan's expression hardened.
“Then what did you do?”
Nathaniel looked at Alexander.
“I cleaned up his mistakes.”
Alexander laughed.
“Your father always loved that phrase.”
Nathaniel ignored him.
He looked at the four children.
“Beautiful.”
Nathan stepped in front of them.
“Don't look at them.”
Nathaniel smiled.
“You still think you can protect them.”
“I can.”
“No.”
He pointed at Nathan.
“You're the biggest mistake of them all.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because you were never supposed to survive.”
Silence.
Nathaniel continued:
“Alexander created the original plan.”
He pointed at Nathan.
“Your mother carried you.”
Then at Claire.
“Claire supplied the genetic material.”
Then at the children.
“And the girls were created to complete the bloodline.”
Nathan stared.
“But where do you fit?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“I was the administrator.”
“For the trust?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you raise me?”
“To control the heir.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“And when I became independent?”
“You became dangerous.”
“So you tried to kill me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you?”
Nathaniel's expression changed.
“Because Daniel interfered.”
Nathan looked at Daniel.
His biological father.
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“You saved me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I had promised your mother.”
“What promise?”
“To let you live a normal life.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“Normal?”
Daniel looked at him.
“I failed.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at his daughters.
“You didn't fail.”
Daniel stared.
“You gave me them.”
Nathan nodded.
“And that's enough.”
Nathaniel suddenly raised a weapon.
Reeves fired.
Nathaniel ducked.
The room exploded into chaos.
Claire grabbed Ava.
Grace pulled Elena away.
Lily screamed.
Emma covered her ears.
Nathan tackled Nathaniel.
They crashed against the wall.
Nathaniel struck him.
“You should have died!”
Nathan hit him back.
“You first!”
Nathaniel laughed.
“You think this ends here?”
Nathan grabbed his collar.
“Where is Victoria?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“Gone.”
“Where?”
“Looking for something.”
“What?”
“The final key.”
Nathan froze.
“What key?”
Nathaniel whispered:
“Your mother's.”
Nathan stopped.
“My mother's?”
“Yes.”
“Eleanor.”
Nathaniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Nathaniel looked toward Grace.
“Her mother.”
Grace froze.
“My grandmother?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“The original Bennett matriarch.”
Grace stared.
“She died.”
“No.”
“Everyone said she died.”
“She disappeared.”
“Where is she?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“You've been looking at her.”
Grace froze.
Nathan slowly turned toward Eleanor.
His mother.
Eleanor looked devastated.
Nathan whispered:
“Mom?”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Then she said:
“I'm not Eleanor Cole.”
Nathan's face went pale.
“My name is Margaret Bennett.”
Grace gasped.
“My grandmother?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Yes.”
Grace stumbled backward.
“You're my grandmother.”
“Yes.”
“You've been alive all this time.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you hide?”
“To protect the children.”
Grace stared.
“From whom?”
Margaret looked toward Nathaniel.
“From him.”
Nathaniel laughed.
“Too late.”
Margaret looked at Nathan.
“The final key is inside you.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
“Your blood.”
Margaret pointed toward the children.
“All four children carry a fragment.”
Nathan stared.
“A fragment of what?”
“The original Bennett sequence.”
“What does it do?”
“It unlocks the trust.”
Nathan looked at the four girls.
“And if we combine it?”
Margaret shook her head.
“You don't.”
“Why?”
“Because the person who combines it becomes the legal owner of everything.”
Nathan understood.
“Someone could control all four.”
“Yes.”
“And that's what Victoria wants.”
Margaret nodded.
Nathan turned toward the children.
“We're not giving anyone that power.”
Nathaniel laughed.
“You already did.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
Nathaniel pointed at Grace.
“She has the key.”
Grace's eyes widened.
“What key?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“The key you were born carrying.”
Margaret's expression changed.
“Victoria found it.”
Nathan's blood ran cold.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Nathan looked at Reeves.
“Where is she?”
Reeves checked his device.
“Moving.”
“Toward where?”
He stared at the coordinates.
“Cole Meridian.”
Nathan froze.
“The company.”
“Yes.”
Margaret whispered:
“She is going for the vault.”
Nathan looked at the children.
Then at Grace.
Then at Claire.
“We're going.”
Margaret grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Nathan turned.
“Why?”
“Because that's what she wants.”
Nathan shook his head.
“She has the key.”
Margaret's eyes filled.
“No.”
She looked toward Grace.
“She doesn't have the key.”
Grace stared.
“Then who does?”
Margaret whispered:
“You.”
Grace froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Margaret touched Grace's chest.
“Inside your heart.”
Grace frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret looked at Nathan.
“The key isn't an object.”
“It is memory.”
Nathan's face changed.
“Memory?”
Margaret nodded.
“Your father's final memory.”
Grace stared.
“What did he hide?”
Margaret's voice broke.
“The truth about who killed Claire.”
Claire froze.
“I wasn't killed.”
Margaret looked at her.
“No.”
She turned toward Nathan.
“But someone tried.”
Nathan stared.
“Who?”
Margaret whispered:
“Grace.”
Grace recoiled.
“What?”
“Five years ago, you were the one who signed Claire's death order.”
Silence.
Grace's face drained white.
“No.”
Margaret continued:
“You don't remember because Nathaniel erased it.”
Nathan looked at his mother.
“Why?”
“Because you believed you were protecting your sister.”
Grace shook her head.
“I would never.”
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“You did it because you thought Claire was going to kill the children.”
Grace began trembling.
“I don't remember.”
“I know.”
Nathan stepped toward her.
“Then we'll make you remember.”
Suddenly, every phone in the room rang simultaneously.
A voice came through.
Victoria.
“You won't have to.”
Grace froze.
Victoria laughed.
“I already sent her the memory.”
The screen turned on.
A video appeared.
Grace five years earlier.
Standing over Claire.
Holding a syringe.
Nathan stared in horror.
Grace whispered:
“No…”
On the screen, Claire begged:
“Please, Grace.”
Grace in the recording raised the syringe.
And injected her.
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Elena looked at Grace.
“Mommy?”
Grace dropped to her knees.
“I don't remember doing that.”
Nathan stared at the screen.
Neither did he.
Then another message appeared:
COME TO COLE MERIDIAN.
BRING GRACE.
BRING ALL FOUR CHILDREN.
And beneath it:
OR CLAIRE DIES FOR REAL.
Nathan's expression hardened.
He looked at Grace.
“We're going.”
Grace stared at him through tears.
“You still trust me?”
Nathan took her hand.
“Yes.”
“Even after that?”
“I don't know what happened.”
He looked at Claire.
“But we're going to find out.”
Claire nodded.
Nathan turned toward the children.
“Stay together.”
Lily took Emma's hand.
Emma took Elena's.
Elena reached for Ava.
Four little girls.
Four fragments of one impossible bloodline.
Nathan looked at them.
“For the first time in five years…”
He took a breath.
“…we stop running.”
And somewhere beneath Cole Meridian Holdings, Victoria was waiting.
May you like
Because she had finally found the one thing Nathan feared more than losing his empire.
The truth about Grace.
