CHAPTER 5 — THE MAN WHO CALLED ME DAUGHTER
“Emily.”
The voice came again.
Closer this time.
Calm.
Almost affectionate.
“Come home, sweetheart.”
I stopped breathing.
For twenty years, I had imagined my father's voice.
Sometimes I remembered it deep.
Sometimes warm.
Sometimes angry.
But memory had softened it.
The voice coming through the tunnel was real.
Older.
Colder.
And somehow more frightening because of that.
Noah was crying beside me.
Ryan was lying on the concrete.
Blood soaked through his shirt.
Evelyn stood several feet away.
And somewhere in the darkness, my father was walking toward us.
Daniel Reed.
The man who was supposed to have died when I was nineteen.
The man whose funeral I had attended.
The man whose grave I had visited every year.
The man I had spent half my life grieving.
Alive.
And hunting my son.
“Mommy,” Noah whispered.
I pulled him into my arms.
“Don't look.”
But I couldn't look away from the darkness.
A man stepped into the dim emergency lighting.
Gray hair.
Black coat.
Straight posture.
Older than the photographs.
But unmistakably familiar.
My father's eyes.
My father's mouth.
My father's face.
Daniel Reed stopped.
For several seconds, he simply looked at me.
Then he smiled.
“You look just like your mother.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“You're dead.”
He nodded slowly.
“I was supposed to be.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You let me bury you.”
“Yes.”
“You let me think I was alone.”
His expression barely changed.
“I had reasons.”
I laughed through the tears.
“Everyone has reasons.”
Daniel looked at Noah.
“Come here.”
I immediately stepped backward.
“No.”
His gaze returned to me.
“Emily.”
“Don't call me that.”
A faint crease appeared between his eyebrows.
“It's your name.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You lost the right to call me your daughter.”
Daniel's expression became colder.
“You don't know what you're saying.”
“I know exactly what I'm saying.”
I pointed toward Ryan.
“You ordered this.”
“No.”
“Victor said you did.”
“Victor lies.”
“He tried to kill me.”
Daniel looked at the blood on Ryan's shirt.
“Victor has always been weak.”
My stomach turned.
“You shot him.”
“No.”
Daniel glanced at Evelyn.
“She did.”
Evelyn's eyes widened.
“That isn't true.”
Daniel smiled.
“You see?”
I looked between them.
Everyone was accusing everyone.
And somewhere in the middle was my son.
Daniel took another step.
“Give me Noah.”
“No.”
“He isn't safe with you.”
I held him tighter.
“He is safer with me than with anyone in this tunnel.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You don't understand what that child carries.”
“I understand enough.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You understand money.”
“You understand custody.”
“You understand your husband's betrayal.”
“But you don't understand the blood.”
I stared at him.
“What blood?”
Daniel looked at Noah.
“The Reed blood.”
I shook my head.
“You said Noah was the second heir.”
“He is.”
“Then why are you trying to take him?”
“Because if the wrong people find him, he will die.”
“Who are the wrong people?”
Daniel's eyes moved toward Evelyn.
“She knows.”
Evelyn crossed her arms.
“Don't put this on me.”
Daniel smiled.
“You've been waiting twenty-five years for this moment.”
“What moment?”
I demanded.
Neither answered.
I stepped forward.
“Tell me.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Your mother was not killed by the Caldwells.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She was killed because she tried to destroy the system.”
“What system?”
“The one your son has inherited.”
I looked down at Noah.
He was shaking.
“Stop talking about him like he's an object.”
Daniel's voice softened.
“He's not an object.”
“Then what is he?”
“My grandson.”
I felt tears run down my cheeks.
“You don't get to say that.”
“I am his grandfather.”
“You abandoned me.”
“To keep you alive.”
“You faked your death.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me grow up without you.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me marry a man you knew was lying to me.”
Daniel looked at Ryan.
“I warned you about him.”
I froze.
“What?”
Daniel nodded toward Ryan.
“Ryan was never supposed to marry you.”
“I know.”
“He was supposed to observe you.”
“I know.”
“He was supposed to report your behavior.”
“I know.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“And he failed.”
Ryan groaned from the floor.
I looked down.
His eyes had opened.
He was alive.
Barely.
“Emily…”
Daniel looked at him.
“You were always weak.”
Ryan tried to sit up.
“Dad…”
Daniel's expression changed.
“You called me father.”
Ryan swallowed blood.
“Because you were.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Ryan stared at him.
“You used my name.”
Daniel smiled.
“Your father died before you were born.”
Ryan's face went pale.
I looked at him.
“Then who are you?”
Ryan struggled to breathe.
“My name…”
He looked toward me.
“Is Ryan Mercer.”
Sam's voice came from behind us.
“Yes.”
We all turned.
Sam stood at the end of the tunnel.
Blood covered one side of his face.
He was holding a gun.
“Ryan is my son.”
I looked at Daniel.
“Then why did you call him your son?”
Daniel smiled.
“Because I raised him.”
Sam's expression hardened.
“You stole him.”
Daniel shrugged.
“I saved him.”
“You used him.”
“I gave him a purpose.”
“You destroyed him.”
Daniel looked at Ryan.
“Did I?”
Ryan closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The word echoed through the tunnel.
Daniel's face changed.
For the first time, I saw anger.
“You betrayed me.”
Ryan laughed weakly.
“You taught me how.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
I stepped in front of Ryan.
“No.”
Daniel stopped.
“You're protecting him?”
“No.”
I looked at Ryan.
“I'm protecting my son.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then you'll understand why I need Noah.”
“No.”
“You will.”
He reached inside his coat.
I tensed.
But he pulled out a photograph.
He held it toward me.
I didn't move.
“Look.”
Evelyn whispered:
“Emily, don't.”
I took it anyway.
The photograph showed my mother.
Rebecca.
She was sitting on a hospital bed.
Pregnant.
My stomach tightened.
I'd never seen this photograph.
Daniel pointed toward her stomach.
“You were inside her.”
I swallowed.
“I know.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Look at the date.”
I did.
Twenty-five years ago.
But something was wrong.
The date was four months before my supposed birth.
I looked closer.
Another woman stood beside my mother.
Evelyn.
Younger.
Pregnant.
My blood went cold.
“There were two pregnancies.”
Daniel nodded.
“Twins.”
I stared.
“Me and Evelyn's child?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“You and your brother.”
I remembered the photograph from Margaret's box.
The baby.
THE FIRST HEIR.
My hands shook.
“My brother.”
Daniel nodded.
“His name was Gabriel.”
“Where is he?”
Daniel looked away.
“Dead.”
My chest tightened.
“When?”
“Three weeks old.”
“Who killed him?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Evelyn did.
“Me.”
I turned.
“What?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't kill him.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You allowed it.”
“I was sixteen.”
“You were old enough to understand.”
“I was a child.”
“You watched.”
Evelyn's voice broke.
“I couldn't stop them.”
“Who?”
I demanded.
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“Your father.”
My blood ran cold.
Daniel shook his head.
“She is lying.”
“No.”
Evelyn looked at me.
“Your father ordered Gabriel's death.”
I stared at Daniel.
“Why?”
“Because Gabriel had the wrong blood.”
I didn't understand.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel walked closer.
“Your brother was born with a mutation.”
“What mutation?”
“It allowed him to access the Reed encryption system.”
I stared.
“That's why he was killed?”
Daniel's expression remained cold.
“He was dangerous.”
“He was a baby.”
“He could have destroyed the empire.”
I felt sick.
“You killed your own son.”
Daniel didn't respond.
Evelyn whispered:
“And now Noah has the same mutation.”
I looked at my son.
“No.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“The doctors saw it when he was born.”
“Then why didn't they tell me?”
“Because they were paid not to.”
I felt numb.
The DNA test.
The hospital.
The secret recordings.
Everything.
Daniel continued.
“Ryan was ordered to take Noah.”
I looked at Ryan.
He didn't deny it.
“But you refused.”
Ryan nodded.
“Why?”
He looked at Noah.
“Because he was my son.”
I stared.
“You just said he wasn't.”
“I meant…”
He struggled to breathe.
“I raised him.”
I looked at him.
“Did you ever love him?”
Ryan's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
That answer hurt.
Because it sounded genuine.
Daniel laughed.
“Love.”
He spat the word.
“Love is what made you weak.”
Ryan looked at him.
“Maybe.”
Then he smiled faintly.
“But at least I'm not you.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
I moved faster.
I grabbed a metal pipe from the floor.
Evelyn lunged toward Daniel.
Sam fired.
The tunnel erupted.
Daniel disappeared behind a concrete pillar.
“Run!”
Victor's voice came from somewhere behind us.
I froze.
Victor.
Alive.
He stepped from a side passage, clutching his shoulder.
“Emily!”
I stared at him.
“You shot Ryan.”
“No.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“Daniel.”
I looked toward the darkness.
“Where is he?”
“Gone.”
Victor grabbed my arm.
“We have seconds.”
I pulled away.
“I don't trust you.”
“You shouldn't.”
He looked at Noah.
“But if you stay here, they will take him.”
I looked at Ryan.
He was barely conscious.
Sam knelt beside him.
“Can he move?”
“No.”
Victor pointed toward another tunnel.
“There is an old train line beneath the property.”
I hesitated.
Then Noah whispered:
“Mommy.”
I looked down.
“I'm here.”
“I want to go home.”
The words broke something inside me.
I wanted home too.
But home no longer existed.
Not the home I knew.
We ran.
Victor led us through the tunnel.
Evelyn followed.
Sam carried Ryan.
We reached an abandoned railway platform.
An old maintenance train waited.
Victor opened the door.
“Get inside.”
I climbed in.
Noah followed.
The train began moving.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
The tunnel swallowed us.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Ryan opened his eyes.
“Emily.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“I need to tell you something.”
Victor immediately said:
“Not here.”
Ryan ignored him.
“The reason I married you…”
I waited.
“…wasn't the inheritance.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“I was told your father had hidden something inside you.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Not physically.”
He swallowed.
“Your memories.”
I didn't understand.
“My memories?”
“Yes.”
“You're saying my father hid information inside my memories?”
Ryan nodded.
“He used something called a mnemonic key.”
I stared.
“That's impossible.”
“It isn't.”
Victor looked away.
Ryan continued.
“Your father knew you would be hunted.”
“So he made me forget?”
“Yes.”
“What did I forget?”
Ryan looked at Noah.
“Everything.”
My stomach twisted.
“Everything about what?”
“Your brother.”
“My mother.”
“Your father's empire.”
“And…”
He hesitated.
“The night Noah was conceived.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“What happened that night?”
Ryan closed his eyes.
“I don't know.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
“I wasn't there when it happened.”
“Who was?”
Ryan looked at Victor.
Victor stared at the floor.
I understood.
“You know.”
Victor finally looked at me.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
I grabbed his shirt.
“Who is Noah's father?”
Victor whispered:
“Daniel.”
The train seemed to stop.
I stared.
“My father?”
Victor shook his head.
“Not your father.”
“Then who?”
Victor looked toward Ryan.
“Daniel's other son.”
I froze.
“Daniel had another son?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Victor's lips trembled.
“Gabriel.”
I stared.
“But Gabriel died as a baby.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“He didn't die.”
My heart stopped.
Victor continued:
“Daniel lied.”
I looked at Ryan.
He was staring at me.
Evelyn looked terrified.
Sam whispered:
“No…”
Victor said:
“Gabriel survived.”
The train lights flickered.
Then a voice came over the intercom.
“Emily.”
I froze.
Daniel.
His voice echoed through the train.
“You're getting closer.”
The lights went out.
Noah screamed.
I grabbed him.
Then a second voice came through the speaker.
A voice I had never heard before.
Young.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Hello, little brother.”
Ryan went completely still.
I looked at him.
“What?”
He stared into the darkness.
Then whispered:
“Gabriel.”
A light suddenly appeared at the end of the train.
A man's silhouette stood there.
Tall.
Thin.
Wearing a black coat.
He stepped forward.
His face came into view.
And I recognized the eyes immediately.
They were Noah's eyes.
The same eyes.
The same birthmark.
The same expression.
The man smiled.
“It's been a long time.”
I held Noah tighter.
The stranger looked directly at him.
Then said:
“I'm your uncle.”
My heart stopped.
Because the child I had been told died twenty-five years ago…
was standing alive in front of me.
May you like
And he wasn't there to save us.
He was there to claim Noah.
