CHAPTER 14 THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
My father's house.
The house where I had spent the first years of my childhood.
The house I had been told was sold after his death.
The house I had never been allowed to visit again.
And now Flynn was telling me someone was living there.
My father.
A man who had supposedly died twenty-three years ago.
“You're telling me my father is alive?”
Flynn shook his head.
“I don't know.”
“You just said he's there.”
“I said someone is there.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
I grabbed his shirt.
“Then stop talking in riddles.”
His eyes met mine.
“I saw him.”
My grip loosened.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“At the house.”
“How did you get there?”
“Before I came here.”
I stared.
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
“With Clara?”
“No.”
“Then why were you there?”
“To find answers.”
“What did you find?”
He swallowed.
“Your father.”
My heart hammered.
“What did he look like?”
“Older.”
“Alive?”
“I think so.”
“You think?”
“I only saw him for a few seconds.”
“Why didn't you stop him?”
“Because I wasn't sure it was him.”
I stepped back.
“What did he say?”
Flynn looked away.
“He called me Thomas.”
The room fell silent.
That was the name no one used.
Not Flynn.
Not Vance.
Not even Eleanor.
Thomas.
The name on the old photograph.
The name my father had given him before Richard Vance took him.
I looked at the ledger.
My father's handwriting.
My twin's name.
The marriage agreement.
The succession clause.
Everything connected.
Except one thing.
My father.
If he was alive, why had he remained hidden?
And why had he allowed everyone to believe he was dead?
I looked at my grandfather.
“You knew.”
He didn't deny it.
“Yes.”
My blood boiled.
“You knew my father was alive?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Twenty-three years.”
I slapped him.
The sound echoed through the vault.
Clara was gone.
My family had lied to me.
And now even my dead father had been lying.
“You watched me grieve him.”
“I had to.”
“You watched me visit his grave.”
“I had to.”
“You let me believe he abandoned me.”
“He did.”
“You let me believe he was dead.”
“He needed you to believe that.”
“Why?”
My grandfather's expression finally cracked.
“Because he was afraid of what he had done.”
“What did he do?”
“He killed someone.”
“Who?”
He looked at Eleanor.
“Her first child.”
I froze.
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“My twin?”
“No.”
My grandfather's voice was quiet.
“Your father's first attempt to control Meridian cost him a child.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What child?”
Eleanor whispered:
“Your first brother.”
I stared.
“There was another?”
“Yes.”
My grandfather nodded.
“Before you and Thomas.”
I looked at Eleanor.
“How many children did you have?”
She began crying.
“Three.”
The room spun.
“Where is the third?”
No answer.
“Where?”
Eleanor whispered:
“He died.”
My grandfather corrected her.
“His body was never found.”
I felt cold.
“What was his name?”
Eleanor looked at me.
“Daniel.”
I turned.
Daniel.
Our Daniel.
The man standing behind us.
He had gone completely still.
I stared at him.
“No.”
His face was pale.
Eleanor looked at him.
“Daniel.”
He didn't move.
My grandfather closed his eyes.
“I knew this day would come.”
I looked at Daniel.
“You're my brother.”
He said nothing.
“Tell me.”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
My world shattered again.
Daniel was my brother.
The man who had protected me.
The man who had carried a gun.
The man who had been beside me through every secret.
My brother.
I stepped toward him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I wasn't sure.”
“Not sure?”
“My memories were erased.”
“What?”
“Your father ordered it.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because he believed I was dead.”
I shook my head.
“This is insane.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who are you really?”
“My name was Daniel Hart.”
“Was?”
He looked at Eleanor.
“She called me Daniel.”
Then he looked at me.
“But your father registered me as David Vance.”
My blood froze.
“Vance?”
“Yes.”
“So you were supposed to be Richard's son.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I was planted inside Vance Global.”
“For what?”
“To watch Flynn.”
I stared.
“You were watching your own brother?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father was afraid Flynn would discover the truth.”
I looked at Flynn.
He looked equally stunned.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Neither did I.”
I turned away.
My family tree had become a maze.
Nobody knew who they were.
Everyone had multiple names.
Everyone had multiple identities.
And somewhere in the middle of it—
my daughter had been kidnapped.
I couldn't waste another second.
“Where is Clara?”
Flynn stepped forward.
“I know the location.”
“Then we're going.”
My grandfather shook his head.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I'm not asking.”
“You'll walk into a trap.”
“Then I'll walk into it.”
“Your father wants you there.”
“Why?”
“Because he needs your authorization.”
“For Meridian.”
“Yes.”
I understood.
Clara wasn't the ultimate target.
I was.
Margaret had taken Clara because she knew I would follow.
My father had remained hidden because he needed me.
Everyone wanted my signature.
My blood.
My authorization.
My inheritance.
But nobody seemed to want me.
Until now.
We drove through the night.
Daniel sat in the passenger seat.
Flynn sat beside me.
My grandfather followed in another vehicle.
Eleanor stayed behind.
I couldn't stop thinking about the ledger.
About the marriage contract.
About the fake certificate.
About Flynn.
I finally looked at him.
“Did you ever love me?”
He stared out the window.
“Yes.”
“Before you knew who I was?”
“Yes.”
“Before you knew we were twins?”
“Yes.”
“Then what did you think you felt?”
He looked at me.
“I thought you were the only person who understood me.”
I swallowed.
“I thought you were the only person who loved me.”
He looked down.
“I did love you.”
I shook my head.
“You loved someone you weren't supposed to marry.”
“I know.”
“And you cheated on me.”
His eyes closed.
“I know.”
“Why?”
He didn't answer.
“Was Selina part of the plan?”
“Yes.”
“Did you sleep with her because of Meridian?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
I stared.
“So none of it was real.”
“No.”
Then he looked at me.
“But what I felt for you was.”
I turned away.
I didn't know whether to believe him.
Maybe that was the cruelest part.
I had spent years believing Flynn was my husband.
Now I knew he had never legally been my husband.
He was my twin.
My brother.
And the woman he had cheated on me with had been his handler.
My life sounded like a conspiracy novel.
Except Clara was real.
And she was still missing.
We reached the house at 3:17 a.m.
The gates were open.
No guards.
No lights.
Daniel looked at me.
“That's wrong.”
“Why?”
“Your father never left the gates open.”
We entered.
The house looked exactly as I remembered.
The same stone staircase.
The same black marble floor.
The same portrait of my father above the fireplace.
But something felt different.
There were no signs of dust.
Someone had been living here.
Recently.
I whispered:
“Clara?”
No answer.
We moved deeper inside.
A child's toy lay on the floor.
My daughter's pink rabbit.
I picked it up.
My hands shook.
“She was here.”
Flynn nodded.
“Yes.”
Then we heard a voice.
“Welcome home.”
I froze.
The voice came from the study.
My father's study.
I walked toward the door.
It opened.
A man stood inside.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Thin.
His face was lined with age.
But the eyes—
I knew them.
My father.
I couldn't breathe.
“Dad?”
He looked at me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he smiled.
“Mabel.”
I stumbled backward.
“No.”
He stepped forward.
“I've waited a long time.”
“You're dead.”
“I was supposed to be.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me grow up.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me marry Flynn.”
His face tightened.
“I tried to stop it.”
“But you didn't.”
“I couldn't.”
“You could have.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
He looked toward Flynn.
“Thomas.”
Flynn froze.
My father walked toward him.
“You survived.”
Flynn stared.
“You're my father.”
“Yes.”
Flynn's voice trembled.
“Why did you abandon me?”
“I didn't.”
“You gave me to Richard.”
“I was trying to save you.”
“You lied.”
“I know.”
Flynn's eyes filled with tears.
“Why?”
My father looked at him.
“Because Richard wanted to kill you.”
“Why?”
“Because you were the only person who could expose him.”
Flynn stepped back.
“Expose him for what?”
My father looked at me.
“Your marriage.”
I froze.
“What about it?”
“It wasn't supposed to happen.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You think Margaret arranged it.”
“She did.”
“She didn't.”
I stared.
“Then who?”
My father looked directly at me.
“Me.”
Silence.
“You arranged my marriage to Flynn?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed the succession clause activated.”
I felt sick.
“So you used your own children.”
“Yes.”
“You separated us.”
“Yes.”
“You arranged our marriage.”
“Yes.”
“You forged the certificate.”
“Yes.”
“And you expected me to inherit Meridian.”
“Yes.”
I looked at him.
“You ruined my life.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because I believed power was the only way to protect you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That's what everyone says.”
My father looked broken.
“I was wrong.”
Then I noticed something.
“Where's Clara?”
His expression changed.
“She's safe.”
“Where?”
“Upstairs.”
I ran.
Flynn followed.
We found Clara in an old bedroom.
She was sleeping.
Alive.
Unharmed.
I dropped beside her.
“Clara.”
She opened her eyes.
“Mommy?”
I pulled her into my arms.
“I'm here.”
She hugged me.
“I wasn't scared.”
I kissed her forehead.
“Who stayed with you?”
She pointed toward the doorway.
A woman stood there.
Margaret.
I froze.
She smiled.
“You really should stop assuming I'm the villain.”
I stood.
“You kidnapped my daughter.”
“I protected her.”
“From whom?”
She looked at my father.
“From him.”
My father raised his gun.
“Margaret.”
She laughed.
“You still haven't learned.”
“What?”
“Your daughter isn't the heir.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Margaret looked at Clara.
“She is the key.”
My father stepped forward.
“Don't.”
Margaret smiled.
“The heir is someone else.”
I looked at the ledger.
“Who?”
She looked directly at me.
“You.”
I frowned.
“I already knew that.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You're not the primary heir.”
I felt cold.
“Then who is?”
She smiled.
“Your first brother.”
I looked at Daniel.
He shook his head.
“No.”
Margaret laughed.
“Not Daniel.”
I stared.
“Then who?”
She stepped closer.
“The child Eleanor thought had died.”
My heart stopped.
“Daniel?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Margaret whispered:
“His name was Michael.”
I looked at my father.
He had gone pale.
“Dad?”
He didn't answer.
Margaret continued.
“He survived.”
My mother had said three children.
Daniel.
Me.
Flynn.
But there was another.
A fourth.
A child who had supposedly died.
A child who was actually alive.
And then Margaret said:
“Michael is the man standing behind you.”
I slowly turned.
Daniel was no longer there.
A different man stood in the doorway.
He looked at me.
And smiled.
“Hello, sister.”
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Flynn.
He was staring in disbelief.
My father whispered:
“Michael.”
The man smiled.
Then he raised a gun.
“Now we can finally finish what our father started.”
The lights went out.
A gunshot exploded.
Clara screamed.
And when the emergency lights came on—
my father was on the floor.
Bleeding.
And Michael was gone.
But the ledger was missing.
And on the wall, written in red:
THE SUCCESSION ENDS WITH MABEL.
I looked at my father.
He was still breathing.
Barely.
I knelt beside him.
“Dad.”
His eyes opened.
“Mabel…”
“Who is Michael?”
He struggled to speak.
Then whispered:
“Not your brother.”
I froze.
“Then who is he?”
My father's eyes filled with terror.
“He's the reason…”
He coughed.
“…I had to fake my death.”
Then he looked at Clara.
“And he's coming for her.”
My heart stopped.
“Why?”
My father's final words were barely audible.
“Because Michael…”
He closed his eyes.
“…is Richard Vance's real son.”
I stared at him.
Richard's son.
The missing child.
The real heir.
And suddenly the entire war made sense.
The Vance family had never wanted my money.
They wanted the bloodline.
And Michael had just taken the only document that could prove he wasn't entitled to it.
The original ledger.
The countdown continued.
31:06:22.
And this time—
the person holding the key wasn't my grandfather.
It wasn't Eleanor.
It wasn't Margaret.
It wasn't Richard.
It was the man who had just shot my father.
Michael Vance.
May you like
The son everyone thought was dead.
And the man who now wanted my daughter.
