Chapter 10: Five Minutes to Choose
Nathan couldn't breathe.
Lily stood in the doorway, trembling.
Beside her was the teenage boy.
Noah.
He looked about fourteen.
Tall for his age.
Dark hair.
Hazel eyes.
And the same small dimple beside his left cheek.
Nathan stared at him as if looking into a mirror from another lifetime.
“Noah?”
The boy nodded cautiously.
“Dad?”
Nathan took one step forward.
His mother immediately raised her hand.
“Don't.”
Nathan stopped.
“Let them go.”
She smiled faintly.
“Which one?”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“Both.”
“You know that's not how this works.”
Behind her, Lily began to cry.
“Daddy…”
Nathan's chest tightened.
He looked at his mother.
“You've had my children all this time.”
“I protected them.”
“You kidnapped them.”
“I saved them from your family.”
Nathan's father stepped forward.
“Evelyn, enough.”
Nathan turned sharply.
“Evelyn?”
His mother looked at him.
“Yes.”
The name sounded strange coming from his father's mouth.
Nathan's father stared at her with a mixture of anger and grief.
“I watched you die.”
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“You watched a woman who looked like me die.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
She looked at him.
“Your mother didn't die twelve years ago.”
Nathan's voice cracked.
“Then who did I bury?”
“A substitute.”
Silence.
Nathan's mind struggled to keep up.
His father whispered,
“You deceived all of us.”
Evelyn laughed softly.
“You deceived yourself.”
She looked at Nathan.
“Your grandfather wanted Nathan to inherit everything.”
Nathan frowned.
“That's why you took my children?”
“No.”
She looked toward Noah.
“I took him because they wanted him dead.”
Nathan's eyes moved to the boy.
“Who?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
Noah did.
“Your grandfather.”
Nathan stared at him.
“You remember?”
Noah nodded.
“I was little.”
“How old?”
“Four.”
Nathan's expression changed.
“You were four?”
Noah nodded.
“They told me you were dead.”
Nathan's chest tightened.
“Who told you?”
“Mom.”
Nathan looked at Evelyn.
“You raised him.”
“Yes.”
“And Lily?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Lily wasn't mine.”
“Then why do you have her?”
“Because she was the only person who could lead you to Noah.”
Nathan felt a chill.
“You used my daughter as bait.”
“I gave you a chance to find your son.”
Nathan looked at Lily.
She was crying quietly.
Grace stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You should be grateful.”
Grace's face hardened.
“For what?”
“For keeping your daughter alive.”
Nathan moved closer.
“Enough.”
Evelyn pointed toward Noah.
“You want both children?”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to understand what they inherited.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“The trust.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Something much more dangerous.”
Nathan glanced at his father.
“What is she talking about?”
His father looked away.
Evelyn smiled.
“Your grandfather wasn't only a businessman.”
Nathan frowned.
“What else was he?”
“A man who kept secrets.”
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small black notebook.
She threw it onto the floor.
Nathan picked it up.
The first page contained names.
Dates.
Payments.
Locations.
Nathan's expression changed.
“These are bribes.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Politicians. Judges. Doctors. Police officials.”
Nathan turned another page.
His father's name appeared.
Then Charles's.
Then Daniel's.
Then Victoria's.
Nathan looked up.
“Everyone.”
“Almost.”
He turned another page.
His own name was there.
Beside it was a date.
AUGUST 14 — TERMINATE SUBJECT.
Nathan's blood ran cold.
“What is this?”
Evelyn's face became serious.
“Your grandfather ordered your death.”
Nathan stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because you discovered the trust.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I didn't know about any trust.”
“You didn't.”
She looked at Noah.
“He did.”
Nathan stared at the boy.
Noah looked frightened.
“What did he know?”
Evelyn answered.
“Your son was born with access to something your grandfather couldn't control.”
Nathan frowned.
“A child can't control a company.”
“Not the company.”
She pointed toward the notebook.
“The accounts.”
Nathan's eyes widened.
“Offshore accounts?”
Evelyn nodded.
“Billions.”
Nathan looked at Noah.
“How?”
“Your grandfather transferred ownership before his death.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because he knew someone would try to steal everything.”
Nathan's father finally spoke.
“He wanted the children to be untouchable.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“He wanted Nathan to be untouchable.”
Nathan stared at his father.
“What does that mean?”
His father lowered his eyes.
“Your grandfather knew you were going to be killed.”
Nathan felt a cold emptiness spread through him.
“By whom?”
His father didn't answer.
Evelyn did.
“By me.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
Evelyn's voice softened.
“I was supposed to kill you.”
Grace gasped.
Nathan stared at his mother.
“But I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because you were my son.”
For the first time, Evelyn looked genuinely emotional.
“I disappeared instead.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Then why come back now?”
Evelyn looked toward Noah.
“Because someone found him.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
A loud siren suddenly sounded outside.
Everyone turned toward the windows.
Multiple black SUVs had surrounded the house.
Evelyn's expression changed.
“They're here.”
Nathan looked at his mother.
“Who?”
She grabbed Lily's hand.
“Charles.”
Nathan's father stood.
“That isn't possible.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“He knows the children are here.”
Nathan immediately moved toward Lily.
Evelyn stepped back.
“Don't.”
Nathan's voice became firm.
“You're not taking my daughter anywhere.”
“I don't want her.”
“Then let her go.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because Lily has the key.”
Nathan frowned.
“What key?”
Evelyn looked toward Grace.
Grace's face went pale.
“The blue key.”
Nathan suddenly remembered the key Grace had given him.
The one that opened the safe.
Evelyn whispered,
“Your daughter swallowed the other half.”
Nathan stared at Lily.
“What?”
Lily looked confused.
Evelyn continued.
“Your grandfather divided the key into two pieces.”
“One was hidden in the safe.”
“The other was given to Lily when she was born.”
Nathan's heart raced.
“How?”
Evelyn pointed toward the small pendant around Lily's neck.
Nathan stared at it.
He had never seen it before.
He stepped forward.
“Lily…”
She touched the pendant.
“Mommy said never to take it off.”
Nathan looked at Grace.
Grace began crying.
“I didn't know what it opened.”
Evelyn whispered,
“The private vault.”
Nathan's phone suddenly rang.
Charles.
Nathan answered.
Charles's voice was calm.
“You have two minutes.”
Nathan looked outside.
The SUVs were moving closer.
Charles continued.
“Bring me the children.”
Nathan tightened his grip on the phone.
“And if I don't?”
A pause.
“Then everyone in that house dies.”
Nathan looked around.
His father.
Grace.
Victoria.
Noah.
Lily.
Five people.
One decision.
Then a gunshot shattered the front window.
Everyone dropped.
Nathan pulled Lily into his arms.
Noah grabbed Grace's hand.
Evelyn shouted,
“DOWN!”
Another shot struck the wall.
Nathan looked toward the shattered window.
Then he noticed something lying on the floor beside him.
A bullet.
Engraved into its brass casing were two letters.
N.C.
Nathan's initials.
He stared at it.
His mother looked at the bullet.
Her face went white.
“They're not here for the children.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Then who are they here for?”
May you like
Evelyn whispered,
“You.”
