Chapter 15 - THE CHILD WHO WAS LISTENING
Three weeks later, the Valmont scandal dominated headlines across the world.
Vivian remained in a private prison hospital while prosecutors reviewed evidence connecting her to Isabella’s death, Gabriel’s staged accident, the poisoning of Emma, and the attempted destruction of the Crown Ledger.
Several politicians resigned.
Two intelligence directors disappeared.
A network of illegal adoption agencies was shut down across five countries.
For the public, the story appeared complete.
The villain had fallen.
The hidden heir had returned.
The innocent mother and child had survived.
Inside Valmont Palace, no one believed it was over.
Clara and Emma remained in the east wing under protection. Clara had agreed to stay only until the threat from Lazarus could be understood.
She had not forgiven Gabriel.
But she had not left him either.
Every morning, he ate breakfast with Emma.
Every afternoon, he gave investigators information about Vivian’s network.
Every evening, he sat outside Clara’s room without asking to enter.
Alessandro transferred a large portion of the family fortune into a foundation for Lazarus victims. He also announced that Gabriel would inherit no automatic control of the Valmont companies.
“Power without accountability created this,” Alessandro said. “It will not be repeated.”
Gabriel accepted the decision.
Clara respected him for it.
One rainy night, Emma woke screaming.
Clara found her sitting beside the window with the blue rabbit.
“What happened?”
Emma pointed toward the garden.
“The man was there.”
“What man?”
“The man who talks to Blue.”
Clara’s skin went cold.
“Sweetheart, Blue cannot talk.”
Emma frowned.
“Yes, he can.”
She pressed the rabbit’s stomach.
A faint voice came from inside the toy.
Not Gabriel’s recorded message.
Another voice.
Male.
Older.
“Subject Twenty-Seven remains emotionally unstable. The child has successfully entered the Valmont household.”
Clara grabbed the rabbit.
The message continued.
“Phase Two may begin.”
The bedroom door opened.
Gabriel rushed inside, followed by Alessandro and Marcus.
Clara replayed the recording.
None of them spoke until the voice ended.
Marcus examined the rabbit.
“This transmission is new.”
“How new?” Clara asked.
“It was sent tonight.”
Gabriel looked toward the rain-covered window.
“Someone is close enough to access the receiver.”
The palace alarms activated.
Not the loud emergency sirens they had heard during Vivian’s attack.
A quiet sequence of three tones.
Alessandro’s expression changed.
“What does that mean?” Clara asked.
He crossed to the security screen.
Every camera around the estate had gone dark except one.
The camera beneath the white magnolia tree.
A man stood beneath its branches holding an umbrella.
His face remained hidden.
Beside him was a girl who appeared to be around twelve years old.
The girl held another blue rabbit.
Alessandro pressed the communication button.
“Identify yourself.”
The man lifted his face.
Gabriel took a step backward.
Clara had never seen him afraid in that way.
“Who is he?” she asked.
Gabriel could barely speak.
“He was the doctor who told me my mother died.”
The man beneath the tree smiled into the camera.
Then the girl raised her rabbit.
Inside its torn ear was the same black symbol.
A circle pierced by three narrow blades.
The man spoke.
“Adrian, you opened the wrong archive.”
The security screen flickered.
Twenty-six names appeared.
One after another, each inactive file changed to active.
Then a twenty-eighth name appeared at the bottom.
Emma Valmont.
Clara stared at the surname.
“That isn’t her name.”
Alessandro looked at her with horror.
The man beneath the tree stepped aside.
A black door was visible in the ground where the wooden horse had once been buried.
It slowly opened.
From somewhere beneath the palace, children began to sing.
Emma climbed out of bed.
Her eyes were open, but her expression was empty.
She walked toward the door.
Clara caught her.
“Emma?”
The child turned.
When she spoke, the voice did not sound like her own.
“The Shepherd is waiting.”
May you like
The lights went out.
And beneath Valmont Palace, something that had been asleep for twenty-seven years opened its eyes.
