Chapter 23 - The Child Helena ChoseHelena was taken into custody, but she refused to answer questions until Adrian entered the interrogation room.
“You let them believe you were dead,” he said.
Helena studied him through Elise’s damaged prosthetic face.
“I allowed you to become independent.”
“You abandoned me.”
“I protected you from the Suttons.”
“Who am I?”
For the first time, Helena’s confidence faltered.
Adrian placed a scanned birth certificate on the table.
The document had been retrieved from the hidden archive.
The child’s name was not Adrian Vale.
It was Samuel Dane.
Father: Charles Dane.
Mother: Vivian Dane.
Patricia read the document through the observation glass and covered her mouth.
Adrian was her brother.
The infant Charles claimed to have sold had never been Patricia’s sister.
Charles had lied about the child’s sex.
Helena had taken the baby and raised him as her own.
“Why?” Adrian asked.
Helena looked toward Vivian.
“Because Charles intended to use you as leverage. I gave you another life.”
“You gave me a false life.”
“It was better than the true one.”
Vivian demanded to enter the room.
When she saw Adrian, she did not attempt to touch him.
“I thought you died,” she said.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Apparently everyone in this family did.”
Meanwhile, Sofia received confirmation that the helicopter carrying Margaret had crossed into international waters before disappearing from radar.
The pilot’s identity was unknown.
But the aircraft belonged to a company connected to Victor Holloway.
Victor was still alive.
Mara examined the brass key Margaret had given her. A number was engraved along its edge:
CROWN–01.
Elise recognized it.
“There were seven founding keys.”
“Where are the others?”
“Eleanor held three. Margaret held one. Helena stole one.”
“And the remaining two?”
“One belonged to Charles.”
Mara looked toward the hospital where Charles had been taken after the confrontation at the coastal house.
“The last key?”
Elise hesitated.
“It belonged to the physician who created the identity program.”
“Dr. Trent?”
“No. His father.”
Mara’s phone vibrated.
A message appeared from Dr. Trent.
Do not visit Charles. He has never been in the hospital.
Seconds later, the resort received a live video.
Charles Dane stood inside Mara’s apartment.
In his hand was Eleanor’s original letter.
May you like
Behind him, written across the wall in dark blue ink, were six words:
BRING THE KEY OR LOSE THE MOTHER.
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