Chapter 13 - Fire in Catherine’s Room
The explosion tore through the east wing.
Adrian threw himself over Isabella as glass and wood shattered around them. Elena dragged Elias behind a stone column. Smoke filled the corridor.
The archive room burst into flames.
Margaret disappeared through the smoke.
Adrian lifted Isabella into his arms.
“We are leaving.”
“The ledger,” she gasped.
“Elena has it.”
“The files in the laboratory.”
“We have enough to begin.”
“Not enough to prove every death.”
“I do not care about proving anything if you and the baby die here.”
He carried her toward the staircase.
The villa’s fire alarm began to ring, but the sprinkler system did not activate.
Margaret had disabled it.
Below them, staff members ran toward the exits. Some guards attempted to contain the fire. Others searched for Margaret.
Isabella’s contractions were now less than five minutes apart.
Dr. Ross had entered the villa with Adrian’s emergency team. She met them at the lower landing.
“We need to move her immediately.”
“The gates are blocked,” one of the officers said. “Margaret’s vehicles have been positioned across the main road.”
“Use the helicopter,” Adrian ordered.
“The landing area is too close to the fire.”
Dr. Ross examined Isabella.
“We may not have time to transport her.”
Adrian looked around the burning villa.
“You are not delivering the baby here.”
“We may have no choice.”
Elena pointed toward the western guest suite.
“There is a ground-floor room with running water and a separate exit.”
They moved Isabella there.
Dr. Ross turned the room into a temporary delivery suite. Clean sheets were brought from the sealed laundry storage. Emergency equipment arrived from the private clinic vehicle.
Adrian remained beside Isabella.
She gripped his hand through every contraction.
“You should go,” she whispered.
“I am not leaving.”
“Margaret is escaping.”
“Let her.”
“She will return.”
“Then I will face her later.”
Isabella looked at him.
“You knew who I was, and you still chose me.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever consider telling me before the wedding?”
“Every day.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because my father left a letter warning me that the moment you learned your identity, Margaret would know. He believed she had people watching both of us.”
“He was right.”
“Yes.”
“But you were still wrong.”
Adrian lowered his head.
“I know.”
She squeezed his hand.
“That does not mean I have forgiven you.”
“I know that too.”
A cry sounded in the hallway.
Elena ran to the door.
One of the remaining guards entered, carrying Daniel.
His wounded shoulder had been bandaged, but blood had seeped through.
“I told you to remain at the monastery,” Adrian said.
Daniel looked toward Isabella.
“I came because Margaret activated the final protocol.”
“What protocol?”
Daniel handed Adrian a message displayed on his phone.
It showed an automated transfer of the Vale family trust.
The controlling shares had been moved into an offshore entity called CROWN-17.
“Can she do that?” Isabella asked.
“Not legally,” Daniel said. “But she had signatures from three trustees.”
Adrian read the document.
“One of these trustees died six years ago.”
“Margaret has been preparing this for years.”
“Where was the transfer sent?”
“The account is controlled by someone using the initials C.V.”
“Catherine Vale?” Elena asked.
Daniel shook his head.
“Our mother is dead.”
Elias, who had been resting in the corridor, entered slowly.
“C.V. was not Catherine’s only name.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Before she married into the Vale family,” Elias said, “Margaret’s name was Celeste Varen.”
Margaret Vale was not born Margaret Vale.
She had stolen another woman’s identity.
Isabella cried out as another contraction seized her.
Dr. Ross moved into position.
“The baby is coming.”
Outside, fire spread across the eastern roof.
Inside, Adrian held Isabella’s hand as their child entered the world.
A small cry filled the room.
For one perfect moment, every secret disappeared.
Dr. Ross lifted the baby.
“A girl.”
Isabella began to cry.
Adrian pressed his forehead against hers.
Their daughter was alive.
Then the villa’s power failed.
In the darkness, someone opened the garden door.
A cloth covered Dr. Ross’s face.
Elena screamed.
Adrian turned too late.
When the emergency lights came on, Dr. Ross was unconscious.
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The cradle beside Isabella was empty.
Their baby was gone.
