Chapter 10 - THE EMPTY NURSERY
The Vale estate stood forty miles outside the city.
It had been abandoned for twenty-seven years.
At least officially.
The iron gates were already open when Evelyn arrived.
That was the first warning.
The second was the light burning in an upstairs window.
Samuel parked behind her.
Victoria stared at the mansion.
“You grew up knowing this existed?”
“No.”
“Our family owned it.”
“Apparently our family owns a lot of things nobody tells us about.”
Marcus checked the perimeter.
“No vehicles.”
Evelyn looked at the upstairs light.
“He’s here.”
Samuel nodded.
“Probably.”
Victoria swallowed.
“You know, yesterday my biggest problem was a champagne stain.”
Evelyn looked at her.
Victoria gave a humorless laugh.
“I deserved that look.”
“Yes.”
They entered.
Dust covered the entrance hall.
Portraits had been removed from the walls.
Only pale rectangles remained.
Evelyn found the west corridor.
Diane’s warning returned.
Don’t go inside the west wing.
Naturally, that was exactly where they went.
At the end of the corridor stood a white door.
Evelyn opened it.
The nursery remained almost untouched.
Two cribs.
Not one.
Two.
Victoria stopped beside her.
On the wall, faded gold letters spelled two names.
EVELYN.
VICTORIA.
Victoria covered her mouth.
Evelyn walked toward the cribs.
Margaret had prepared this room before they were born.
Before everything was stolen.
A photograph sat between the cribs.
Margaret.
Pregnant.
Smiling.
A man stood beside her.
His face had been cut from the photograph.
Evelyn picked it up.
Samuel examined the cut.
“Deliberate.”
Victoria opened a drawer.
Inside were dozens of letters.
All addressed to Alexander.
None sent.
Evelyn opened one.
Alexander,
I know about the accounts.
I know about Charles.
I know about Diane.
And I know what you did to Rose.
Samuel looked up.
“What?”
Evelyn continued.
You told Rose her child died.
Just as you plan to tell me mine did.
But Rose’s son is alive.
And I know where he is.
Samuel went completely still.
Evelyn looked at him.
“You weren’t raised by Rose.”
“No.”
“My adoptive parents told me she abandoned me.”
Evelyn continued reading.
I will not let you turn Samuel into another weapon.
Samuel sat down.
His hands shook.
Victoria found another letter.
“This one has a date.”
She handed it to Evelyn.
Evelyn read.
September 12, 1994.
Six weeks after the twins were born.
Alexander,
Rose changed the children.
You think you took the right baby.
You didn’t.
Charles thinks he took the right baby.
He didn’t.
Diane thinks she chose.
She didn’t.
I made sure none of you knew.
Evelyn stopped.
Victoria stared.
“What?”
Evelyn continued.
Because neither child belongs to you.
Silence.
Samuel stood.
“What?”
Victoria grabbed the letter.
She read the sentence herself.
Neither child belongs to you.
Evelyn felt dizzy.
Alexander was not their biological father.
Charles was not their biological father.
So who was?
A floorboard creaked behind them.
They turned.
Rose stood in the doorway.
She looked exhausted.
Samuel moved toward her.
“Where were you?”
“Don’t.”
“Did Alexander take you?”
“No.”
“You stole the ledger.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn stared.
“Why?”
Rose looked at her.
“To destroy it.”
“Why?”
“Because Margaret asked me to.”
Evelyn held up the letter.
“Who is our father?”
Rose’s face changed.
She looked toward the hallway.
“We need to leave.”
“Rose.”
“Now.”
Evelyn blocked the doorway.
“Who is our father?”
Rose’s eyes filled.
Then a man’s voice came from the corridor.
“Why don’t you tell them?”
Alexander stepped into view.
Black suit.
Black ring.
No guards.
No weapon visible.
Rose backed away.
Samuel stepped between him and Evelyn.
Alexander smiled.
“Still playing hero?”
Samuel stared.
“You lied about being my father.”
Alexander shrugged.
“You needed one.”
Samuel lunged.
Evelyn caught his arm.
“No.”
Alexander looked at the twins.
“You found Margaret’s letters.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You’re not our father.”
“No.”
“Then why did you steal us?”
Alexander smiled.
“Because your real father was more dangerous than I was.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Who?”
Alexander looked toward the damaged photograph.
Then reached into his jacket.
Samuel tensed.
Alexander removed a small photograph.
He handed it to Evelyn.
The same picture.
But intact.
Margaret stood pregnant.
And beside her was a young man Evelyn recognized instantly.
Not from childhood.
Not from family photographs.
From television.
From newspapers.
From history books.
Victoria stared.
“That can’t be real.”
Alexander smiled.
“Oh, it is.”
Evelyn looked at the man’s face.
Their biological father had later become one of the most powerful men in the country.
And according to official records…
He had died twenty years ago.
May you like
Alexander leaned closer.
“Except he didn’t.”
