Chapter 2 - SHE HAD BEEN DEAD FOR SEVEN YEARS
Victor did not touch her.
He could not.
For several seconds, he could not even make himself breathe.
The woman sat against the wall beneath the harsh beam of the fallen flashlight.
She looked thinner than Evelyn.
Older than the woman Victor remembered.
There were lines around her eyes that had not existed seven years ago.
Her hair was longer.
A pale scar ran from beneath her left ear toward her collarbone.
But the eyes were the same.
Victor knew those eyes.
He had watched them close beside him when Ethan was born.
He had seen them filled with tears when Evelyn held their son for the first time.
He had kissed those eyelids every morning for six years.
And he had seen a body bearing Evelyn’s face inside a coffin.
Victor finally found his voice.
“No.”
The woman flinched.
Victor stepped backward.
“No.”
“Victor.”
“Don’t say my name.”
She stared at him.
Victor’s breathing became uneven.
“You’re not her.”
The woman slowly stood.
Her legs nearly failed.
She caught the bedframe.
Victor instinctively moved forward.
Then stopped himself.
She noticed.
Pain crossed her face.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
“My wife is dead.”
“I know what you were told.”
“I buried her.”
“No.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“I carried her coffin.”
“You buried someone.”
His face changed.
The woman looked directly at him.
“But it wasn’t me.”
Victor stared at her.
The silence between them became unbearable.
Finally, he spoke.
“Prove it.”
She swallowed.
“What?”
“Prove you’re Evelyn.”
“Victor—”
“Prove it!”
His voice exploded through the room.
The woman recoiled.
Victor immediately regretted shouting.
But he could not stop.
“Tell me something only Evelyn would know.”
She stared at him.
Then her eyes filled.
“The first time you told me you loved me, I laughed.”
Victor froze.
She continued.
“You got angry.”
“You said you had never said it to anyone before.”
“I told you that wasn’t why I laughed.”
Victor said nothing.
“You had mustard on your tie.”
Victor’s face lost color.
“That proves nothing.”
She gave a broken little smile.
“You threw the tie into the Hudson River.”
Victor remembered.
Nobody else knew.
Nobody.
He stepped closer.
She continued before he could speak.
“Ethan’s middle name isn’t James because of your grandfather.”
Victor stopped.
“It’s James because of the waiter at St. Vincent’s who brought me ice chips during twenty-three hours of labor.”
Victor stared.
“You said the man deserved to have at least one Hale named after him.”
Victor’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
The woman reached beneath her sleeve.
She exposed the inside of her left wrist.
There was a small white scar shaped like a hook.
Victor knew that scar.
Evelyn had gotten it at seventeen after falling through a greenhouse window.
He had kissed it hundreds of times.
Victor crossed the room.
His hand stopped inches from her face.
She closed her eyes.
He touched her cheek.
Warm.
Real.
Victor pulled his hand away as though burned.
“Evelyn?”
Her eyes opened.
And she broke.
She covered her mouth.
A sob escaped anyway.
Victor caught her before her knees hit the floor.
For seven years, Victor Hale had imagined what he would give for one more minute with his wife.
He had imagined hearing her laugh again.
Holding her.
Telling her all the things grief had taught him too late.
Now she was alive in his arms.
And all he felt was horror.
Because someone had stolen seven years from them.
Seven years from Ethan.
Victor held her shoulders.
“Who did this?”
Evelyn looked toward the doorway.
“We have to leave.”
“Who did this to you?”
“Victor, listen to me.”
“Was it Serena?”
Evelyn’s expression changed.
“Serena is only part of it.”
Victor felt something colder than rage.
“Who?”
A sound came from the hallway.
Both of them froze.
Footsteps.
Victor switched off the flashlight.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Evelyn grabbed his wrist.
“Don’t speak.”
The footsteps came closer.
Slowly.
Victor could hear someone breathing outside.
A shadow passed beneath the door.
Victor moved Evelyn behind him.
The handle turned.
Locked.
Someone tried again.
Then stopped.
A man’s voice came from the other side.
“Evelyn?”
Victor recognized the voice.
His stomach dropped.
Marcus Dane.
His head of security.
The man Victor had trusted for twelve years.
Marcus knocked softly.
“You need to open the door.”
Victor felt Evelyn trembling behind him.
Marcus continued.
“Serena told me what happened.”
Silence.
“She panicked.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Marcus was helping her.
“I told Serena not to touch the boy.”
Evelyn’s fingers dug into Victor’s arm.
Marcus sighed.
“This has gone too far.”
Victor reached into his pocket.
His phone had no signal.
Of course.
They were underground.
Marcus tried the handle again.
“Evelyn.”
“I know you’re in there.”
Victor looked around.
No second exit.
No window.
One door.
Marcus was blocking it.
Victor leaned toward Evelyn’s ear.
“How many?”
She barely moved her lips.
“Usually two.”
“Armed?”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at the medical tray.
Scissors.
Metal instruments.
Nothing useful.
Then he noticed an oxygen cylinder beside the bed.
Heavy.
Steel.
Victor pointed toward it.
Evelyn understood.
She stepped aside.
Victor lifted the cylinder.
Marcus spoke again.
“I’m coming in.”
A key entered the lock.
Victor positioned himself beside the door.
The lock turned.
The door opened.
Marcus stepped inside.
Victor swung.
The cylinder struck Marcus across the shoulder.
He crashed into the wall.
A handgun fell from his hand.
Victor kicked it away.
Marcus recovered quickly.
He drove his shoulder into Victor.
Both men slammed into the bed.
Evelyn screamed.
Victor hit Marcus once.
Twice.
Marcus caught his wrist.
“You have no idea what you’re doing!”
Victor drove his forehead into Marcus’s face.
Marcus staggered.
Victor grabbed the gun.
He pointed it directly at him.
“Try me.”
Marcus froze.
Blood ran from his nose.
His eyes moved toward Evelyn.
Then back to Victor.
“So you found her.”
Victor’s voice was almost calm.
That made it worse.
“You’re going to tell me everything.”
Marcus laughed softly.
Victor stepped closer.
“What’s funny?”
“You still think this is your house.”
Victor stared at him.
Marcus looked toward the ceiling.
“You still think this is your family.”
Victor’s finger tightened near the trigger.
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.”
Marcus smiled.
“Listen to your wife.”
Victor hit him instead.
Marcus dropped.
Victor grabbed his collar.
“Who else is involved?”
Marcus spat blood onto the floor.
“Ask your father.”
Victor stopped.
“My father is dead.”
Marcus smiled again.
“That’s what your family does best, Victor.”
“Bury people who aren’t dead.”
Victor stared at him.
Then the lights came on.
Not the mansion lights.
The underground lights.
Red emergency lamps illuminated the corridor.
A mechanical voice sounded overhead.
“Containment protocol initiated.”
Evelyn’s face changed.
“No.”
Victor turned.
“What?”
She ran toward the doorway.
A steel barrier began descending across the hallway.
“Move!”
Victor dragged Marcus with them.
They made it beneath the barrier seconds before it slammed into the floor.
Victor shoved Marcus against the wall.
“What is containment protocol?”
Marcus laughed.
“You’ll find out.”
A sharp chemical smell entered the corridor.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
“Ventilation.”
Victor looked upward.
Gas was moving through the vents.
He pulled his shirt over his nose.
“Where’s the exit?”
Evelyn pointed down the corridor.
“Utility stairs.”
They ran.
Victor forced Marcus ahead of him.
The corridor seemed twice as long now.
Evelyn stumbled.
Victor caught her.
“Keep moving.”
“I’m trying.”
“You’re getting out.”
She looked at him.
“Ethan.”
“He’s safe.”
“No one is safe.”
Victor’s blood chilled.
“What do you mean?”
“Serena didn’t want the trust for herself.”
Victor pushed open a utility door.
A narrow staircase rose ahead.
“Then who wants it?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“The person who created it.”
They climbed.
Marcus suddenly stopped.
Victor shoved the gun against his back.
“Move.”
Marcus looked over his shoulder.
“You should listen to her.”
Victor said nothing.
Marcus smiled.
“The trust isn’t money.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“What is it?”
Evelyn answered.
“Evidence.”
Victor looked at her.
“Evidence of what?”
She climbed another step.
“Your family.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“What about my family?”
Evelyn looked back.
“Everything.”
They reached the second basement level.
The chemical smell was weaker there.
Victor shoved Marcus into the wine cellar.
Lily and Ethan were still upstairs.
Victor checked his phone.
Signal returned.
Six missed calls.
All from Lily.
Victor called immediately.
She answered on the first ring.
“Victor!”
“What happened?”
“Someone is outside the room.”
Victor’s entire body tightened.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do not open the door.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Is Ethan with you?”
“Yes.”
A loud metallic sound came through the phone.
Lily gasped.
Victor’s heart stopped.
“What was that?”
“They’re trying the keypad.”
Victor looked at Marcus.
Marcus smiled.
Victor shoved him against the wall.
“Who is upstairs?”
Marcus said nothing.
Victor pressed the gun beneath his chin.
“WHO?”
Marcus finally answered.
“Serena.”
Victor turned toward the stairs.
Evelyn caught his arm.
“Wait.”
“My son is up there.”
“I know.”
“Then let go.”
“Victor, Serena wants you angry.”
“I am angry.”
“That’s why she’ll win.”
Victor stared at her.
Evelyn lowered her voice.
“She knows this house better than you think.”
Victor looked toward Marcus.
Then he understood.
“Cameras.”
Evelyn nodded.
“She’ll be watching the obvious routes.”
Victor turned toward the old dumbwaiter shaft.
It had not been used in decades.
But it connected the wine cellar to the kitchen.
Victor opened it.
The shaft was narrow.
Barely wide enough for a person.
He looked at Evelyn.
“Can you climb?”
She nodded.
Victor turned to Marcus.
“You’re staying here.”
Marcus laughed.
“You think that matters?”
Victor took Marcus’s belt.
He bound his wrists around a wine rack.
Then he took Marcus’s phone.
“Passcode.”
Marcus smiled.
Victor pressed the gun against his leg.
“Passcode.”
“0714.”
Victor unlocked it.
Dozens of encrypted messages appeared.
He put the phone in his pocket.
Then he helped Evelyn into the shaft.
They climbed.
Halfway up, Victor heard something through the wall.
A scream.
Lily.
Victor climbed faster.
He reached the kitchen hatch.
He pushed it open.
The kitchen was empty.
He helped Evelyn out.
Then he ran toward the pantry.
The steel door stood open.
Victor stopped dead.
“Lily?”
No answer.
He entered.
A chair was overturned.
Water bottles were scattered across the floor.
The emergency telephone hung from its cord.
There was blood on the wall.
Not much.
But enough.
Victor turned.
“ETHAN!”
Silence.
Evelyn entered behind him.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Victor stared at the empty room.
Then he saw something on the floor.
Ethan’s dinosaur toy.
Victor picked it up.
His hand shook.
Evelyn whispered.
“They took him.”
Victor’s face became stone.
“No.”
“Victor—”
“No.”
He walked back into the kitchen.
Evelyn followed.
“Where are you going?”
“To find my son.”
“You don’t know where they took him.”
Victor pulled Marcus’s phone from his pocket.
“Marcus does.”
He opened the messages.
Most were coded.
But one conversation had been left visible.
SERENA: THE BOY HAS THE PENDANT.
MARCUS: GET IT BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
SERENA: AND IF HE WON’T GIVE IT TO ME?
There was a pause between the messages.
Then Marcus’s answer.
MARCUS: HIS MOTHER SURVIVED LOSING SEVEN YEARS.
MARCUS: SHE CAN SURVIVE LOSING HIM.
Victor stared at the words.
Evelyn saw them over his shoulder.
Her face changed.
Victor scrolled.
Another message appeared.
It had been sent ten minutes earlier.
SERENA: LILY INTERFERED.
MARCUS: THEN TAKE BOTH.
Victor looked at Evelyn.
“They have Lily too.”
A new message suddenly appeared on Marcus’s phone.
SERENA: WE’RE READY.
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
Another message followed.
SERENA: BRING EVELYN TO THE CHAPEL.
Victor looked up.
The old Hale family chapel stood at the far edge of the estate.
It had been abandoned since Victor’s father died.
Evelyn stared at the phone.
“No.”
Victor looked at her.
“What?”
“We can’t go there.”
“They have Ethan.”
“I know.”
“Then we’re going.”
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
“You don’t understand.”
Victor turned on her.
“Then make me understand!”
Evelyn’s voice broke.
“The chapel is where this started.”
Victor stared at her.
“What started?”
She looked toward the dark windows.
“The reason they took me.”
“The reason Serena came into your life.”
“The reason Ethan was born.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“What does Ethan have to do with it?”
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Everything.”
Victor stepped back.
Evelyn forced herself to continue.
“You think Ethan inherited the Hale fortune because he’s your son.”
Victor said nothing.
She shook her head.
“He didn’t.”
“Then why?”
Evelyn looked at the crescent pendant still hanging from Victor’s hand.
“Because Ethan isn’t the Hale heir.”
Victor stared at her.
May you like
Evelyn whispered the words that shattered everything he thought he knew.
“He’s the heir to the family your father destroyed.”
