Chapter 43 - The Twin Nobody Remembered
I stared at the photograph.
My own birth date was written neatly on the back.
Same hospital.
Same delivery room.
Same doctor.
Two infants.
Not one.
"This..."
My voice disappeared.
"...can't be real."
Rose tilted her head.
"It is."
Claire stepped closer.
"The photograph hasn't been edited."
"The paper is old."
"The ink matches documents from eleven years ago."
I looked again.
One baby wore a blue bracelet.
Mine.
The other wore pink.
No name.
Only one word.
HEIR.
Eleanor slowly sat down.
"I hoped that picture had been destroyed."
I turned toward her.
"You knew?"
She nodded.
"Elizabeth hid two children."
"Not one."
"Why?"
"Because Jonathan only wanted one."
Silence filled the room.
Eleanor continued.
"Project HEIR required a single successor."
"If twins were discovered..."
She couldn't finish.
Rose quietly took my hand.
Her tiny fingers were cold.
"I've been hiding."
"For a long time."
"With Mom."
I swallowed.
"You've... been with Elizabeth?"
She nodded.
"She's downstairs."
Every muscle in my body tightened.
Without another word...
I ran.
Down the staircase.
Through the hallway.
Into the grand library.
The fire crackled softly.
An elegant woman stood with her back to me.
White coat.
Chestnut hair.
Hands folded behind her.
Exactly as my mother always stood while reading.
Slowly...
She turned around.
Blue eyes.
Gentle smile.
The face I'd mourned for eleven years.
"Hello..."
she whispered.
"My son."
Tears blurred my vision.
"Mom?"
She smiled sadly.
"I've wanted to say that again..."
"...for eleven years."
Before I could reach her—
A voice came through the mansion speakers.
Calm.
Cold.
Unmistakably familiar.
Jonathan.
"Touch her..."
"...and you'll trigger the explosives beneath this house."
Every light in the mansion switched to red.
Then a countdown appeared simultaneously on every television screen.
09:59
09:58
09:57
Jonathan spoke once more.
"If this family insists on reuniting..."
May you like
"...then you'll all die together."
End of Chapter 43...
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