Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
I didn't remember leaving the mansion.
I only remembered the photograph.
Ava's frightened eyes.
Her little hands clutching her stuffed rabbit.
And my mother sitting beside her as if she had every right to be there.
Detective Miller tried to stop me.
“Mr. Hayes, you're not going anywhere alone.””
“My daughter is with someone who disappeared twelve years ago.””
“We're assembling a team.””
“You have fifty minutes.””
Miller grabbed my shoulder.
“Listen to me. Whoever took her wants you emotional. That's how people make mistakes.””
I looked at him.
“Then don't make me waste another minute.””
Elena approached, leaning heavily against Daniel.
“Marcus, take me with you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“She wants me there.””
“Absolutely not.””
“I'm the reason she came back.””
I stared at my wife.
“What are you saying?””
Elena looked toward the photograph on my phone.
“Your mother wasn't the only person who helped Richard build that underground chamber.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
Elena took a shaky breath.
“Margaret was the one who designed the security system. She knew every entrance, every hidden passage, every emergency switch.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Can you explain?””
He shook his head.
“Not without knowing what she built.””
Elena continued.
“When I was imprisoned, Margaret visited me twice.””
I stared at her.
“You saw my mother?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“The first time was three months after the accident. The second was about six weeks ago.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“What did she say?””
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“She told me she regretted what happened to Daniel.””
My biological father.
“And she told me she wanted to help me escape.””
“Then why didn't she?””
Elena looked down.
“Because she was afraid of Richard.””
I turned toward the door.
“I'm going to get Ava.””
Elena caught my hand.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
I stopped.
“What?””
“She asked me to tell you that your birth certificate was changed.””
I stared at her.
“Changed?””
“Your original surname wasn't Hayes.””
The room seemed to spin.
“What was it?””
Elena whispered:
“Carter.””
I felt the name settle in my mind.
Daniel Carter.
My biological father's name.
Detective Miller approached.
“Mr. Hayes, we're coming with you. But I need to know exactly what we're walking into.””
I handed him the phone.
He examined the photograph.
Then he enlarged the background.
“Wait.””
He pointed toward a sign behind the car.
It was an old marina entrance.
But the name had changed.
The property now belonged to a private shipping company.
Miller immediately called his team.
“We need the location secured. No visible units. No sirens.””
Daniel approached me.
“Marcus, there's a reason Margaret chose that marina.””
“What reason?””
He showed me a photograph from the original property records.
The old marina had a small office building.
Beneath it was a storage room.
The same room my biological father had used before his death.
I looked at Elena.
“Did you know?””
She nodded.
“Richard kept something there.””
“What?””
“The original documents.””
Miller frowned.
“Which documents?””
Elena looked directly at me.
“The evidence proving that Daniel Carter never died in that accident.””
I stared at her.
“Then where is he?””
She began crying.
“I don't know.””
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
My biological father might have been alive.
My mother was alive.
My wife was alive.
And the people I had trusted had spent years constructing an entirely different version of my life.
I took Elena's face in my hands.
“I'm bringing Ava home.””
She nodded.
“Bring her home.””
The old marina was almost empty when we arrived.
Rain hammered the metal roof of the abandoned office building.
Detective Miller's team positioned themselves around the property.
I entered through the main door carrying a small USB drive.
It contained a copy of the recording.
I had no intention of surrendering the only evidence we had.
“Marcus?””
The voice came from the hallway.
I turned.
An elderly woman stepped out of the shadows.
She was wearing a beige coat and holding a silver walking stick.
Her silver hair was pulled into a neat bun.
The sapphire necklace rested against her throat.
My mother.
“Mom?””
She looked at me.
For a moment, her eyes filled with tears.
Then she smiled.
“My boy.””
I stepped backward.
“Don't.””
Her smile faded.
“Marcus, please.””
“You've been dead for twelve years.””
“I know.””
“You let me bury an empty coffin?””
She closed her eyes.
“I had no choice.””
“You let me grow up believing my father was dead.””
Her lips trembled.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what? The truth?””
She took one step toward me.
“From Richard.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You married him after Daniel disappeared?””
Her face crumpled.
“He threatened to kill you.””
I froze.
“He told me he would make you disappear if I ever told anyone what happened to Daniel.””
I looked at her.
“Then why didn't you come back?””
She lowered her head.
“Because by the time I escaped, Richard had already convinced everyone I was dead. He had my medical records changed. He arranged the funeral. He even had a body buried under my name.””
I stared at her.
“Whose body?””
She didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her coat and removed a photograph.
It showed a younger woman standing beside Daniel.
The woman looked almost exactly like my mother.
“Who is that?””
“My sister.””
I frowned.
“You never told me you had a sister.””
“Her name was Evelyn. She died years ago.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Was she the woman buried in your grave?””
My mother nodded.
I felt sick.
“Richard buried your sister under your name?””
“He wanted everyone to believe I was dead.””
“Why?””
“Because she had discovered his financial crimes.””
I shook my head.
“Where is Ava?””
My mother's expression changed.
“She is safe.””
“Where?””
“In the old office.””
She pointed toward a door.
I rushed past her.
Inside, Ava was sitting on a chair.
Her stuffed rabbit rested in her lap.
“Daddy!””
I ran toward her.
She threw herself into my arms.
“Daddy, Grandma said Mommy was bad.””
I held her tightly.
“Mommy isn't bad, sweetheart.””
Ava shook her head.
“Grandma said Mommy took you away from her.””
I looked at my mother.
She stood in the doorway.
“What did you tell my daughter?””
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted her to understand.””
“Understand what?””
“That Elena destroyed our family.””
I stood up slowly.
“Elena survived fourteen months of torture because of your husband.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Richard isn't the only person responsible.””
I froze.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Your wife made a deal with him.””
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“Explain.””
Margaret took a deep breath.
“Before Elena disappeared, she agreed to give Richard the company records in exchange for your life.””
I looked toward the door.
“That isn't true.””
“She signed an agreement.””
“No.””
“She gave him the location of the original documents.””
I shook my head.
“Stop lying.””
Margaret placed a folded piece of paper on the table.
It was an agreement bearing Elena's signature.
But the date was different.
It was dated three weeks before the boating accident.
And beneath Elena's signature was another name.
*Daniel Carter.*
I looked up.
My mother was crying.
“Marcus, your biological father wasn't dead when that agreement was signed.””
She leaned closer.
“He was the one who helped Elena disappear.””
Before I could respond, the lights went out.
A gunshot echoed through the building.
May you like
And someone shouted from outside:
“THE TARGET HAS ESCAPED!””
