Chapter 10 - The Woman My Grandfather Took
We drove straight to Whitmore Tower.
Edward sat in the back.
Mara sat beside me.
Daniel followed in another vehicle.
The entire city seemed unreal.
Six years ago, I had lost the woman I loved.
Tonight, another woman I had almost married had disappeared.
And both disappearances led back to the same family.
My family.
When we arrived, the lobby was empty.
Too empty.
Edward whispered:
"This isn't right."
I nodded.
The elevator opened.
We stepped inside.
The doors closed.
Then the lights went out.
Mara grabbed my hand.
A voice came through the speaker.
"Adrian."
My grandfather.
"You should have stayed away."
I looked up.
"Where is Sloane?"
"Safe."
"Let me speak to her."
"First, you return the box."
"No."
"Then she dies."
Edward stepped forward.
"You're insane."
My grandfather laughed.
"You knew what was coming."
"I didn't know you'd take my daughter."
"She discovered too much."
I looked at the camera.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because you refuse to understand what happens when the truth becomes public."
"People go to prison."
"People lose everything."
"Maybe they should."
The elevator suddenly stopped.
Doors opened.
Two guards were waiting.
I stepped out.
They raised their weapons.
Daniel shouted:
"Don't move!"
Then the building's emergency alarms exploded.
Security personnel flooded the hallway.
But they weren't my grandfather's men.
They were federal agents.
I stared.
Edward smiled.
"I made one phone call before we came."
My grandfather's voice came through the speaker.
"You have no idea what you've done."
I looked at the camera.
"No."
I smiled.
"For the first time, I know exactly what I'm doing."
The agents moved through the building.
We found Sloane on the thirty-first floor.
She was locked in a conference room.
Alive.
Terrified.
When she saw me, she started crying.
"I knew you'd come."
I unlocked the door.
She hugged me.
I hesitated.
Then hugged her back.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
She pulled away.
"I should have told you."
"Told me what?"
She looked at Mara.
Then at me.
"I knew about the trust."
"How?"
"My father."
I nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because my father believed the marriage would protect both families."
"And now?"
She wiped her eyes.
"Now I think our parents were willing to sacrifice us to protect themselves."
Edward looked down.
Sloane turned to him.
"Dad."
He looked at her.
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"We'll talk later."
Then she looked at me.
"Adrian."
"What?"
"There is something else."
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out a small envelope.
"My father gave me this."
I opened it.
Inside was a DNA report.
Four names.
Four children.
But the results were different from the report my grandfather had given me.
This one showed:
Noah — Adrian Whitmore: 99.99%
Lucas — Adrian Whitmore: 99.99%
Eli — Adrian Whitmore: 99.99%
Owen — Adrian Whitmore: 99.99%
All four.
My sons.
Every single one.
The first report had been completely fabricated.
I looked at Mara.
Tears filled her eyes.
"You always believed them."
"I was wrong."
She nodded.
"Now you know."
But Daniel took the paper from me.
His expression changed.
"Wait."
"What?"
He pointed to the laboratory information.
"This lab doesn't exist."
I frowned.
"What?"
"The address."
He turned the page.
"This is a shell company."
My heart sank.
"So this is fake too?"
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"The results are real."
He pointed to the signatures.
"But the names were changed."
I stared.
"What does that mean?"
He looked at me.
"It means someone tested the boys."
"Who?"
Daniel whispered:
"Someone who already knew their DNA."
A chill ran through me.
"How?"
He looked toward Sloane.
She suddenly remembered something.
"Adrian."
"What?"
"At the engagement dinner."
She swallowed.
"Your grandfather didn't just have a photographer."
"What?"
"There were blood-draw kits in the private dining room."
I stared at her.
"For whom?"
She looked at Mara.
"The boys."
My blood froze.
They had planned to collect DNA from my sons.
That meant the kidnapping wasn't about Lucas alone.
It was about all four.
And they already knew the truth.
All four were mine.
I looked at Mara.
"We need to get back to the hotel."
We ran.
But when we arrived, the security doors were open.
The room was empty.
The boys were gone.
On the bed was a note.
Six words.
WE HAVE ALL FOUR NOW.
Mara screamed.
I stood frozen.
Then my phone rang.
My grandfather.
I answered.
His voice was calm.
"Now, Adrian, we negotiate."
I clenched my fist.
"If you hurt one of them—"
"You'll get them back."
"Why?"
"Because I need you to do something first."
"What?"
"Sign away your inheritance."
I laughed.
"You think I care about the inheritance?"
"No."
His voice became cold.
"I know exactly what you care about."
A pause.
"Your sons."
The call ended.
I looked at Mara.
She was shaking.
I picked up the note.
And underneath it was a second message.
COME ALONE.
May you like
This time, I wasn't going to obey.
I was going to war.
