Chapter 14 - The Father I Never Knew
The next morning, my mother survived surgery.
Barely.
The doctors said she needed rest.
I didn't care.
I needed answers.
Daniel sat across from me.
For the first time, the man who claimed to be my biological father looked afraid.
"My mother said you aren't my father."
He nodded.
"I know."
"Who is?"
He looked at the table.
"Your biological father is dead."
"Who?"
"His name was Samuel Cross."
I stared.
"Cross?"
"My mother's brother."
I couldn't understand.
"My biological father was my mother's brother?"
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
He sighed.
"Your mother was adopted."
Everything became even more complicated.
"Then who was Samuel?"
"Her biological brother."
"And my father?"
Daniel looked at me.
"Samuel's best friend."
I stared.
"Who?"
"Jonathan Vale."
The name meant nothing.
Daniel opened a file.
Inside was a photograph.
A young man.
Dark hair.
Gray-green eyes.
The same eyes I had.
The same eyes as the boys.
I felt dizzy.
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
"How?"
"Your grandfather arranged it."
Again.
The same pattern.
People who knew too much died.
People who threatened the Whitmore fortune disappeared.
My father.
My mother.
Mara.
My sons.
Everyone had been a piece in someone else's game.
Then Daniel said:
"There's something you need to see."
He showed me a birth record.
My name.
Adrian Jonathan Cross.
My real name.
I stared.
"Why was I called Whitmore?"
"Because your grandfather adopted you into the family trust."
"Adopted?"
"Legally."
"So I'm not a Whitmore."
"No."
I laughed.
For the first time, it didn't hurt.
It was almost freeing.
"I never belonged to them."
Daniel nodded.
"You belonged to yourself."
I looked toward the hospital room.
My mother.
Mara.
My sons.
That was my family.
Not the people who had shared my last name.
The people who had chosen me.
Then the hospital alarm sounded.
We ran.
My mother's room was empty.
The bed was overturned.
Window open.
A note lay on the floor.
COME TO ST. VINCENT'S.
I picked it up.
Mara looked at me.
"They took her."
I nodded.
We returned to the hospital where the boys had been born.
St. Vincent's.
The old wing had been closed for years.
But one room still had power.
Room 214.
We entered.
On the wall was a single photograph.
My mother.
Holding four newborn babies.
Beside her stood a young man.
Jonathan Vale.
My biological father.
I stared.
Then I noticed another figure.
My grandfather.
And beside him—
Richard.
My supposed father.
All four men were in the room.
The birth had been planned.
The entire night had been planned.
Mara whispered:
"Adrian."
"What?"
"Look at the babies."
I did.
Each baby had a colored bracelet.
Blue.
Red.
Green.
Yellow.
Lucas wore blue.
Noah red.
Eli green.
Owen yellow.
A handwritten chart was pinned beside them.
SUBJECT A — CONTROL
SUBJECT B — RESERVE
SUBJECT C — OBSERVATION
SUBJECT D — SUCCESS
My blood ran cold.
"Owen."
Mara nodded.
"He was the successful experiment."
Then a voice came from the darkness.
"Correct."
My grandfather stepped out.
My mother stood beside him.
Alive.
But terrified.
"Let her go."
He smiled.
"You still think this is about money."
"What is it about?"
"Legacy."
"You destroyed your own family."
"No."
He looked at the four boys.
"I created the future."
I stepped forward.
"You created monsters."
He shook his head.
"I created heirs."
"You kidnapped children."
"I protected them."
"You murdered my father."
"I eliminated a threat."
"You lied to my mother."
"I saved her."
I laughed.
"From what?"
He looked at me.
"From the truth."
He pulled out a folder.
Inside was one final document.
My grandfather placed it on the table.
"Read it."
I did.
It was a genetic report.
Not about the boys.
About me.
At the bottom:
ADRIAN JONATHAN CROSS — GENETIC MATCH: 100%
Then beneath it:
PARENTAL SOURCE: UNKNOWN.
I looked up.
My grandfather smiled.
"That's the secret."
"What?"
"Your biological father wasn't Jonathan."
He pointed toward the four boys.
"One of their fathers."
My blood froze.
I looked at Mara.
She looked horrified.
My grandfather whispered:
"One of your sons is your biological brother."
The room went silent.
Then Owen looked up at me.
"Dad?"
I couldn't breathe.
May you like
My grandfather smiled.
"And now you finally understand why we needed to control him."
