Chapter 5 - THE BOY WHO WASN'T HIS
David left the house twenty minutes later.
Richard watched him through the window.
Sarah stood behind him.
"He recognized me."
"Yes."
"That means he knows."
"Yes."
Sarah swallowed.
"Richard, you need to listen carefully."
He turned.
"What?"
"Your sons are in danger."
"I know."
"No."
Sarah's voice cracked.
"You don't understand."
"What don't I understand?"
"David isn't looking for money."
Richard stared at her.
"Then what does he want?"
Sarah looked toward the boys.
"Thomas."
Richard's blood ran cold.
"Why?"
Sarah shook her head.
"Because Thomas is not Eleanor's biological son."
Richard felt as though someone had struck him.
"What?"
"Rebecca discovered it."
Richard couldn't breathe.
"That's impossible."
"She found medical records."
Richard shook his head.
"No."
"Richard—"
"Thomas is my son."
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"I know."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I am saying that he is not Eleanor's biological child."
Richard stared toward the hallway.
Thomas was sitting on the floor playing with his rabbit.
Three years ago, Richard remembered the hospital.
The four boys had been born minutes apart.
At least that's what he believed.
Eleanor had told everyone they were quadruplets.
Four boys.
One pregnancy.
One birth.
But there had always been something strange.
Thomas had a different blood type.
Richard had never questioned it.
The hospital records had been lost after a computer failure.
Or so he had been told.
Richard sat down.
"Why would Eleanor lie?"
"To protect him."
"From whom?"
"His biological family."
Richard looked up.
"Who are they?"
Sarah hesitated.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Then tell me everything."
Sarah closed her eyes.
"Rebecca believed Thomas had been switched at the hospital."
Richard stared.
"Switched?"
"She believed Eleanor was given the wrong baby."
Richard's mind raced.
"Then where is the child who was supposed to be ours?"
Sarah whispered:
"That's what Rebecca was trying to find."
A noise came from upstairs.
Richard ran.
The boys were gone.
His heart stopped.
"Marcus!"
Nothing.
"Liam!"
Silence.
"Daniel!"
Nothing.
"Thomas!"
Sarah ran behind him.
They searched every room.
The children's beds were empty.
Then Richard saw the open closet.
A hidden passage led into the old storage room.
His blood ran cold.
He pulled open the door.
The boys were inside.
Marcus was holding a piece of paper.
"We found this."
Richard grabbed it.
A photograph.
Four newborn babies.
A hospital bracelet.
Three names were crossed out.
One remained.
BABY BOY — REED.
Richard stared.
Sarah covered her mouth.
"What does Reed mean?"
Neither spoke.
Then Richard remembered.
Jonathan Reed.
The lawyer.
The man who supposedly died two years ago.
Sarah whispered:
"Maybe Jonathan wasn't just Eleanor's lawyer."
Richard looked at the photograph.
"Then who was he?"
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man's voice said:
"You finally found the boy."
Richard's blood froze.
"Who is this?"
"You have forty-eight hours."
"For what?"
"Give us Thomas."
Richard's fist tightened.
"Never."
The voice laughed.
"Then all four boys die."
The line went dead.
Richard looked at his sons.
For the first time in three years, he knew exactly what he was willing to lose everything to protect.
He would burn his empire to the ground before he handed over any of them.
But there was one problem.
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He still didn't know who he was fighting.
And someone inside his company already knew every move he made.
