Chapter 3 - My Father Was Alive, My Uncle Wanted My Sons, and the Man Buying Garrett's Company Had Been Hunting the Same Enemy for YearsThe next day, I flew to Arizona.
My mother was there.
Alive.
When I saw her, I couldn't speak.
She opened her arms.
I ran to her.
For the first time in sixteen years, I felt like a daughter again.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I laughed through tears.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
She smiled sadly.
“I know.”
She explained everything.
My father had discovered the Sullivan trust.
He found evidence that Garrett's grandfather had built a financial network to control voting rights in multiple corporations.
My father wanted to expose it.
Then he discovered something worse.
Victor Pierce had been stealing from the trust.
He had forged documents.
Moved assets.
Manipulated family members.
My mother helped.
They staged their deaths.
My father disappeared.
My mother hid.
I was left believing they were gone.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“You were being watched.”
“By Victor?”
“Yes.”
“And the Sullivans?”
“Some.”
“Garrett?”
“No.”
“He never knew.”
My mother shook her head.
“He was manipulated.”
I sat.
“So you knew about the twins.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I was pregnant.”
“No.”
“You didn't know?”
“No.”
“When did you find out?”
“After they were born.”
“Then why didn't you come?”
“Because Victor knew.”
I looked at her.
“He would have taken them.”
“Yes.”
“Did Garrett know you were alive?”
“No.”
“Does my father?”
She paused.
“Yes.”
I froze.
“My father knows you're alive.”
“He does.”
“Where is he?”
She looked at me.
“Chicago.”
My heart stopped.
“We have to find him.”
Alexander came in.
“We already are.”
I looked at him.
“How long have you known?”
“Since last night.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I wasn't certain.”
He handed me a file.
My father's latest known location.
A private medical facility.
He had been living under another name.
My mother had kept contact through intermediaries.
Garrett joined us that evening.
He looked different.
No suit.
No tie.
No entourage.
Just a father.
“Can I come?”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because they are my sons.”
I almost said no.
Then I saw the pain in his eyes.
I nodded.
We flew together.
At the hospital, we found my father.
He was older.
Gray.
Thin.
But alive.
He looked at me.
“My little girl.”
I cried.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You let me hate you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed you alive.”
I stepped forward.
“What did you know?”
“Everything.”
He looked at Garrett.
“Almost everything.”
Garrett stopped.
“You knew about me?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me about the twins?”
“You were being watched.”
“By whom?”
“Victor.”
Garrett's face tightened.
“My uncle.”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
“Your father knew some.”
“Then why?”
“He believed Victor.”
Garrett shook his head.
“My father believed me.”
“No.”
My father looked at me.
“Your father believed money.”
Silence.
“He wanted control.”
“And Victor?”
“He wanted more.”
“What?”
“The trust.”
I asked:
“Why are my sons so important?”
My father looked at me.
“Because the trust was designed to prevent men like them from controlling it.”
“What does that mean?”
“The biological heirs have final voting authority.”
“Until they're eighteen?”
“Yes.”
“If they're minors?”
“Their parents control the voting rights.”
I froze.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“Garrett.”
“Yes.”
“Together?”
“Yes.”
My blood ran cold.
That was the real reason they had wanted our marriage destroyed.
If we remained married, they couldn't manipulate the trust.
If we divorced, one parent could potentially be removed.
But there was one clause I didn't know.
If the parents are separated under disputed circumstances, an independent trustee must be appointed.
Who?
My father handed me the document.
I read the name.
Alexander Vale.
I looked at him.
He stared at me.
“That was the first time I heard it.”
“You agreed?”
“I never knew.”
My father smiled.
“I chose him because he was the only man your grandfather feared.”
I looked between them.
“This was planned?”
“Yes.”
“Seven years ago?”
“Yes.”
Alexander finally spoke.
“Your father approached me.”
I stared.
“He knew you were pregnant?”
“No.”
“He knew the trust could be activated.”
“But he didn't know about the twins.”
“No.”
“So how did you know?”
“I didn't.”
My father looked at him.
“He only knew there would be an heir.”
The mystery of the DNA report suddenly mattered even more.
The twins weren't just heirs.
They were proof of a future no one could control.
Then the hospital doors opened.
A security officer rushed in.
“Mr. Vale.”
“What?”
“The children are missing.”
My blood froze.
Garrett turned pale.
“What?”
The officer continued:
“They were with security.”
“Then how?”
“We don't know.”
I grabbed Alexander.
“My boys.”
“I'll find them.”
My mother screamed.
The nurse ran in.
Someone had left a note on the bed.
I picked it up.
Six words.
May you like
The boys belong to Victor now.
I felt the world disappear.
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