Chapter 5 - The Mother She Had Spent Half Her Life Believing Was DeadAna's world shattered again.
Her mother was alive.
Alexander had her.
Brooks wanted to go immediately.
Ana refused to stay behind.
They traveled to an abandoned estate in West Virginia.
Inside, they found Marie.
Older.
Thinner.
But alive.
Ana stopped in the doorway.
“Mom?”
Marie began crying.
Ana ran to her.
They held each other.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Ana stepped back.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had to.”
“You let me think you abandoned me.”
“I never abandoned you.”
“You disappeared.”
“Because Alexander would have killed you.”
Ana cried.
“Why didn't you come back?”
“I tried.”
Marie pointed to the scars on her wrists.
“He found me every time.”
Brooks stood nearby.
Marie looked at him.
“You kept your promise.”
Brooks nodded.
“I told you I would.”
She smiled.
“Adrian always knew you would.”
Then Marie gave Ana the final truth.
Alexander had not simply wanted control.
He wanted Ana.
She was the legal heir to assets worth hundreds of millions.
Adrian had created the trust to protect her.
Alexander wanted to seize it.
The necklace contained a key to the trust.
Ana touched it.
“I didn't know.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
Brooks understood.
The necklace was not sentimental.
It was legal protection.
He looked at Marie.
“You trusted me with it.”
“You were the only man I trusted.”
Ana's heart pounded.
She looked between them.
“My mother trusted you before I did.”
Brooks smiled.
“She trusted me because she knew you.”
They escaped.
But Alexander had anticipated them.
A convoy attacked on the highway.
Brooks protected Ana.
Marie was injured.
They reached a safe house.
Ana sat beside her mother.
“You're going to be okay.”
Marie smiled weakly.
“I am now.”
She touched Ana's cheek.
“You look like your father.”
Ana cried.
“I don't remember him.”
“You do.”
“What?”
“The piano.”
Ana closed her eyes.
The lullaby.
Her father's hands.
His voice.
She remembered.
He had held her at the piano.
He had whispered:
“Never let anyone tell you what you are.”
Ana opened her eyes.
“He loved me.”
“Yes.”
Brooks sat beside her.
Marie smiled at them.
Then she said:
“He loved you too.”
Ana froze.
Brooks looked away.
Marie continued.
“Brooks spent sixteen years carrying guilt.”
“For what?”
“For surviving.”
Ana took his hand.
“You don't have to carry it anymore.”
Brooks looked at her.
“You don't know what you're promising.”
“I know enough.”
He squeezed her hand.
The next day, Marie revealed where Alexander was hiding.
A private estate near Philadelphia.
They planned carefully.
Brooks contacted law enforcement.
Federal agents prepared to move.
But before they could reach the estate, Marcus appeared.
He had been captured.
He wanted a deal.
He claimed Alexander was planning something worse.
He had a list of names.
People to be killed.
Ana was on it.
Brooks stared at the list.
His face became ice.
“Where is Alexander?”
Marcus smiled.
“He wants you to come alone.”
Brooks looked at Ana.
She shook her head.
“Don't.”
“I have to.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Because I'm tired of people leaving to protect me.”
He stared.
“I'll come with you.”
“No.”
“Then you're going to have to drag me.”
He smiled despite himself.
“You really are stubborn.”
“I learned from my mother.”
May you like
Marie laughed.
They went together.
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