Chapter 7 - The Engagement Ring Became Evidence
Vanessa was arrested before sunset.
Richard tried to leave the country.
He was stopped at the airport.
Victor disappeared.
For twenty-six hours, Ethan thought the nightmare was finally ending.
Then Grace disappeared.
The security team found her room empty.
The window was open.
A note lay on the bed.
Stop digging, or Lily dies.
Ethan nearly lost control.
Mason grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't do anything stupid."
"They took my daughter."
"We'll get her back."
"They took Grace once. I'm not letting them take her again."
Sophia stood in the doorway.
She was holding Lily.
The little girl was sleeping.
Sophia looked terrified.
"Ethan."
He turned.
"Victor took her."
"Yes."
Sophia shook her head.
"No."
"What?"
"If Victor had taken Grace, he'd have taken Lily too."
Ethan stared.
"Then who?"
Sophia looked at the note.
"I know this handwriting."
Ethan stepped closer.
"Whose?"
She whispered:
"Richard."
Ethan felt sick.
"But Richard is in custody."
Sophia's eyes widened.
"No."
"What?"
"The man arrested at the airport wasn't Richard."
Silence.
Mason looked at her.
"How can you know that?"
"I met Richard three times."
She pointed at the photograph.
"That isn't him."
The arrest had been staged.
Someone had used a decoy.
Richard was still free.
And he knew where Grace was.
They traced an old family property.
A lake house.
Ethan had never used it.
Richard owned it through a shell company.
They arrived at midnight.
The house was dark.
Ethan entered through the back.
He heard voices.
Grace.
Richard.
And someone else.
Vanessa.
She had escaped.
"You lied to me," Grace said.
Vanessa replied:
"I was trying to save you."
"By keeping me locked up?"
"Your father would have destroyed everything."
"No."
Grace's voice was stronger now.
"My father came for me."
Ethan stepped into the room.
"Yes, he did."
Vanessa turned.
Her face collapsed.
"Ethan."
Richard raised a gun.
Mason's men surrounded the house.
"Drop it!"
Richard laughed.
"You have no idea what your family has done."
Ethan moved toward him.
"My family ends with me."
Richard sneered.
"You think Grace is the only thing I've hidden?"
He pointed toward the basement.
"There are records down there."
Ethan didn't move.
"Records of what?"
Richard smiled.
"Your father's death."
Ethan froze.
His father had died from a supposed heart attack.
Richard had always said there was nothing suspicious.
But now...
Richard said:
"Victor didn't just steal from you."
"What did he do?"
"He killed your father."
The room went silent.
Ethan's entire life cracked open again.
Richard laughed bitterly.
"And Clare found out."
"So you killed her."
"We tried to scare her."
"You killed her."
Richard's silence was answer enough.
Mason arrested him.
Vanessa surrendered.
Grace ran to Ethan.
He held her so tightly she laughed.
"You can't breathe."
He released her.
"Sorry."
She smiled.
"It's okay."
Then she whispered:
"Where's Lily?"
Ethan's heart stopped.
He turned.
The room behind him was empty.
Sophia was gone.
Lily was gone.
A second note lay on the table.
She was never the target.
The mother was.
Ethan stared at it.
"No."
The search became frantic.
Phones were traced.
Cars checked.
Ports monitored.
By dawn they found Sophia's car near the old St. Mary's orphanage.
Ethan arrived alone.
He entered the building.
A voice echoed from the third floor.
"You came."
Sophia stood at the end of the hall.
Lily sat beside her.
Ethan approached slowly.
"What happened?"
Sophia cried.
"I wasn't taken."
Ethan frowned.
"You brought Lily here?"
"I had to."
"Why?"
"Because I finally remembered."
"Remembered what?"
Sophia looked at the blue door.
Saint Mary's.
Third floor.
The phrase Clare had given Grace.
Sophia opened the door.
Inside was a wall covered with photographs.
Clare.
Grace.
Lily.
Ethan.
And dates.
Years.
Plans.
There was one final photograph.
Clare holding Lily as a baby.
Written beneath it:
I couldn't let Ethan know until the danger passed.
Sophia looked at him.
"There was another person helping Clare."
"Who?"
Sophia swallowed.
"Your mother."
Ethan stared.
"My mother died six years ago."
"Not exactly."
A woman's voice came from behind them.
"Hello, Ethan."
He turned.
May you like
His mother stood there.
Alive.
