Chapter 9 - THE HEIR WHO NEVER DIED
They found Claire in the old delivery room.
Her wrists were bruised, but she was unharmed.
Adrian reached her first.
He pulled her into his arms and held her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“I'm okay,” she whispered.
He pressed his forehead against hers.
“I thought I'd lost you.”
“You haven't.”
He kissed her hair.
Then he stepped back.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did they touch you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Claire looked at him.
“Adrian, there's something else.”
“What?”
“The woman who brought me here.”
She pointed toward the medical cabinet.
“She said she knew Daniel.”
Adrian turned.
A nurse stood near the door.
She looked about forty.
Her hands were clasped tightly.
“I didn't bring her here to hurt her,” the nurse said.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Olivia Grant.”
She took a breath.
“I raised Daniel.”
Adrian stared.
“Where is he?”
Olivia's eyes filled.
“Alive.”
The word seemed to knock the air from his lungs.
“Where?”
“Safe. For now.”
“Why did you take him?”
“I didn't. Raymond arranged everything. He paid my parents to raise him under another name. They told us his mother had died and his father was dangerous.”
“Why didn't you come forward?”
Olivia looked down.
“Because Raymond threatened my family. And because Daniel was happy. He had a home. Friends. A life.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Does he know?”
“He knows he was adopted. He knows his birth family is powerful. But he doesn't know the whole truth.”
“How old is he?”
“Eleven.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel.
Eleven years old.
His son.
The child who had spent his life believing he had been abandoned.
“Can we see him?” Adrian asked.
Olivia hesitated.
“There's something you should know first.”
Adrian waited.
“Daniel has a heart condition. He needs regular treatment. Raymond paid for everything, but he used that money to control us.”
Claire looked at her.
“Is it serious?”
“Manageable. But Daniel recently discovered the truth. He ran away three days ago.”
Adrian went still.
“Where is he?”
Olivia shook her head.
“I don't know.”
A noise came from the corridor.
Footsteps.
Marcus appeared.
“Sir, Raymond's leaving.”
Adrian looked at Claire.
“Stay with Marcus.”
“No.”
“Claire—”
“I'm coming with you.”
“You're pregnant.”
“And I'm not going to sit in a hospital room while you risk your life.”
He stared at her.
Then nodded.
“Stay behind me.”
They reached the parking garage just as Raymond's car started.
Michael stepped in front of it.
Raymond slammed on the brakes.
“Get out of my way!”
Michael didn't move.
“You stole my life.”
Raymond opened the door.
“I gave you everything.”
“You gave me a false name.”
“I gave you a future.”
“You gave me a lie.”
Raymond looked toward Adrian.
“You still don't understand. I did what was necessary.”
Adrian approached.
“You stole my sons.”
“I protected the company.”
“You destroyed a mother.”
“She was weak.”
Michael struck him.
Raymond fell against the car.
Marcus immediately restrained Michael.
Adrian crouched in front of his uncle.
“Where is Daniel?”
Raymond laughed.
“You think you can just walk into his life and call yourself his father?”
“Where is he?”
“He hates you.”
Adrian's face tightened.
Raymond leaned closer.
“He knows everything. He knows you believed he was dead. He knows you never searched hard enough.”
The words were cruel.
And they found their target.
Adrian stood slowly.
Then he said something nobody expected.
“Maybe I don't deserve his forgiveness.”
Raymond looked confused.
“But he deserves the truth.”
Marcus's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and immediately turned toward Adrian.
“Sir. We found a boy matching Daniel's description.”
“Where?”
“At the east entrance of the estate.”
Adrian's heart seemed to stop.
“Is he alone?”
“No.”
“Who is with him?”
Marcus hesitated.
“A woman.”
“Which woman?”
Marcus looked at Claire.
“Your former physician's assistant. The one who worked with Dr. Hayes.”
Adrian frowned.
May you like
Then Marcus delivered the message.
“She says Daniel isn't the only child Raymond kept hidden.”
