Chapter 8: The Missing Son
The words stayed in the air.
Never an only child.
I waited for someone to laugh.
For someone to say it was another lie.
Nobody did.
“Explain.””
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“When you were born, there was another baby.””
The room disappeared.
“What?””
“A boy.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“My son.””
I looked at him.
“You had another child?””
“Yes.””
“And nobody told me?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“After your mother disappeared.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps trying after the damage is already done.””
Daniel accepted that.
He didn’t defend himself.
That almost made it worse.
“What happened to him?””
Evelyn looked at the floor.
“He was taken.””
My heart stopped.
“Taken by who?””
Nobody answered.
Then Dominic said:
“Vincent.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
Dominic looked older than he had five minutes ago.
“Because Vincent believed your brother was insurance.””
“Insurance?””
“He knew your father would do anything for his children.””
Daniel’s hands shook.
“He was four months old.””
The anger in his voice was different.
Not powerful.
Broken.
“You let him take him.””
Dominic looked at me.
“I didn't know.””
“You always say that.””
The words hit him.
Because they were true.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had an explanation.
And I was always the person left holding the consequences.
Evelyn walked closer.
“Rachel, we thought he was dead.””
“You thought?””
“We searched.””
“For how long?””
Her eyes filled.
“Years.””
I looked away.
Lily shifted in my arms.
She was awake now.
Watching.
“Mommy?””
I forced a smile.
“It's okay.””
But it wasn't.
Nothing had been okay for years.
Dominic picked up the phone.
“The message.””
Everyone looked at him.
“The person who sent it knows about the child.””
Daniel nodded.
“Which means Thomas has been looking for him too.””
“Why?””
“Because your brother has something.””
I stared.
“My brother is missing, and somehow he has something important?””
Daniel looked at the ledger.
“The original evidence.””
“What?””
“When Vincent took him, he also took a copy of the files.””
Dominic’s expression changed.
“The files proving everything.””
“Yes.””
Ethan laughed from his chair.
“You people are unbelievable.””
Everyone looked at him.
He shook his head.
“Decades of secrets. Dead people returning. Missing children.””
He smiled.
“And you still don't see the obvious.””
Dominic walked toward him.
“What?””
Ethan looked at me.
“The person controlling this entire thing isn't Thomas.””
Daniel’s face tightened.
“Stop.””
“No.””
Ethan looked at me.
“Your parents spent years blaming Vincent.””
He pointed at Dominic.
“Dominic blamed Vincent.””
He looked toward Daniel.
“You blamed Vincent.””
Then he smiled.
“But Vincent has been dead for three years.””
The room became silent.
“So who benefits now?””
Nobody answered.
Ethan leaned back.
“Rachel.””
My name sounded wrong coming from him.
“The person who arranged tonight wasn't me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“I wanted the ledger.””
“Then why the cake?””
“To distract Dominic.””
“From what?””
Ethan smiled.
“From the person entering his vault.””
My blood ran cold.
Everyone looked toward the office door.
The vault was open.
The ledger was still on the desk.
But the brass key was gone.
I looked at Daniel.
“Did you take it?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
Dominic checked his pockets.
Nothing.
Marco searched the room.
“Sir.””
“What?””
“The camera feed.””
He held up his phone.
“There was a blackout.””
“When?””
“Three minutes ago.””
Three minutes.
The exact amount of time everyone had been arguing.
I looked at the desk.
Something was different.
A small envelope sat beside the ledger.
Nobody had seen it before.
Dominic picked it up.
“Don’t.””
Daniel’s warning came too late.
Dominic opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
His face changed immediately.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
The photograph showed a hospital room.
A newborn baby.
A nurse holding him.
And written on the back:
*Baby Bennett — transferred at 2:14 a.m.*
I looked at Daniel.
Then Evelyn.
Then the date.
My hands started shaking.
Because the date wasn't twenty-four years ago.
It was three years ago.
The same year my daughter Lily was born.
And beneath the photo was a note.
May you like
Three words.
*He is alive.*
