Chapter 8: The Daughter Adrian Wanted to Erase
I stared at my phone.
One of those girls isn't actually Olivia's daughter.
Adrian's words kept repeating in my head.
Olivia stood beside me.
"What did he say?""
I hesitated.
"He's claiming one of the girls isn't yours.""
Her expression hardened.
"He's lying.""
"I hope so.""
She took my hand.
"Damien, I gave birth to two girls. I remember their cries. I remember holding them. I know they're mine.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"Adrian knows something we don't.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
She looked uncomfortable.
"There's another document in the USB drive. A genetic report.""
Detective Harris immediately opened his laptop.
He connected the drive and began examining the files.
There were hundreds of documents.
Scanned medical records.
Photographs.
Financial transfers.
Hospital correspondence.
And one folder labeled:
*PROJECT THREE SISTERS.*
I opened it.
Inside were three genetic reports.
The first showed a match between Olivia Carter and Sophie Carter.
The second showed a match between Olivia Carter and Ruby Bennett.
The third showed a match between Olivia Carter and Evelyn Graves.
All three girls were listed as biological daughters of Olivia.
I stared at the screen.
"Then what was Adrian talking about?""
Evelyn leaned closer.
"Keep scrolling.""
The next file was a letter written by Richard.
It was dated twelve years earlier.
The opening paragraph explained that Richard had discovered something unusual during the pregnancy.
Olivia had been carrying triplets.
Not twins.
Three identical girls.
The third baby had been delivered at 2:16 a.m., but because of complications, she had been transferred to a private facility.
The hospital had concealed the third birth to prevent complications with the inheritance trust.
I looked at Olivia.
"Did you know?""
She shook her head.
"I thought I was having twins.""
Evelyn looked down.
"Richard told me my mother died during childbirth.""
Olivia approached her.
"Your mother is standing right here.""
Evelyn started crying.
Olivia pulled her into an embrace.
For twelve years, she had believed she had lost one child.
Now she was discovering that she had lost two.
And both had been living under different names.
Sophie and Ruby came into the room.
Sophie looked at Evelyn.
"Are you our sister too?""
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes.""
Ruby stared at her.
"So we're triplets?""
Evelyn managed a small smile.
"Apparently.""
Sophie looked at the three of them.
"That's going to be really confusing at school.""
Nobody laughed.
Then Ruby spoke.
"Do we have to be scared of Grandpa?""
Olivia knelt beside her.
"No, sweetheart.""
"But he keeps taking people away.""
Olivia held her close.
"I promise you, he won't take anyone else.""
I wished I could believe that promise.
At 11:52 p.m., Detective Harris received confirmation that Richard had been located near the abandoned Riverside Children's Clinic.
Police units were already moving.
Evelyn insisted on coming.
Harris refused.
She began crying.
"He's going to kill my father!""
"We'll get him out.""
"You don't know Richard!""
Harris looked at me.
I knew what he was thinking.
We couldn't let her go alone.
I stepped forward.
"I'll talk to her.""
We moved into the hallway.
"Evelyn, listen to me. Your father made terrible choices, but he's still your father.""
She shook her head.
"He sold me.""
"He also kept the evidence.""
"Because he was afraid of Richard.""
"Then let him help us finish this.""
She looked at me.
"Do you hate him?""
I thought about Olivia's twelve lost years.
About the girls.
About the hospital records.
"I hate what he did. But I don't want another child to lose her father.""
Evelyn finally nodded.
The old clinic stood at the edge of town.
Its windows were boarded up, its sign rusted, and weeds covered the parking lot.
Police vehicles surrounded the building without their lights on.
Detective Harris gave instructions through his radio.
I watched from an unmarked car with Olivia and Evelyn.
Then my phone rang.
Adrian.
I answered.
"Where are you?""
"Inside the clinic.""
"Let Dr. Graves go.""
"Gladly.""
A pause.
"Bring Evelyn.""
"No.""
Adrian laughed.
"Then perhaps you should bring Olivia.""
I looked toward her.
She was listening.
"Why do you want them?""
"Because my father has spent twelve years making promises he can't keep. I intend to collect what belongs to me.""
"What belongs to you?""
"The trust.""
I looked at the documents again.
"You're not getting anything.""
Adrian's voice became cold.
"You're still missing the point. Richard doesn't want the girls dead. He wants their identities corrected.""
"What does that mean?""
"It means one of them will become the legal Bennett heir, and the others will be removed from the records.""
"Removed how?""
"Ask your wife what happens when a child has no birth certificate.""
Olivia closed her eyes.
I understood.
Without legal identities, the girls could be hidden, moved, and controlled.
Adrian wasn't threatening to kill them.
He was threatening to make them disappear from the world.
"Let the doctor go," I repeated.
"Bring Evelyn to the main entrance.""
The call ended.
I looked at Detective Harris.
"He wants Evelyn.""
Harris nodded.
"We anticipated that.""
He handed Evelyn a small recording device.
"Keep this in your pocket. We need Adrian to admit what he's done.""
Evelyn stared at it.
Then she looked at Olivia.
"Will you come with me?""
Olivia shook her head.
"No, sweetheart.""
"Please.""
Olivia took her face in both hands.
"I've already lost twelve years with you. I'm not losing another second by letting you walk into that building alone.""
Evelyn nodded.
Then she stepped out of the vehicle.
She entered the clinic alone.
The officers moved into position.
I watched through a monitor.
Inside, Adrian stood near a metal table.
Dr. Graves sat against the wall, his hands tied.
When Adrian saw Evelyn, he smiled.
"You came.""
"Let him go.""
"Give me the drive.""
Evelyn held it up.
Adrian reached for it.
She stepped back.
"First, tell me why you did this.""
He sighed.
"Because your grandfather promised me control of the company.""
"And the girls?""
"Collateral.""
"Your own family?""
Adrian's expression hardened.
"You don't understand business.""
Evelyn began crying.
"Do you know what it's like to grow up believing your mother died?""
Adrian looked away.
Then he said something that stunned everyone watching.
"Your mother did die.""
Evelyn froze.
"What?""
Adrian continued.
"Olivia died twelve years ago. The woman standing outside is simply the woman who survived.""
The monitor crackled.
Dr. Graves suddenly lifted his head.
"Adrian, don't.""
But Adrian had already reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a second photograph.
It showed Olivia in a hospital bed.
Beside her was a newborn baby.
On the back, someone had written:
*THE ORIGINAL THREE SISTERS — MARCH 17.*
Then Adrian looked directly at Evelyn.
"There's something else your mother doesn't know.""
He leaned closer.
"One of the girls was never supposed to leave the hospital alive.""
May you like
A gunshot exploded through the building.
The monitor went black.
