Chapter 10 - The Woman Behind the Door
“Hadley, your mother has been lying to you about which one of us is the real Claire…”
The voice stopped.
Hadley stared at the locked bedroom door.
Claire stood beside her, frozen.
“That isn't my voice,” she whispered.
Hadley's mother rushed up the stairs.
“Hadley, don't open that door.”
Leonardo raised his weapon.
“Everyone behind me.”
Daniel followed Evelyn.
“What is happening?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know.”
The handle moved again.
Slowly.
Then the door opened.
A woman stepped into the hallway.
Hadley's heart stopped.
She looked exactly like Claire.
Same blonde hair.
Same green-hazel eyes.
Same scar above the left eyebrow.
Same face.
For a moment, Hadley couldn't tell which woman was her sister.
The newcomer looked at Claire.
Then at Hadley.
Then smiled.
“Hello.”
Claire backed away.
“No.”
The woman tilted her head.
“You remember me.”
Claire's voice trembled.
“I remember your voice.”
Hadley looked between them.
“Who are you?”
The woman didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Evelyn.
“You never told her.”
Evelyn's face went white.
“Because she wasn't ready.”
“She has a right to know.”
Leonardo stepped forward.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled.
“You don't recognize me?”
“No.”
“You should.”
She looked at Claire.
“Tell her.”
Claire shook her head.
“Don't.”
Hadley turned toward her.
“Tell me what?”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“She was there.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
Hadley looked at the woman.
“What did you do?”
The woman answered calmly.
“I switched the babies.”
Silence.
Hadley felt the hallway tilt.
“What?”
The woman stepped closer.
“Your mother gave birth to two girls.”
Evelyn whispered,
“No.”
“She gave birth to two daughters who looked identical.”
Hadley stared at Claire.
The woman continued.
“One was supposed to leave with your mother.”
She pointed toward Hadley.
“The other was supposed to disappear.”
Claire began crying.
Hadley whispered,
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather ordered it.”
Leonardo's expression hardened.
“Why would he want one child gone?”
The woman looked at him.
“Because one child carried his blood.”
Hadley frowned.
“So did I.”
“No.”
The woman smiled.
“You don't.”
Hadley's breath caught.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Stop.”
The woman ignored her.
“The girl your mother raised was never Daniel's biological daughter.”
Hadley looked at Daniel.
He looked devastated.
The woman pointed at Claire.
“Claire is.”
Daniel's knees nearly buckled.
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“You're lying.”
The woman laughed softly.
“You were always told your name was Claire.”
Claire stared at her.
“Because that was the name they gave you.”
Hadley looked at her mother.
“Mom?”
Evelyn couldn't speak.
“Mom!”
Evelyn finally whispered,
“I wanted to tell you.”
“But you didn't.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you would hate me.”
Hadley stared at her.
“Why would I hate you?”
“Because I chose.”
Her voice broke.
“I chose which daughter to save.”
Hadley felt tears spill down her cheeks.
“Which one?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Hadley stared.
“You chose me.”
“Yes.”
“And Claire?”
“I thought she was safe.”
The other woman laughed.
“You left her with him.”
Evelyn turned toward her.
“You promised.”
“I promised nothing.”
Leonardo raised his weapon.
“Enough.”
The woman smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
She pointed toward Claire.
“She isn't the one your grandfather wanted.”
Leonardo's eyes narrowed.
“Then who?”
The woman looked at Hadley.
“She is.”
Hadley's stomach dropped.
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather believed one of the twins would inherit everything.”
“What?”
“The network.”
Hadley shook her head.
“I don't want anything from him.”
“You don't have to want it.”
The woman stepped closer.
“You were born first.”
Hadley stared.
“So?”
“The first heir.”
Claire whispered,
“No.”
The woman nodded.
“That was the rule.”
Leonardo looked at Evelyn.
“You knew this?”
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“I knew there was a first heir.”
“But you didn't know which child?”
“I knew.”
Hadley stared at her mother.
“Who?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“You.”
The word landed like a blow.
Hadley backed away.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Your grandfather believed blood came before everything.”
“And what did Mom believe?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I believed you deserved a life.”
The woman laughed.
“And that is why you ran.”
“Yes.”
“And why you lied.”
“Yes.”
“And why you gave the other daughter away.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I never gave her away.”
Claire suddenly spoke.
“You did.”
Everyone turned.
Claire was crying.
“You gave me to Daniel.”
Daniel stared at her.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“You knew?”
He nodded.
“I knew there were two babies.”
“And you took me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel's voice broke.
“Because your mother asked me to.”
Claire looked at Evelyn.
“Why didn't you take me?”
Evelyn couldn't answer.
Hadley stepped toward Claire.
“I didn't know.”
Claire looked at her.
“I know.”
“I never knew you existed.”
“I know.”
“I would have found you.”
Claire shook her head.
“They made sure you couldn't.”
The woman by the bedroom door smiled.
“Exactly.”
Leonardo suddenly looked at the ceiling.
“Everyone down.”
A shot tore through the hallway.
The mirror behind Hadley exploded.
Leonardo pulled her to the floor.
Daniel dragged Claire behind a wall.
Evelyn screamed.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Leonardo moved toward the stairs.
“Stay here.”
Hadley grabbed his sleeve.
“Who shot at us?”
“Someone outside.”
“How did they know where we were?”
He looked toward the hidden camera downstairs.
“They were listening.”
He moved.
Hadley followed.
“You said they were watching.”
“They're doing more than watching now.”
They reached the bakery floor.
The front door was open.
Rain blew inside.
Leonardo crouched near the doorway.
A shell casing lay on the floor.
He picked it up.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He held it up.
“This is Vescari ammunition.”
Hadley stared.
“Your people?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He looked toward the street.
“Someone using my family's weapons.”
Evelyn came downstairs.
“It's him.”
Leonardo turned.
“Who?”
“Matteo.”
“No.”
“He wants the heir.”
Hadley stepped forward.
“Which heir?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You.”
Hadley felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because Matteo believes controlling you gives him control of the network.”
“I don't want it.”
“He doesn't care.”
Claire came down behind them.
“What about me?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“He doesn't need you.”
Claire's face fell.
Hadley moved toward her.
“You're my sister.”
Claire looked at her.
“That doesn't change anything.”
“It changes everything.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
For the first time, she smiled.
Then the bakery phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Leonardo answered.
“Who is this?”
A man's voice came through.
“You're standing in the wrong bakery.”
Leonardo's face hardened.
“What do you want?”
“The girl.”
“Which one?”
Silence.
Then the man laughed.
“The one who doesn't know she's the heir.”
Hadley looked at Claire.
The caller continued.
“She has ten minutes.”
Leonardo's eyes narrowed.
“Ten minutes for what?”
“Before the fire starts.”
The call ended.
Everyone looked around.
Then Hadley smelled it.
Smoke.
Evelyn whispered,
“Oh God.”
A red glow appeared beneath the kitchen door.
Leonardo ran.
“Out!”
The kitchen erupted in flames.
Hadley grabbed Claire.
Daniel grabbed Evelyn.
They rushed toward the front door.
Smoke filled the bakery.
The fire spread unnaturally fast.
Someone had poured fuel through the back hallway.
Leonardo kicked open the side exit.
“Go!”
Hadley pulled Claire outside.
Daniel followed.
Evelyn stumbled.
Leonardo caught her.
They escaped into the rain.
Hadley turned toward the bakery.
Flames consumed the windows.
Her family's bakery.
Her grandmother's bakery.
Her mother's hiding place.
Everything she had ever known.
Gone.
Claire stood beside her.
She was crying.
Hadley reached for her hand.
Claire took it.
Then Daniel shouted.
“Where's Evelyn?”
Hadley turned.
Leonardo was standing alone.
Evelyn was gone.
“Mom?”
No answer.
Leonardo ran back toward the burning building.
Hadley screamed,
“Leonardo!”
He stopped.
He looked toward the second floor.
A silhouette stood behind the flames.
A woman.
Evelyn.
Someone was holding her from behind.
Then the figure leaned toward the window.
Even from across the street, Hadley could see the smile.
Matteo.
He raised one hand.
In it was a small silver key.
The same key Hadley had found in the station.
Then he held up a piece of paper against the glass.
One sentence was written across it:
THE FIRST HEIR IS NOT HADLEY.
The paper dropped.
May you like
The second-floor window exploded outward.
And through the flames, a second woman stepped into view wearing Evelyn's coat...
