Chapter 7 - Two Heartbeats, One Lie
Roman locked down the entire house.
Nobody entered.
Nobody left.
The doctor was taken into a separate room.
Nora sat on the bed, one hand over her stomach.
Two heartbeats.
Two babies.
She couldn't stop thinking about Celeste's face.
Roman returned.
“What did the doctor say?”
“He disappeared.”
Nora looked up.
“What?”
“He was gone before my men reached the room.”
Celeste stood near the window.
Roman looked at her.
“You knew.”
Celeste shook her head.
“I suspected.”
“You suspected Nora was carrying twins?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Celeste looked at Nora.
“The baby you lost years ago.”
Nora frowned.
“I never lost a baby.”
Celeste closed her eyes.
“You don't remember.”
Roman stepped closer.
“Remember what?”
Celeste looked at him.
“The night Nora was born, there were two babies.”
Roman nodded.
“We know.”
“One was Nora.”
“And the other?”
Celeste's voice broke.
“Taken.”
Nora's face went pale.
“Taken by who?”
“Your father.”
Roman stared.
“Why?”
“He believed the second child carried a genetic marker connected to an old family trust.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does to him.”
Nora whispered:
“Where is my twin?”
Celeste didn't answer.
“Mom.”
“I don't know.”
Roman's phone rang.
He answered.
A private investigator spoke.
“We found the doctor.”
“Where?”
“Dead.”
Roman closed his eyes.
Nora heard.
She knew the danger was getting closer.
Then someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Roman raised his weapon.
“Who?”
A woman's voice answered.
“Nora.”
Nora froze.
She knew that voice.
It belonged to Selene.
Roman opened the door just enough to see her.
Selene stood outside crying.
“I need to talk to her.”
Roman's eyes were cold.
“You tried to kill her.”
“No.”
“You gave her location away.”
Selene shook her head.
“I was trying to save her.”
Roman stared.
“From whom?”
Selene looked directly at Nora.
“Julian.”
Nora stepped forward.
“What about him?”
Selene swallowed.
“He isn't working for Roman's father.”
Roman's expression changed.
“Then who?”
Selene whispered:
“Your mother.”
Nora froze.
Celeste's face went white.
Roman turned toward her.
“Is that true?”
Celeste didn't answer.
Selene began crying.
“She told Julian everything.”
Nora stared at her mother.
“Mom?”
Celeste whispered:
“I didn't have a choice.”
Roman's phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID showed Julian Vale.
Roman answered.
Julian spoke only one sentence.
“Ask Celeste who the second baby really belonged to.”
Then the call ended.
May you like
Celeste slowly sat down.
And for the first time, Nora saw genuine terror in her mother's eyes.
