Chapter 11 - The Second Daughter
The woman was Claire's mother.
Not a photograph.
Not a memory.
Alive.
Claire stared.
“Mom?”
Her mother began crying.
“Claire.”
Everything inside me broke.
I wanted to run to her.
Julian stopped me.
“Wait.”
Marcus laughed.
“You see? Family reunions.”
Claire's mother looked at Julian.
“I'm sorry.”
Julian stared.
“You knew about the accident?”
“Yes.”
“You knew what they did to me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She looked at Claire.
“To keep her alive.”
Marcus interrupted.
“Enough.”
He grabbed Claire's mother.
“Give me the drive.”
Gabriel held it up.
“Let her go.”
Marcus smiled.
“Throw it.”
Gabriel did.
The drive landed near Marcus.
He kicked it toward himself.
Then Andrew lunged.
A guard struck him.
Claire screamed.
Julian moved his wheelchair forward.
For the first time in twenty-six months, he pushed himself with both arms.
The movement was slow.
But deliberate.
Marcus stared.
“You're recovering.”
Julian smiled.
“You should have killed me.”
Marcus's expression changed.
Julian charged.
The wheelchair struck Marcus's knees.
He fell.
Gabriel grabbed him.
The guards surrendered.
Claire ran to her mother.
They embraced.
Her mother whispered:
“I thought I would never see you again.”
Claire cried.
“Why did you leave?”
“Because Marcus threatened you.”
Andrew approached.
“I knew she was alive.”
Claire stared at him.
“You knew?”
“I was trying to find her.”
Julian watched them.
Then he looked at the evidence drive.
“We're not done.”
Marcus laughed from the floor.
“You think this ends with me?”
Julian looked down.
“It does.”
Marcus smiled.
“No.”
He looked at Victoria.
“She still has the original key.”
Victoria froze.
Julian turned.
“What key?”
Victoria said nothing.
Marcus laughed.
“The key to the foundation.”
Julian stared at his sister.
Victoria slowly reached inside her coat.
She removed a small brass key.
“I kept it because I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“That your father left one final message.”
Julian took the key.
“Where?”
Victoria whispered:
“His office.”
They returned to the Vescari estate.
The office had been sealed for two years.
Julian unlocked it.
Inside was a desk.
A safe.
A photograph of his father.
Julian inserted the key.
The safe opened.
Inside was a letter.
He read it silently.
Then handed it to Claire.
The first line said:
Julian, if you are reading this, Marcus has failed.
The second line was worse.
But there is one truth I never told you.
Julian turned the page.
His face changed.
Claire watched him.
“What does it say?”
He looked at her.
Then whispered:
May you like
“It says Andrew isn't the only person who survived that night.”
Behind them, the office door slowly opened...
