Chapter 4 - The Twins Who Carried the Truth
Anna had never imagined that one day she would be crawling through a dirty ventilation shaft behind a diner while carrying a billionaire's baby.
Yet somehow, that was exactly where her life had led her.
The metal walls around her were cold.
The air smelled like dust and rust.
Every movement sent a sharp pain through her knees as she crawled forward, trying desperately not to make noise.
Behind her, Daniel followed.
Every few seconds, she heard his breathing become heavier.
He was injured.
Badly.
And even though he refused to admit it, Anna knew he was close to collapsing again.
“Are you still alive back there?” she whispered.
A few seconds passed.
Then his voice came.
“Barely.”
Anna almost laughed.
Almost.
“You know, most people answer that question with ‘yes.’”
“Most people aren't crawling through a ventilation system while being hunted by their own family.”
She glanced back.
Even in the darkness, she could see his expression.
Serious.
Exhausted.
But somehow still controlled.
Anna shook her head.
“You really know how to make a situation worse.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You're still here.”
She paused.
“What?”
“You could have left.”
Anna looked forward again.
The baby in her arms made a tiny sound.
She adjusted the blanket carefully.
“I already told you.”
“Told me what?”
“I know what it feels like when nobody comes.”
Silence filled the narrow space.
Daniel didn't respond.
But Anna knew he heard her.
Because some pain did not need an explanation.
Some pain recognized itself.
After several more minutes, they reached the end of the ventilation system.
Anna pushed against the metal cover.
It barely moved.
She pushed harder.
Nothing.
“Great,” she whispered.
Daniel crawled closer.
“Move.”
“You're injured.”
“I can still use my hands.”
Anna moved aside.
Daniel placed both hands against the cover.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then his jaw tightened.
The muscles in his arms strained.
With one final push, the cover broke loose.
Cold rain air rushed inside.
They had reached the outside alley behind the diner.
Anna carefully climbed out first.
Then she helped Daniel.
The moment his feet touched the ground, his body almost gave out.
Anna grabbed him.
“Easy.”
“I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that while almost falling over.”
“I don't like admitting weakness.”
She looked at him.
“Maybe that's your problem.”
Daniel stared at her.
Nobody talked to him like that.
Not employees.
Not business partners.
Not family.
Everyone around Daniel Cross either feared him or wanted something from him.
Anna Bennett wanted nothing.
And somehow, that made her more dangerous than anyone.
Before he could respond, a sound interrupted them.
A car door closing.
Both of them froze.
Daniel immediately moved in front of Anna and the babies.
“Someone's here.”
Anna looked around.
The alley was empty.
Rain fell harder.
Then headlights appeared at the end of the street.
A black SUV.
Daniel's face changed.
“Run.”
They moved.
Not quickly.
Not easily.
But they moved.
Anna held one baby.
Daniel carried the other.
They turned into a narrow side street and hid behind a row of old buildings.
The SUV passed slowly.
Too slowly.
Someone was searching.
Anna whispered:
“Who are they?”
Daniel watched the vehicle.
“People who work for Richard.”
“Richard Vale?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly does he want?”
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
“The truth.”
Anna frowned.
“The truth?”
Daniel looked down at the babies.
“The reason my brother was killed.”
The words stopped her.
“Killed?”
Daniel nodded.
“The world thinks Michael died in an accident.”
“But?”
“But Michael discovered something inside Cross International.”
Anna stared.
“What?”
Daniel looked at her.
“My father’s company was built on secrets.”
The rain covered their voices.
“Illegal deals. Corruption. People paid to disappear.”
Anna felt a chill.
“And your brother found proof?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
Daniel looked away.
“I don't know.”
That answer surprised her.
“You don't know?”
“He hid it before he died.”
“Why wouldn't he tell you?”
Daniel's expression changed.
Because that question hurt.
“Because he knew someone was watching me too.”
Anna looked at him.
“So he trusted nobody.”
Daniel nodded.
“Not even me.”
A painful silence followed.
Anna looked at the babies.
“They know something?”
Daniel looked confused.
“What?”
“The twins.”
He shook his head.
“They're babies.”
“I know.”
She looked down.
“But your brother protected them for a reason.”
Daniel became quiet.
Then suddenly—
The baby in Anna's arms began moving.
A small hand pushed against the blanket.
Something slipped.
A tiny object fell onto the wet pavement.
Both of them looked down.
It was a small silver pendant.
Daniel froze.
Anna picked it up.
“What is this?”
Daniel reached for it.
His expression changed the second he saw it.
“Where did they get this?”
Anna looked at him.
“Daniel?”
He turned the pendant over.
On the back was a symbol.
The Cross family emblem.
But underneath it was something else.
A series of numbers.
“317.”
Anna frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel's face had gone pale.
“It means my brother was smarter than everyone thought.”
“What is 317?”
Daniel looked toward the dark street.
For the first time since Anna met him, he looked completely shaken.
“A safe deposit box.”
The words hung between them.
Anna understood.
“Your brother left something.”
“Yes.”
“Evidence?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Something important enough that someone killed him for it.”
The rain continued falling.
Anna looked at the two babies.
Then at Daniel.
“So your enemies don't just want you.”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
His voice became quiet.
“They want whatever Michael left behind.”
Before Anna could answer, Daniel's phone suddenly vibrated.
Both of them froze.
Daniel slowly reached into his jacket.
The screen lit up.
No caller ID.
Anna watched his expression.
“Don't answer.”
Daniel stared at the phone.
“It could be information.”
“It could be a trap.”
He knew she was right.
But after a moment, he answered.
Silence.
Then a voice.
A familiar voice.
Richard Vale.
“Daniel.”
Daniel's eyes hardened.
“Richard.”
“You've made this much more difficult than necessary.”
“You tried to kill me.”
A pause.
Then Richard calmly replied:
“No.”
Anna felt her stomach tighten.
“We tried to save the company.”
Daniel said nothing.
Richard continued.
“Your brother made a mistake. He became emotional. He forgot that powerful families survive because they make difficult choices.”
Daniel's grip tightened around the phone.
“You murdered him.”
“We removed a threat.”
Anna felt anger rise inside her.
Daniel's voice became colder.
“You'll never find what he left.”
Richard laughed softly.
“Oh, Daniel.”
A pause.
“You still don't understand.”
Daniel looked at the phone.
“What?”
Richard's voice lowered.
“Your brother didn't hide the evidence from us.”
A long silence.
“He hid it from you.”
Daniel froze.
The call ended.
The rain continued.
But something had changed.
Because for the first time, Daniel wondered if the person he trusted most had also been keeping secrets.
Anna looked at him.
“Do you believe him?”
Daniel didn't answer.
And that scared her more than anything.
Because Daniel Cross was a man who trusted almost nobody.
But now even his memories were becoming uncertain.
The twins slept quietly between them.
Unaware that their father's final secret had just reopened a war.
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A war that would expose the darkest truth behind the most powerful family in Boston.
And Anna Bennett—the waitress who should have walked away—was now the only person standing beside Daniel when everyone else had disappeared.
