CHAPTER 7 — The Woman Behind Every Lie
Daniel stared at his phone, unable to breathe.
Aunt Sophia.
The woman who had raised him after his parents died.
The woman who had comforted him at his wife's funeral.
The woman who had kissed Noah's forehead only weeks before his "death."
Her voice remained frighteningly calm.
"You have thirty minutes."
"Come alone."
"If I see a single police car..."
"...your son dies."
The call ended.
Daniel's hands shook with rage.
Emily grabbed his arm.
"It's a trap."
"I know."
"But if she's telling the truth, Noah will never be safe until this ends."
Just then, one of the federal investigators rushed over.
"We traced the call."
"It came from the old Carter Estate."
Daniel froze.
The abandoned mansion.
His childhood home.
The place that had been locked for over twenty years.
Without another word, Daniel drove through the pouring rain.
No police.
No bodyguards.
Just him.
When the massive iron gates slowly creaked open, every light inside the mansion was already on.
Sophia sat alone in the grand dining room.
A candle burned beside a silver teapot.
She smiled as if Daniel had simply come for dinner.
"You've grown into your father."
Daniel slammed both hands onto the table.
"Where is Victor?"
Sophia poured herself a cup of tea.
"Dead."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"He served his purpose."
Before Daniel could react, two men dragged Victor into the room.
His expensive suit was soaked in blood.
His hands were tied behind his back.
Victor looked terrified.
"Sophia..."
"Please..."
"I did everything you asked!"
Daniel couldn't believe what he was seeing.
The ruthless brother who had destroyed his life...
Was now begging for mercy.
Sophia sighed.
"You always were weak, Victor."
She slowly stood and walked toward him.
"You stole millions."
"You forged records."
"You sold babies."
"But your biggest mistake..."
"...was getting caught."
A loud gunshot echoed through the mansion.
Victor collapsed to the floor.
Dead.
Daniel stood frozen.
Sophia calmly placed the smoking pistol back onto the table.
"There."
"No witnesses left."
Daniel whispered,
"You're a monster."
Sophia smiled.
"No, Daniel."
"I'm a businesswoman."
She opened an old leather folder.
Inside were photographs of dozens of newborn babies.
Each photo had a price written beneath it.
$500,000.
$1.2 million.
$3 million.
Daniel's stomach turned.
"You sold children..."
"For decades."
Sophia nodded proudly.
"The rich always want what money can't buy."
"And grieving parents..."
"...are easy to manipulate."
Daniel felt tears burning his eyes.
"My wife discovered everything."
Sophia looked almost amused.
"Yes."
"She begged me to stop."
"So I gave her one last injection."
Daniel lunged across the table.
But armed guards burst through hidden doors and surrounded him with rifles.
Sophia smiled one final time.
"You inherited your father's courage..."
"But not his intelligence."
Then she pressed a hidden button beneath the table.
A giant wall behind the fireplace slowly slid open.
Daniel's eyes widened.
Behind the secret door...
Dozens of children were sitting silently inside a hidden underground room.
Some were toddlers.
Some were teenagers.
Each wore a bracelet with nothing but a number.
One little girl looked up at Daniel with tear-filled eyes and whispered,
"Are you here to take us home?"
Daniel's heart shattered.
He realized Noah had never been the only child stolen.
He was only one survivor among dozens.
And somewhere in the darkness of the underground prison...
A familiar female voice suddenly cried out,
"Daniel... don't let her see me!"
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The voice belonged to someone who had supposedly been dead...
For five years.
