CHAPTER 7 — The Mother Everyone Thought Was Dead
The flashing police lights faded into the night.
Vincent Hawthorne was handcuffed.
His men were arrested.
Reporters surrounded the diner, shouting Emma's name from every direction.
But Emma wasn't listening.
She couldn't stop thinking about one sentence.
"You look just like your mother."
Mr. Hayes noticed the fear in her eyes.
"There is something I never told you."
Emma turned.
"You said my mother was murdered."
Mr. Hayes lowered his head.
"That's what I believed."
He reached into his briefcase and removed a sealed envelope covered in dust.
"I received this three days ago."
Emma carefully opened it.
Inside was only one photograph.
A woman stood beside a lake surrounded by snow-covered mountains.
She looked older.
Her hair had turned silver.
But there was no doubt.
It was Emma's mother.
Written on the back were six words.
"She's alive. Don't trust anyone."
Emma's hands began shaking.
"No..."
"This can't be real."
Suddenly Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
Within seconds, every drop of color disappeared from his face.
"What happened?"
Adrian looked directly at Emma.
"The Hawthorne vault..."
"It's empty."
"What?"
"The entire family fortune."
"Thirty-four billion dollars."
"Gone."
Emma froze.
"Impossible."
Mr. Hayes whispered,
"Unless..."
The room became silent.
Emma slowly looked toward the police car carrying Vincent away.
"He wasn't after the company."
"He was buying time."
At that exact moment...
Vincent smiled through the police window.
As if everything had happened exactly as planned.
Miles away...
Inside a private airport hangar...
A mysterious woman wearing sunglasses boarded a jet.
She carried only one suitcase.
Attached to it...
The Hawthorne family crest.
Before the plane door closed...
She removed her glasses.
It was Emma's mother.
And she whispered to herself...
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"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
"But you still can't know the truth."
