CHAPTER 4 – THE TWINS WERE NEVER MISSING... THEY WERE BEING RAISED BY THE ENEMY
Richard Hawthorne's world shattered for the second time in a single night.
"Triplets?" he whispered.
His voice cracked.
"I had... three grandchildren?"
The chief of security nodded grimly.
"We found sealed hospital records. Eleanor gave birth to three healthy babies—two boys and one girl."
Richard looked down at Lily, who clung tightly to his hand.
"Where are the boys?"
No one answered.
The ballroom remained silent until Richard's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
A distorted male voice laughed.
"Congratulations, Richard... you finally found one grandchild."
Richard's blood ran cold.
"Who is this?"
"You've been searching for ghosts while the real game was happening right under your nose."
The call disconnected.
Seconds later, every phone in the ballroom buzzed simultaneously.
One message.
One photograph.
Richard opened it.
His knees nearly gave out.
The picture showed two eight-year-old boys standing in matching school uniforms outside a luxurious estate.
Both wore the same deep blue eyes as Eleanor.
Both looked exactly like Lily.
On the back of the photo, a handwritten message read:
"Choose carefully... because you can only save one."
Margaret suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.
Guests stared at her in horror.
Richard slowly turned.
"You knew."
She smiled.
"I knew everything."
The ballroom erupted.
"You monster!"
"You let everyone believe Eleanor was dead!"
Margaret calmly straightened her diamond necklace.
"You still don't understand."
Richard stepped toward her.
"What are you talking about?"
She leaned closer until only he could hear.
"The boys were never abandoned."
Richard froze.
"They were sold."
His heart stopped.
"To whom?"
Margaret's smile widened.
"The highest bidder."
Gasps echoed through the ballroom.
Before Richard could react, dozens of police officers stormed inside.
"Federal agents! Nobody move!"
The lead investigator walked straight toward Margaret.
"You are under arrest for conspiracy, attempted murder, kidnapping, money laundering..."
He paused.
"...and child trafficking."
The room exploded with screams.
As officers handcuffed Margaret, she never stopped smiling.
Instead, she looked directly at Richard.
"You think arresting me ends this?"
She laughed.
"It only wakes them up."
Richard frowned.
"Them?"
Margaret leaned close enough for him to hear one final sentence.
"The organization that bought your grandsons... owns judges, senators, CEOs..."
She smiled coldly.
"...and one of them is standing in this ballroom tonight."
Silence.
Every guest instinctively looked around.
Who could it be?
A billionaire?
A politician?
One of Richard's closest friends?
Suddenly...
The ballroom lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Women screamed.
Men shouted.
Security drew their weapons.
Three deafening gunshots echoed through the hall.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
When the emergency lights flickered back on...
Margaret was gone.
Two federal agents lay unconscious.
The ballroom doors stood wide open.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Richard looked down beside him.
His heart stopped.
Lily...
...was gone too.
On the floor where she had been standing only seconds earlier...
There was a single folded note.
Richard unfolded it with trembling hands.
It contained only seven chilling words:
"You found her once. Try again... Grandpa."
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END OF CHAPTER 4...
To Be Continued in Chapter 5...
