Chapter 5 - THE UNSEEN MASTERMIND
The arrest of Eleanor Vance dominated the global news cycle for weeks. The stock of Vance Global plummeted, leading to a complete restructuring of the company under the legal ownership of Julian, Marcus, and Ethan—who immediately transferred fifty-one percent of all voting shares into a charitable foundation managed directly by Rose.
The dirty alley where Rose used to cook soup was purchased by the foundation. Construction immediately began on a state-of-the-art community center, offering free food, housing, and education for thousands of homeless children across the state.
It seemed like the story had finally reached its perfect, triumphant ending.
However, three months after Eleanor’s arrest, a strange package arrived at Rose’s new residence—a modest, beautiful farmhouse built on the very land her late husband had owned, surrounded by rolling green hills and wild flower gardens.
The package was wrapped in plain brown paper, tied with twine, and had no return address.
Rose sat at her kitchen table, the afternoon sun pouring through the window, as Julian sat across from her reviewing company files.
"What's that, Mother?" Julian asked, looking up.
"I don't know," Rose said, cutting the twine with a pair of scissors.
Inside the box was an old, leather-bound journal. The pages were yellowed and brittle with age. Written on the cover in faded gold leaf were the initials: A.V.
Arthur Vance. The biological father of Marcus, Ethan, and Julian.
Rose opened the journal. Folded inside the front cover was a letter addressed specifically to her, dated thirty-one years ago—one year before her baby was stolen.
Julian noticed his mother’s hands begin to shake. "Mother? What is it?"
Rose read the letter silently, her eyes widening with every line, her breath hitching in her throat.
Dearest Rose,
If you are reading this, it means I am already dead, and Eleanor has set her dark plan into motion. You do not know me, but I know who you are. I know that your husband was the rightful owner of the land beneath my factories.
I discovered Eleanor’s madness too late. She poisoned me slowly, taking control of my doctors and my fortune. When I realized she intended to destroy my three eldest boys—Marcus, Ethan, and Julian—to leave everything to her illegitimate son Leo, I knew I could not protect them from within these walls.
I made a choice. A choice that will damn my soul forever, but save my children.
I arranged for my boys to be left in the alley behind the bakery on the exact night I knew you would be there. I knew your heart, Rose. I knew you were the only soul in this cruel city who would feed three starving orphans even if you had nothing left for yourself.
But I owed you a debt I could never repay. To protect your infant son from Eleanor's mercenaries who were sent to eliminate your family line, I paid the landlord to fake the abduction. The baby taken that night... Julian... was not taken by Eleanor.
Eleanor never kidnapped your son, Rose.
I swapped the babies.
Rose dropped the letter onto the table. Her mind reeled in absolute terror and confusion.
Julian picked up the letter and read the words himself. His face went completely pale.
"What... what does this mean?" Julian whispered, his hands trembling as he flipped through the yellowed pages of the journal.
"Keep reading," Rose whispered, her voice barely audible.
Julian turned to the final entry of the journal, dated the night before Arthur Vance’s death.
To ensure Eleanor could never harm Rose’s child, I took Rose’s baby and placed him in the care of a trusted family overseas under a complete identity seal. And to keep Eleanor distracted, I placed my own youngest son—my real third child—into Rose’s crib, letting Eleanor believe she had stolen Rose’s bloodline.
Julian... the boy you raised, the boy who loves you... is my blood. But your true son, Rose... your real baby... is still out there.
May you like
His name is Gabriel.
And he is coming back.
