Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEADTheo drove to the old Walker family estate.
The mansion had been empty for years.
His father had left it to him, but Theo rarely visited.
Inside, dust covered the furniture.
Photographs remained on the walls.
His childhood.
His parents.
Evan.
And then Theo saw something he had never noticed before.
A photograph had been moved.
Behind it was a narrow wall safe.
The silver key fit.
Inside was a single cassette tape.
And a letter.
Theo,
If you're reading this, someone has finally found Lily.
Theo's breath caught.
The handwriting belonged to his mother.
He read on.
Your father did not die naturally. Evan did not drown. And Claire did not abandon you.
Theo sat down.
The room seemed to spin.
There was money stolen from St. Clare's. Money meant for children. Your father discovered it. Evan discovered it too. They were going to expose the people responsible.
Theo turned the page.
I was afraid. I thought if I stayed silent, I could protect you. I was wrong.
Then came the sentence that destroyed everything.
Lily is Evan's daughter.
Theo dropped the letter.
Lily.
His niece.
Not a random orphan.
Not a stranger.
Family.
He played the cassette.
His mother's voice filled the room.
“If Theo finds this, tell him I am sorry.”
A man's voice followed.
Evan.
“Mom, if they find out Claire is helping us, they'll kill her.”
Theo closed his eyes.
Then another voice appeared.
Claire.
“I'll take the child. They'll never look for her in the orphanage.”
Evan said something Theo could barely hear.
“Promise me you'll protect Lily.”
Claire answered:
“I promise.”
The recording ended.
Theo sat motionless.
His entire childhood had been built on lies.
His brother had not drowned.
His mother had not died when he believed she did.
Claire had not abandoned him.
And Lily had been hidden because someone had been hunting Evan's family.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Theo answered.
“Mr. Walker.”
“Who is this?”
“You need to stop asking questions.”
Theo stood.
“Where is Lily's mother?”
Silence.
Then:
“You mean Claire?”
Theo's blood froze.
“She's alive.”
A man's voice laughed softly.
“She was never supposed to be found.”
The line went dead.
Theo immediately called security.
“Get to St. Clare's.”
“Why?”
“Because someone knows about Lily.”
He grabbed his coat.
Then another message arrived.
A photograph of Lily leaving the orphanage.
The image had been taken minutes earlier.
Beneath it:
You should have left the past buried.
Theo stared at the screen.
May you like
Then he whispered:
“They just made the biggest mistake of their lives.”
