Chapter 8: The Son Who Was Never Lost
Margaret locked the front door.
Then she pulled the curtains.
Hannah stood beside her, shaking.
"Who is outside?""
Margaret didn't answer.
She moved toward a cabinet and removed a small revolver.
I stared at it.
"Where did you get that?""
"From someone who knew I might need it.""
"Margaret, put that down.""
She checked the chamber.
"Not until I know who's outside.""
The voice came again.
"Mother, I know you're in there.""
I recognized it.
Zachary.
But something was different.
He wasn't shouting.
He sounded almost disappointed.
"Please open the door.""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Not him.""
Hannah looked confused.
"Mom, what do you mean?""
Margaret turned toward us.
"Zachary is not your twin brother.""
I felt the room shift.
"Then who is?""
She walked to the table and placed a photograph beside the wooden box.
It showed three babies in hospital bassinets.
Two had matching identification bracelets.
The third wore a different one.
Margaret pointed to the middle photograph.
"This was Zachary.""
Then she pointed to the first.
"This was your brother.""
Finally, she pointed to the third.
"And this was the child David wanted everyone to believe was yours.""
I stared at her.
"You're saying there were three babies?""
"Yes.""
Hannah shook her head.
"How?""
Margaret sat down.
"Because David arranged a second birth registration. Another woman gave birth at Saint Mary's that same morning. Her baby died shortly after delivery.""
I felt sick.
Margaret continued.
"David used that child's death certificate to create a false identity for our son. He wanted the inheritance, but he didn't want anyone to know the boy was biologically connected to him.""
"Why would that matter?""
"Because the Albright trust required a legitimate male heir. David was not married to me. He couldn't simply claim our child.""
She took a breath.
"So he arranged for the baby to be raised by another branch of the family.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
Margaret looked toward the door.
"Edward.""
I almost laughed.
"Edward raised our son?""
"No. Edward raised Zachary.""
She leaned forward.
"Your son was given to a woman named Eleanor Albright. She was Edward's younger sister. She had lost her only child years earlier.""
I remembered the photograph of the older Albright family.
There had been a woman standing beside Edward.
Eleanor.
"Where is she now?""
"Dead.""
"And our son?""
Margaret looked at me.
"He's alive.""
Hannah stepped forward.
"Where?""
Margaret reached into her coat and removed a folded photograph.
It showed a man in his thirties standing outside a small workshop.
He had dark hair, broad shoulders, and a familiar expression.
I stared at the face.
I knew him.
Not personally.
But I had seen him before.
He was the man who had repaired the roof at my house two years earlier.
The quiet contractor who had refused payment when I discovered he had fixed the damaged porch railing too.
His name was James.
James Morgan.
The name on the second birth bracelet.
My son.
"Where is he?"" I whispered.
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"He's been living in town for almost five years.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because David was watching you.""
"Then why didn't he come to us?""
"Because he didn't know.""
A loud bang shook the front door.
Zachary shouted.
"Mother! Open this door!""
Margaret put the photograph into my hand.
"Chris, you need to understand something. David didn't just separate the babies. He arranged for them to grow up with different identities. He wanted to control the inheritance through the children.""
Hannah looked at her.
"Why did Zachary marry me?""
"Because David believed you were the only person who could unlock the protective trust.""
"And James?""
Margaret shook her head.
"James was never supposed to discover who he was.""
Another crash sounded.
The doorframe splintered.
I moved toward Margaret.
"We're leaving.""
She nodded.
"There is a back entrance.""
We hurried through the kitchen.
But before we reached the rear door, a voice came from the hallway.
"Don't move.""
Robert Hale stood there.
He held a handgun.
Behind him was Zachary.
Hannah stepped in front of Margaret.
"Get away from us.""
Zachary looked at her.
"I didn't come here to hurt you.""
"You've done enough.""
He lowered his eyes.
Then he looked at Margaret.
"Mother.""
She raised the revolver.
"Don't call me that.""
His face twisted.
"You abandoned me.""
"I was twenty-one years old. David told me you were being raised safely.""
"You knew where I was.""
"I found you when you were sixteen.""
"And you still didn't take me home.""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"Because you told me you hated me.""
Zachary laughed bitterly.
"You expected me to welcome you with open arms?""
"I expected you to be safe.""
"Instead, you gave everything to Christopher's family.""
Margaret shook her head.
"None of this was about money.""
"Then why did you hide the trust?""
"Because David wanted to use you.""
Zachary's expression hardened.
"He was my father.""
"He was a dangerous man.""
"He was the only person who ever told me the truth.""
Margaret took a step forward.
"No, Zachary. He told you the version of the truth that kept you obedient.""
Zachary turned toward me.
"She made you believe you had a son. She made you believe you were protecting Hannah. She has spent her entire life manipulating everyone around her.""
I looked at him.
"You knew about James?""
He didn't answer.
Margaret did.
"Zachary knows exactly where James is.""
Hannah turned sharply.
"Then why didn't you tell us?""
Zachary looked at her.
"Because he is the only person who can take everything away from me.""
I understood.
James wasn't simply another beneficiary.
He was the rightful heir to the Albright fortune.
And Zachary had spent his entire life believing that position belonged to him.
Robert raised his weapon.
"Enough talking.""
Margaret lifted hers.
"Put it down.""
Robert laughed.
"You're not going to shoot me.""
A loud crash came from outside.
Then the sound of breaking glass.
Everyone turned.
A man rushed through the kitchen window.
He tackled Robert before the gun could fire.
The weapon slid across the floor.
Zachary stepped backward.
The newcomer grabbed Robert's collar and punched him hard enough to send him against the refrigerator.
I stared.
It was James.
My son.
He looked at Margaret.
"Are you all right?""
She nodded.
Then he turned toward me.
Our eyes met.
For a moment, I couldn't move.
James swallowed.
"Mr. Williams?""
I stepped closer.
"Christopher.""
He nodded.
"James.""
I reached out and touched his shoulder.
He looked at my hand as if he didn't know whether to accept it.
Then Margaret began crying.
"He's your father, James.""
James looked at her.
Then at me.
Before he could say anything, Zachary grabbed Hannah and pulled her toward the front door.
"Nobody moves!""
I lunged.
But James caught my arm.
"Wait!""
Zachary dragged Hannah outside.
Then he turned back.
His eyes met mine.
"You want your son? Fine. You can have him.""
He smiled.
"But if you ever want to see your daughter again, you'll bring me the original trust documents.""
The door slammed.
A car engine roared.
Hannah was gone.
And James looked at Margaret with a terrible realization.
"Mother," he whispered, "you never told them what David did to the original trust.""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Not yet.""
James turned toward me.
"Because if Zachary gets those documents, he won't just inherit the money.""
May you like
He paused.
"He'll become the legal owner of the company that controls the hospital where Hannah was born.""
