Chapter 9: The Last Secret
The video stopped.
Rain hammered the conservatory roof.
Grace stood frozen.
Richard remained outside the glass doors.
Evelyn was beside him, crying silently.
Michael was nowhere in sight.
Grace turned toward Helen.
“What did she mean?””
Helen shook her head.
“I don't know everything.””
“You said you knew.””
“I knew enough to survive.””
Grace looked at the necklace.
“Open it.””
Helen grabbed her wrist.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because Victoria specifically warned me.””
Grace pulled free.
“My entire life has been built on lies.””
She pointed at the necklace.
“I'm done being afraid of the truth.””
Helen stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
“There is a clasp beneath the center stone.””
Grace turned the necklace over.
Her fingers searched the metal.
Nothing.
“Here,” Helen whispered.
She touched a tiny groove.
Grace pressed.
A hidden compartment clicked open.
Inside was a miniature memory card.
Grace stared.
“What is that?””
“A recording.””
“How do you know?””
“Victoria told me.””
Grace carefully removed it.
At that moment, the conservatory doors opened.
Richard stepped inside.
The police officers followed.
Evelyn remained outside.
Richard looked at Grace.
“Give me the card.””
Grace backed away.
“No.””
“Grace.””
“You murdered Victoria.””
His expression didn't change.
“That isn't true.””
“Helen says it is.””
“Helen has been unstable for years.””
Helen shouted, “You poisoned your own sister!””
Richard looked at her.
“Enough.””
Grace stepped between them.
“Did you?””
Richard stared at her.
Then he sighed.
“I made mistakes.””
Grace's voice cracked.
“That's not an answer.””
“No.””
He looked at the necklace.
“The necklace was never supposed to be found.””
Grace felt cold.
“So you admit it.””
“I admit nothing.””
Evelyn suddenly entered.
“Richard.””
He turned.
“What?””
She was holding a small handgun.
The police officers immediately reached for their weapons.
“Drop it!”” one officer shouted.
Evelyn's hand shook.
She looked at Richard.
“You promised me.””
Richard's face hardened.
“I promised you nothing.””
“You said Grace would never find out.””
“You helped me.””
“I didn't know you killed Victoria!””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“You knew enough.””
Evelyn's tears fell.
“I thought we were protecting the family.””
Richard laughed.
“You were protecting yourself.””
Grace stared at them.
“So both of you lied.””
Evelyn lowered the gun slightly.
“I was afraid.””
Grace's voice softened.
“Then help me.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Tell me the truth.””
Richard suddenly lunged.
The gun fired.
The shot shattered a glass panel.
Everyone screamed.
Evelyn dropped the weapon.
One officer tackled Richard to the floor.
The second officer handcuffed Evelyn.
Grace stood motionless.
Helen rushed toward her.
“Are you hurt?””
Grace shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at the memory card in her palm.
“This is the truth.””
The officer picked up the card.
“We'll need to enter this into evidence.””
Grace nodded.
Then a voice came from behind them.
“Wait.””
Everyone turned.
Michael stood in the doorway.
His face was devastated.
He looked at Grace.
“There is something you need to know before they play that.””
Grace stared.
“What?””
Michael slowly approached.
“I lied too.””
Grace's expression hardened.
“About what?””
Michael stopped.
“About who your mother was.””
Grace frowned.
“You mean Margaret?””
“No.””
“Victoria?””
Michael shook his head.
“Neither.””
Helen whispered, “Michael…”
He closed his eyes.
“Your biological mother was Victoria.””
Grace nodded.
“I know.””
“But Victoria wasn't the woman who raised you.””
“I know.””
Michael's voice broke.
“She wasn't even the woman who gave birth to you.””
Grace went still.
“What?””
Michael looked at the necklace.
“Victoria carried the pregnancy.””
Grace's breathing stopped.
“But the embryo…”
He couldn't finish.
Grace whispered, “What embryo?””
Michael looked at Helen.
Then Richard.
Then Evelyn.
Finally, he faced Grace.
“Your biological parents were never who you thought.””
Grace stared at him.
“Who are they?””
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
“Your mother was Victoria.””
Grace shook her head.
“You just said—”
“I said she carried you.””
He swallowed.
“But your DNA…”
The police officer's radio suddenly crackled.
A dispatcher's voice came through.
“Officer, we've identified the DNA profile from the original hospital records.””
Everyone turned.
The officer listened.
His face changed.
“Repeat that.””
The voice came again.
The officer slowly lowered the radio.
Grace stared at him.
“What?””
He looked at Michael.
Then at Grace.
“Your biological father is confirmed.””
Grace's pulse raced.
“Who?””
The officer looked down at his notes.
“The sample matches…”
He stopped.
Everyone waited.
Then the conservatory lights suddenly went out.
Complete darkness.
A scream tore through the room.
When the emergency lights came on seconds later, Richard was still handcuffed.
Evelyn was still on the floor.
Helen was still beside Grace.
But Michael was gone.
So was the memory card.
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And on the marble table, beneath the missing necklace's empty display box, someone had left a single handwritten note:
*ASK RICHARD WHO YOUR FATHER REALLY IS.*
