Chapter 10: The Grand## Chapter 10: The Grandmother Who Stole Hermother Who Stole Her Own Granddaughter

“Where Own Granddaughter

“Where is my daughter?””

My voice echoed through the is my daughter?””

My voice echoed through the upstairs hallway.

Nobody answered.

I stood upstairs hallway.

Nobody answered.

I stood in Lily's bedroom, staring at the open window. in Lily's bedroom, staring at the open window. Her stuffed rabbit lay on the carpet.

The Her stuffed rabbit lay on the carpet. The curtains moved gently in the evening curtains moved gently in the evening breeze.

I had promised breeze.

I had promised her mother I would protect her.

I had promised her mother I would protect her.

I had promised Lily I would bring Danielle home.

And somehow Lily I would bring Danielle home.

And somehow, while I was busy uncover, while I was busy uncovering the truth, my own mother had taken my littleing the truth, my own mother had taken my little girl.

“Marcus!”” girl.

“Marcus!”” Officer Collins shouted from downstairs.

Officer Collins shouted from downstairs.

I rushed back.

I rushed back.

He was already speaking intoHe was already speaking into his radio.

“Lock down the surrounding his radio.

“Lock down the surrounding roads. Get units to every exit. roads.

Get units to every exit. We have a missing seven We have a missing seven-year-old, possibly taken in-year-old, possibly taken in a black SUV.””

Thomas stood beside him, a black SUV.””

Thomas stood beside him, his face pale.

Sophie was crying his face pale.

Sophie was crying.

“My daughter is there.

“My daughter is there too,” she whispered.

“Both girls too,” she whispered.

“Both girls are with them.””

I grabbed are with them.””

I grabbed my phone and called Evelyn.

She my phone and called Evelyn.

She answered immediately.

“Hello, sweetheart answered immediately.

“Hello, sweetheart.””

“Where is Lily?””

“.””

“Where is Lily?””

“She's safe.””

“Put her onShe's safe.””

“Put her on the phone.””

“Marcus, you need to the phone.””

“Marcus, you need to calm down.””

“PUT MY calm down.””

“PUT MY DAUGHTER ON THE PHONE!””

A small DAUGHTER ON THE PHONE!””

A small voice came through.

“Dad?””

I nearly voice came through.

“Dad?””

I nearly collapsed.

“Lily! Baby collapsed.

“Lily! Baby, are you okay?””

“I'm scared, are you okay?””

“I'm scared.””

“Where are you?””

“I don't know..””

“Where are you?””

“I don't know. Grandma said we're going somewhere to see Mommy.””

I Grandma said we're going somewhere to see Mommy.””

I closed my eyes.

“Listen to me, sweetheart. Stay with closed my eyes.

“Listen to me, sweetheart. Stay with Sophie. Don't go anywhere with anyone unless I Sophie. Don't go anywhere with anyone unless I tell you it's okay.””

“Okay, tell you it's okay.””

“Okay, Dad.””

Then Evelyn took the phone.

“You Dad.””

Then Evelyn took the phone.

“You see? She's perfectly see? She's perfectly fine.””

“You kidnapped your fine.””

“You kidnapped your granddaughter.””

“I brought her somewhere safe.””

“From whom?””

“From you.””

granddaughter.””

“I brought her somewhere safe.””

“From whom?””

“From you.””

I couldn't believe what I was hearingI couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“You've lost your mind.””

“No,.

“You've lost your mind.””

“No, Marcus. I've finally stopped letting you destroy everything your father and Marcus. I've finally stopped letting you destroy everything your father and I built.””

“What do you want?””

“The I built.””

“What do you want?””

“The original will. The death original will. The death certificate. And the memory card.””

“You certificate. And the memory card.””

“You already have the memory already have the memory card.””

“I want the original.””

“Then release card.””

“I want the original.””

“Then release the girls.””

E the girls.””

Evelyn laughed softly.

“You still think thisvelyn laughed softly.

“You still think this is a negotiation between equals.””

My is a negotiation between equals.””

My hands tightened around the hands tightened around the phone.

“Listen carefully. If phone.

“Listen carefully. If you hurt Lily, I will make sure you spend the you hurt Lily, I will make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison.””

“Don't rest of your life in prison.””

“Don't threaten me, Marcus. I'm your mother.””

“You threaten me, Marcus. I'm your mother.””

“You stopped being my mother when you took my child.””

There was a stopped being my mother when you took my child.””

There was a long silence.

Then Evelyn said long silence.

Then Evelyn said, “Your father made, “Your father made the same mistake.””

The call ended.

I the same mistake.””

The call ended.

I turned toward Officer Collins.

“Can you trace turned toward Officer Collins.

“Can you trace it?””

“We're working on it.””

Thomas suddenly spoke.

“She's it?””

“We're working on it.””

Thomas suddenly spoke.

“She's taking them to the old estate taking them to the old estate.””

I looked at him.

“What estate?””

“The property.””

I looked at him.

“What estate?””

“The property where Robert kept where Robert kept his private office. It's outside town his private office. It's outside town, near the lake.””

“, near the lake.””

“Why would sheWhy would she go there?””

“Because there's go there?””

“Because there's a vault beneath the house. Your father kept a vault beneath the house. Your father kept the original documents there.””

I stared at him the original documents there.””

I stared at him.

“You knew about this?””

“I helped.

“You knew about this?””

“I helped him build it.””

Officer Collins immediately him build it.””

Officer Collins immediately contacted the nearest units.

Then contacted the nearest units.

Then Sophie stepped forward.

“My daughter Sophie stepped forward.

“My daughter has a medical condition. She needs medication has a medical condition. She needs medication every evening.””

Her voice every evening.””

Her voice cracked.

“How much cracked.

“How much time?””

“About two time?””

“About two hours.””

Collins nodded.

“We're moving hours.””

Collins nodded.

“We're moving.””

I grabbed my coat.

He blocked.””

I grabbed my coat.

He blocked the door.

“Marcus the door.

“Marcus, you are not going in, you are not going in ahead of us.””

“I'm not waiting while ahead of us.””

“I'm not waiting while my daughter is held hostage.””

my daughter is held hostage.””

“If you rush in,“If you rush in, Evelyn may panic Evelyn may panic.””

“She's already pan.””

“She's already panicked. That's why sheicked. That's why she took Lily.””

He studied my face.

Then took Lily.””

He studied my face.

Then he handed me a small radio.

“You stay behind my team he handed me a small radio.

“You stay behind my team. You do exactly what I tell. You do exactly what I tell you.””

I nodded.

We left within you.””

I nodded.

We left within minutes.

The drive to the estate felt minutes.

The drive to the estate felt endless.

I kept imagining endless.

I kept imagining Lily sitting in the Lily sitting in the back of Evelyn's car, asking back of Evelyn's car, asking when she could come home.

I remembered when she could come home.

I remembered her little hands gripping my fingers her little hands gripping my fingers at Danielle's funeral.

I at Danielle's funeral.

I remembered her asking whether Mommy could remembered her asking whether Mommy could hear her when she spoke hear her when she spoke to the sky.

For to the sky.

For two years, I had allowed my mother to stand two years, I had allowed my mother to stand between me and the truth.

Never between me and the truth.

Never again.

When we reached the property, the again.

When we reached the property, the house stood dark against the lake.

A house stood dark against the lake.

A single light burned in an single light burned in an upstairs window.

Officer Collins raised his hand.

The upstairs window.

Officer Collins raised his hand.

The team spread out.

Then my team spread out.

Then my phone vibrated.

A message from Evelyn.

* phone vibrated.

A message from Evelyn.

Come inside aloneCome inside alone. The girls are waiting.

I showed. The girls are waiting.*

I showed Collins.

He shook his head.

“No.””

Collins.

He shook his head.

“No.””

Another message arrived.

This time, it was a voiceAnother message arrived.

This time, it was a voice recording.

I pressed PLAY recording.

I pressed PLAY.

Lily's voice came through.

“Dad, Grandma.

Lily's voice came through.

“Dad, Grandma says you have to bring says you have to bring the papers. Please come the papers. Please come get us.””

Then get us.””

Then I heard Vanessa.

“Tell I heard Vanessa.

“Tell him what happens if he doesn't.””

him what happens if he doesn't.””

A door slammed.

The recording stopped.

My blood ran cold.

CollA door slammed.

The recording stopped.

My blood ran cold.

Collins spoke quietly.

“Weins spoke quietly.

“We have a warrant. We're going in.””

The have a warrant. We're going in.””

The officers approached the entrance.

Before officers approached the entrance.

Before they reached the door, it opened.

Vanessa stood there.

She wore they reached the door, it opened.

Vanessa stood there.

She wore a black dress and held a glass of water.

“Marcus,” she said.

“You're a black dress and held a glass of water.

“Marcus,” she said.

“You're early.””

“Where is early.””

“Where is Lily?””

“Inside.””

“Take Lily?””

“Inside.””

“Take me to her.””

She stepped aside.

“Come in.””

Collins moved me to her.””

She stepped aside.

“Come in.””

Collins moved forward, but Vanessa raised her forward, but Vanessa raised her hand.

“Not him.””

She hand.

“Not him.””

She looked directly at me.

“Your mother wants to see you first.””

I entered.

looked directly at me.

“Your mother wants to see you first.””

I entered.

The house smelled of old woodThe house smelled of old wood and furniture polish.

Everything was exactly as I remembered from childhood.

and furniture polish.

Everything was exactly as I remembered from childhood.

The grandfather clock.

The photographsThe grandfather clock.

The photographs.

The staircase where my father used to sit and read the newspaper.

But.

The staircase where my father used to sit and read the newspaper.

But the family portraits had been removed.

In their place hung a large photograph of my mother.

She was the family portraits had been removed.

In their place hung a large photograph of my mother.

She was smiling.

I followed Vanessa toward the study.

smiling.

I followed Vanessa toward the study.

Evelyn stood beside the fireplace.

Lily andEvelyn stood beside the fireplace.

Lily and Sophie were sitting on a sofa.

Both girls looked frightened.

I rushed toward them.

“ Sophie were sitting on a sofa.

Both girls looked frightened.

I rushed toward them.

“Lily!””

She jumpedLily!””

She jumped up and ran into my arms.

“Dad!””

I up and ran into my arms.

“Dad!””

I held her so tightly that she began crying.

“I'm here, baby. I've held her so tightly that she began crying.

“I'm here, baby. I've got you.””

Evelyn watched us.

“Now that we've got you.””

Evelyn watched us.

“Now that we've established everyone is safe, perhaps we can discuss the documents.””

I turned toward her.

“You established everyone is safe, perhaps we can discuss the documents.””

I turned toward her.

“You're finished.””

She smiled sadly.

“Your father're finished.””

She smiled sadly.

“Your father said those exact words to me.””

said those exact words to me.””

Then she opened a drawer and removed a thick folderThen she opened a drawer and removed a thick folder.

Inside was a document bearing my father's signature.

“Do you know what this.

Inside was a document bearing my father's signature.

“Do you know what this is, Marcus?””

I shook my head.

“It's the original trust is, Marcus?””

I shook my head.

“It's the original trust agreement.””

She placed it on the desk.

“Your father didn't agreement.””

She placed it on the desk.

“Your father didn't leave you the company outright. He left you temporary control. The final ownership depended leave you the company outright.

He left you temporary control. The final ownership depended on a condition.””

“What condition?””

Evelyn looked at Lily.

“That on a condition.””

“What condition?””

Evelyn looked at Lily.

“That you remain married and maintain a stable family.””

I frowned.

“That you remain married and maintain a stable family.””

I frowned.

“That sounds ridiculous.””

“Your father was old-fashioned.””

Vanessa moved beside her sounds ridiculous.””

“Your father was old-fashioned.””

Vanessa moved beside her.

“Which is why the marriage matters.””

I looked at Vanessa.

“What marriage?””

She smiled.

“Which is why the marriage matters.””

I looked at Vanessa.

“What marriage?””

She smiled.

“Yours and mine.””

My stomach turned.

Evelyn tapped the document.

.

“Yours and mine.””

My stomach turned.

Evelyn tapped the document.

“If you divorce Vanessa before tomorrow's“If you divorce Vanessa before tomorrow's hearing, the company transfers into the trust.””

“And who controls the trust?””

She hearing, the company transfers into the trust.””

“And who controls the trust?””

She smiled.

“Me.””

For a moment, I couldn't smiled.

“Me.””

For a moment, I couldn't speak.

Then I understood.

They hadn't simply wanted me to marry Vanessa.

They had needed speak.

Then I understood.

They hadn't simply wanted me to marry Vanessa.

They had needed me to remain married to her until the inheritance was secured.

My mother leaned me to remain married to her until the inheritance was secured.

My mother leaned forward.

“Now, Marcus, we can still make this work.””

I looked at Lily forward.

“Now, Marcus, we can still make this work.””

I looked at Lily.

Then at Sophie.

Then at the woman who had raised.

Then at Sophie.

Then at the woman who had raised me.

“No.””

Evelyn's smile disappeared.

“Think carefully me.

“No.””

Evelyn's smile disappeared.

“Think carefully.””

“I have.””

I took Lily's hand.

“You can keep the company.””

.””

“I have.””

I took Lily's hand.

“You can keep the company.””

Vanessa's face hardened.

“You don'tVanessa's face hardened.

“You don't mean that.””

“I mean every word.””

Then the study door opened.

mean that.””

“I mean every word.””

Then the study door opened.

Thomas walked in besideThomas walked in beside Officer Collins.

And behind them stood a woman wearing a blue coat Officer Collins.

And behind them stood a woman wearing a blue coat.

Her hair was shorter.

Her face was thinner.

But I knew her instantly.

Danielle.

.

Her hair was shorter.

Her face was thinner.

But I knew her instantly.

Danielle.

My wife.

Alive.

Evelyn dropped the folder.

For the first time, sheMy wife.

Alive.

Evelyn dropped the folder.

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