Chapter Twenty — The Last Confession
1564 Words
Chapter Twenty — The Last Confession
The ambulance disappeared into the night.
Emma stood outside the Hayes estate, staring at the flashing lights.
His father’s blood was still on his hands.
Sandra walked toward him.
“Emma.”
He looked at her.
“Is he going to survive?”
“I don’t know.”
She gently took his hand.
“We’ll wait.”
Alexander approached them.
“The police have taken Victor.”
Emma looked at him.
“Did he admit killing Sandra’s mother?”
“Not yet.”
“But he said he gave the order.”
Alexander nodded.
“That doesn’t mean he’ll confess officially.”
Sandra looked toward the estate.
“There’s still something he isn’t telling us.”
Emma nodded.
“Yes.”
The police had sealed the underground room.
But before they left, an officer handed Emma a small evidence bag.
Inside was the old key.
Emma stared at it.
“What is this?”
“It was found near Victor.”
Sandra looked at the key.
“We already used that one.”
The officer shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed to the evidence label.
“This key was found in Victor’s pocket.”
Emma’s face changed.
“Then whose key did we use?”
Everyone fell silent.
Alexander slowly looked toward the underground room.
“There were two keys.”
Sandra’s heart began racing.
“The first key opened the room.”
Alexander nodded.
“Then this one must open something else.”
Emma looked at the key.
A small number was engraved on it.
27.
“What does 27 mean?”
Alexander shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Then Sandra remembered something.
“My mother had a necklace with the number twenty-seven engraved on the back.”
Emma stared at her.
“The necklace?”
Sandra touched her neck.
The necklace was still missing.
“Marcus took it.”
Alexander looked toward the road.
“Then we need to find Marcus.”
Before they could move, Emma’s phone rang.
It was the hospital.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?”
A doctor’s voice came through.
“Are you Emma Hayes?”
“Yes.”
“Your father is out of surgery.”
Emma closed his eyes in relief.
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Can I see him?”
“He’s conscious.”
Emma turned toward Sandra.
“He’s alive.”
She smiled through her tears.
They rushed to the hospital.
When they arrived, Richard was lying in a private room.
He looked weak.
Emma walked toward him.
“Dad.”
Richard opened his eyes.
“You’re here.”
“Of course.”
Richard looked at Sandra.
Then Alexander.
“You found him.”
Emma frowned.
“Found who?”
Richard’s breathing became heavy.
“The man behind everything.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Who?”
Richard looked at him.
“I don’t know his name.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
Richard continued.
“Victor wasn’t the mastermind.”
Emma stared at him.
“But he said he was.”
“Victor was following orders.”
“From whom?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“I never saw his face.”
Sandra stepped closer.
“Then how do you know he exists?”
Richard looked at her.
“Because he contacted me.”
“When?”
“Twenty-two years ago.”
Emma’s heart raced.
“What did he want?”
“Your mother’s death.”
Sandra’s eyes filled with tears.
“Why?”
Richard looked at her.
“Because she discovered who he was.”
“Who?”
Richard shook his head.
“He never gave me his name.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“Then what did he tell you?”
Richard swallowed.
“He said something I never understood.”
“What?”
“He said, ‘The child must never know who she is.’”
Sandra froze.
“The child?”
Richard nodded.
“You.”
Sandra stepped backward.
“Why?”
Richard looked at her.
“Because your birth was connected to something bigger than money.”
Emma frowned.
“What?”
Richard looked toward Alexander.
“Your family was involved.”
Alexander shook his head.
“My family?”
Richard nodded.
“Your father.”
Alexander’s face changed.
“My father died before Sandra was born.”
“Exactly.”
“What does he have to do with her?”
Richard looked at Sandra.
“Everything.”
Sandra’s voice trembled.
“Tell me.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Your biological father isn’t Alexander.”
Silence.
Sandra stopped breathing.
Alexander stared at Richard.
“What did you say?”
Richard opened his eyes.
“Alexander believed he was your father.”
Alexander stepped backward.
“No.”
“But he wasn’t.”
Sandra’s eyes filled with tears.
“Then who is?”
Richard struggled to breathe.
“I don’t know.”
Emma stared at his father.
“You said Alexander was her father.”
“That’s what everyone believed.”
Sandra shook her head.
“No.”
She began crying.
“You are lying.”
Richard looked at her.
“I wish I were.”
Alexander turned away.
His face was devastated.
“I loved your mother.”
Sandra cried.
“And she loved you.”
“But that doesn’t make me your father.”
The room fell silent.
Emma moved toward Sandra.
She collapsed into his arms.
“Why does everyone keep taking my family away from me?”
Emma held her tightly.
“I’m here.”
“I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“You are Sandra.”
He looked into her eyes.
“That’s enough for me.”
Richard watched them.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
“There is one person who knows the truth.”
Sandra looked at him.
“Who?”
Richard hesitated.
“Your mother’s closest friend.”
“Where is she?”
Richard whispered:
“London.”
Emma immediately looked at Alexander.
“Then we’ll find her.”
Richard grabbed his son’s wrist.
“Be careful.”
“Why?”
“Because the person who has been hiding the truth…”
He paused.
“…is closer than you think.”
Emma’s heart sank.
“Who?”
Richard’s eyes moved toward the door.
Nobody was there.
Then he whispered:
“Someone inside this hospital.”
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Sandra screamed.
The monitors began beeping.
Emma reached for her.
“Stay with me.”
A shadow moved across the doorway.
Alexander rushed toward it.
“Stop!”
The figure ran.
Alexander chased him into the hallway.
Emma stayed with Sandra.
Then the lights came back on.
Richard’s bed was empty.
Emma froze.
“Dad?”
Sandra looked around.
“He was here.”
The window was open.
The curtains moved in the wind.
Emma rushed toward it.
“Someone took him.”
Alexander returned.
“I didn’t catch him.”
Emma stared at the open window.
“Whoever did this knew exactly where we were.”
Sandra held the necklace chain around her neck, but the pendant was still missing.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A small piece of paper.
She picked it up.
There were only four words.
Twenty-seven knows everything.
Emma stared at the message.
“What does that mean?”
Alexander looked at the key.
Number 27.
Then his face changed.
“I know.”
“What?”
Alexander looked toward the hospital corridor.
“Room 27.”
Emma’s eyes widened.
“Someone is in room 27.”
They ran down the hallway.
At the end stood a door marked:
27.
Emma opened it.
The room was empty.
Except for an old woman sitting beside the window.
She slowly turned toward them.
Sandra stopped.
The woman looked exactly like her mother.
Sandra’s voice disappeared.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled sadly.
“My name is Evelyn.”
Sandra’s heart stopped.
“That’s my mother’s name.”
The woman nodded.
“I know.”
She stood slowly.
“Because I am the woman who helped raise your mother.”
Sandra stared at her.
“Then you know who my real father is.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
The old woman looked at Alexander.
Then at Emma.
Then back at Sandra.
“You are not the daughter of Alexander.”
She paused.
“You’re not the daughter of Daniel.”
Sandra’s heart pounded.
“Then whose daughter am I?”
Evelyn whispered:
“Your father is the man who has been hunting you all these years.”
Sandra’s blood ran cold.
“Who?”
Evelyn looked toward the door.
“He’s already here.”
A man’s voice came from behind them.
“Finally.”
Everyone turned.
A tall man stood in the doorway.
Sandra stared at him.
She knew his face.
She had seen him before.
The man smiled.
“My daughter.”
Sandra couldn’t breathe.
Emma stepped in front of her.
“Who are you?”
The man looked at Emma.
Then smiled.
“Ask your father.”
He paused.
“My name is Jonathan Hayes.”
Emma’s face went pale.
“That’s impossible.”
Jonathan smiled.
“Your grandfather told everyone I was dead.”
He looked at Sandra.
“But I’m alive.”
And suddenly, the entire story changed again.
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