Chapter 12 - THE GHOST OF THE HART FAMILY
The name destroyed Evelyn.
Her father.
Alive.
Dominic had never seen her look so frightened.
Not when the attackers came.
Not when Lucas collapsed.
Not even when Victor revealed the truth.
This was different.
This was personal.
“Who is your father?” Dominic asked.
Evelyn stood frozen.
“My father was Daniel Hart.”
“Was?”
“He died when I was sixteen.”
Victor was still alive, barely.
Marcus had called a private medical team.
They were working on him in the underground chamber.
Dominic stared at Evelyn.
“You said he died.”
“I saw him die.”
“Where?”
“In a car accident.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“Another car accident.”
Evelyn looked at him.
The realization came slowly.
Her father.
Dominic's accident.
The dead bodies.
The false identities.
The missing children.
It was all connected.
“My father was a lawyer,” Evelyn whispered.
Victor opened his eyes.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
Victor was barely conscious.
“Daniel Hart was never a lawyer.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“What was he?”
Victor looked at her.
“He was the architect.”
“Of what?”
“The organization that controlled the Vale empire.”
Dominic stared.
Victor continued.
“Your father built the empire. Daniel Hart built the system behind it.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“Your father knew about the children.”
“How?”
“Because Daniel knew everything.”
Evelyn stepped backward.
Dominic caught her hand.
She looked at him.
“I don't understand.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“He wanted Lucas.”
“Why?”
“Because Lucas carried the rare mutation.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“You said Eli carried it.”
Victor looked toward the boys.
“Eli carries part of it.”
Dominic froze.
“Part?”
Victor nodded.
“The three children inherited different combinations.”
“Explain.”
Victor's voice was weak.
“Your bloodline carries the heart condition. Evelyn's family carries the resistance.”
Dominic stared.
“Three children.”
“Three combinations.”
“Lucas?”
“The condition.”
“Eli?”
“The resistance.”
“Noah?”
Victor looked toward the sleeping boy.
“Something else.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“What?”
Victor did not answer.
Evelyn's voice became cold.
“What does Noah carry?”
Victor looked at her.
“Memory.”
Dominic stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does to Daniel Hart.”
Evelyn felt her face go pale.
Victor continued.
“Noah remembers things differently.”
Dominic looked at the boy.
He was three years old.
How could he remember something?
Victor whispered:
“Your father believed Noah could remember what other people forgot.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“That is impossible.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“Not according to Daniel.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“Find him.”
Marcus nodded.
“We will.”
But before they could leave, the doors opened.
A man entered.
He wore a dark coat.
His hair was gray.
His face was older.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
“Dad?”
The man smiled.
“Hello, Evelyn.”
She stared.
Dominic immediately moved in front of her.
Daniel Hart looked at him.
“You must be Dominic.”
Dominic raised his gun.
“You're not going anywhere.”
Daniel smiled.
“I have no intention of leaving.”
“Why are you here?”
“To take my grandson.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“You stole Lucas.”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I needed you to disappear.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked toward Noah.
“Because of him.”
Dominic's grip tightened.
“You're not touching my son.”
Daniel's eyes moved toward him.
“You still don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Daniel sighed.
“Your father wanted Eli.”
“Victor wanted Lucas.”
“And I wanted Noah.”
Evelyn stared.
“Why?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because Noah remembers.”
“Remembers what?”
Daniel smiled.
“Everything.”
The lights flickered.
Noah opened his eyes.
He looked directly at Daniel.
Then said:
“You were there.”
Daniel froze.
Dominic stared at his son.
Noah continued.
“You hurt Mommy.”
Evelyn's face went white.
Daniel's expression changed.
Dominic moved closer to Noah.
“What did he mean?”
Noah looked at Daniel.
“You were in the car.”
Daniel stepped backward.
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“The night of the accident.”
Daniel said nothing.
Noah pointed at him.
“You pushed Daddy's car.”
The room went silent.
Dominic stared.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Daniel smiled slowly.
“So he remembers.”
Dominic's voice became deadly.
“You caused the accident.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Yes.”
Dominic raised his gun.
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Dominic looked at her.
“He tried to kill me.”
“I know.”
“He destroyed our lives.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you stopping me?”
“Because I want answers.”
Daniel laughed.
“You are exactly like your father.”
Evelyn's voice trembled.
“No.”
She stepped forward.
“I am nothing like you.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You were always the weak one.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
Daniel smiled.
“Your father said the same thing about you.”
Dominic moved forward.
Then the chamber shook.
An explosion came from below.
Everyone fell.
The lights went out.
When they came back on, Daniel was gone.
Noah was gone.
Dominic froze.
“NOAH!”
Evelyn screamed.
The search began immediately.
They found a tunnel beneath the chamber.
Daniel had taken Noah through it.
Dominic followed.
His wheelchair moved over concrete.
Marcus ran ahead.
Evelyn was behind him with Eli and Lucas.
At the end of the tunnel, they found a car.
The engine was running.
Daniel was gone.
Noah was gone.
But on the ground lay Noah's blue blanket.
Evelyn collapsed.
Dominic stared at the empty road.
Then he saw something.
A small silver toy.
A crescent moon.
He picked it up.
Noah had left it behind.
A clue.
Dominic closed his hand around it.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
“We're getting him back.”
She nodded through tears.
“How?”
May you like
Dominic looked toward the road.
“By destroying everything Daniel Hart built.”
