INICIAR SESIÓNChapter 40The old Wellspring estate stood before us again.The same broken gates.The same dark windows.The same house that had haunted my dreams for years.But this time, I wasn’t afraid.Dominic parked the car.Marcus stayed behind with my sister and Ethan.“You don’t have to go inside alone,” Dominic said.I looked at him.“I know.”He held out his hand.I took it.“Then we’re going together.”We walked toward the house.Every step felt like I was walking back through my childhood.Back to the night I lost everything.The front door was already open.That scared me more than a locked door would have.Dominic raised his gun.We stepped inside.“William!” I shouted.My voice echoed through the empty house.Nothing.Then—“Upstairs.”I froze.The voice came from the hallway.William.Dominic tightened his grip on my hand.We walked upstairs.At the end of the hallway was my father’s old study.The door was open.I pushed it.And there he was.William Walker stood beside the window.
Chapter 39“You’ve been standing beside him all along.”The words echoed through the room.I slowly turned toward the man standing beside me.Alvin.He was silent.Too silent.Dominic stared at him.“What did he mean?”Alvin’s eyes remained on the screen.William smiled.“Go ahead, son. Ask him.”Dominic stepped toward Alvin.“Who are you?”Alvin looked at him.His face was expressionless.Then he slowly lowered his head.“I wanted to tell you.”My heart began pounding.“Tell me what?” Dominic asked.Alvin looked at him.“My name isn’t Alvin Walker.”Silence.“What?”“My real name is Adrian Walker.”Dominic stepped backward.“You’re lying.”“I was given the name Alvin when I was recruited.”“Recruited for what?”“To protect you.”Dominic stared at him.“From my father?”Alvin nodded.William laughed through the speaker.“Still playing the hero, Adrian?”Alvin’s expression hardened.“You don’t get to speak about them.”William smiled.“You failed.”“I kept them alive.”“For how long?”
Chapter 38I couldn’t move.My sister stood at the end of the hallway.Alive.Uninjured.And holding a gun.I stared at her shoulder.There wasn’t a single drop of blood.“You…”My voice barely came out.“You were shot.”She smiled.“I know.”I looked at Dominic.Then Marcus.Then back at her.“What is going on?”She slowly lowered the gun.“I needed you to believe I was hurt.”My heart sank.“So everything was an act?”“Yes.”I stepped backward.“Why?”“Because if they thought I was still with you, they’d follow me.”“And you wanted them to follow you?”“No.”She shook her head.“I wanted them to follow you.”The words hit me like a slap.I felt Dominic move closer to me.“Don’t listen to her.”My sister looked at him.“Still protecting her?”Dominic raised his gun.“Put yours down.”She laughed softly.“You haven’t changed, Number Nine.”Dominic froze.My eyes moved between them.“How do you know that name?”She ignored me.“Ethan told you, didn’t he?”Dominic’s expression hardened.
Chapter 37“Come home.”The voice echoed through the abandoned hospital.Dominic didn’t move.He just stared at the entrance.I had never seen him look so afraid.“Dominic?”Nothing.“Dominic!”He finally looked at me.“That’s Ethan.”My heart pounded.“But you said he was taken years ago.”“He was.”“Then how is he here?”Dominic shook his head.“I don’t know.”He stepped out of the car.I followed him.“Ashley, stay here.”“No.”He turned.“This place is dangerous.”“So are you going in there alone.”He stared at me for a moment.Then he sighed.“Fine. But stay close.”Marcus and Alvin followed us.The hospital doors opened with a loud creak.Inside, everything was dark.Dust covered the floors.Old wheelchairs were scattered across the hallway.The smell of dampness filled the air.Then the piano played again.One note.Two.Three.Dominic froze.“Ethan?”The music stopped.Silence.Then“Number Nine.”Dominic’s breathing changed.“Ethan!”He ran down the hallway.“Dominic!”I chas
Chapter 36The countdown continued.04:4204:4104:40I stared at the screen.My father’s warning.The hidden ledger.Project Rebirth.William Walker.Everything felt like one giant nightmare.And somehow, Dominic was standing in the middle of it.“Where would he go?” Marcus asked Alvin.Alvin shook his head.“I don’t know.”“You worked for him.”“I never met him.”Marcus frowned.“Then how do you know he’s alive?”“Because he contacted me.”My head snapped toward him.“When?”“After Ashley’s accident.”My heart stopped.“What did he say?”Alvin looked at me.“He told me that if I wanted you to survive, I had to do exactly what he said.”“And you obeyed?”“I had no choice.”“There is always a choice.”“I thought that too,” Alvin said quietly. “Until they showed me what they had done to the others.”I went silent.“What others?”Alvin looked at Dominic.“The children.”Dominic’s jaw tightened.“Tell me.”“After Project Rebirth was shut down, some of the children escaped. Others were ta
Chapter 35I stared at him.Alvin.He was supposed to be dying.The last time I saw him, he had collapsed after being shot.Yet here he stood.Blood covered his shirt, but he was alive.“How are you here?” I whispered.Alvin took another step toward me.“I followed you.”Dominic immediately raised his gun.“Don’t come any closer.”Alvin stopped.“Ashley, please.”I looked at him.“Don’t call my name like that.”His face fell.“You don’t understand.”“No.”I laughed bitterly.“I understand perfectly.”I pointed at the screen behind me.“Your name is right there.”Alvin looked at it.Then he closed his eyes.“I knew this day would come.”“You were recruited before you met me.”“Yes.”My heart cracked.“So everything was a lie?”“No.”“Was our marriage a lie?”“No.”“Did you ever love me?”His eyes filled with tears.“Yes.”The answer came immediately.“I loved you from the moment I met you.”“Then why?”He looked down.“Because I was afraid.”“Afraid of what?”“That they would kill you.







