MasukDaniel stared at his phone as if it had come back from the dead.The name on the screen was impossible.GRACE.Amelia watched him carefully.“Answer it.”Daniel didn’t move.“Daniel,” Damian warned. “Answer the phone.”His fingers trembled as he accepted the call and placed it on speaker.“Hello?”For several seconds, there was only silence.Then a woman’s voice emerged.“You shouldn’t have said anything about the baby.”Daniel closed his eyes.“Grace.”“You were told to forget that night.”“I tried.”“You were paid to forget.”“I wasn’t paid.”A short, humourless laugh came through the speaker.“Is that what you tell yourself?”Amelia stepped closer.“Who are you?”The woman paused.“And you must be Amelia.”“I’m asking who you are.”“I am the woman who made sure you didn’t take the wrong child home.”Amelia’s stomach tightened.“What does that mean?”“It means your entire life was built on a transfer that was never supposed to happen.”Daniel gripped the phone.“Where is Gabriel?”A pau
Amelia stared at the message on her phone.Your father has been moved. If you want to see him alive, come without Daniel.The words seemed to pulse against the screen.She slowly lowered the phone.Daniel stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable. Damian was watching him with undisguised suspicion, while Elias examined the hospital documents spread across the table.Nobody spoke.Finally, Daniel broke the silence.“Ask me.”Amelia looked up.“What?”“Whatever you're thinking. Whatever you want to know. Ask me.”She swallowed.“Did you carry me out of that hospital?”Daniel's jaw tightened.“I remember carrying a baby.”“That isn't what I asked.”“I know.”“Was it me?”He looked at her for a long moment.“I don't know, Amelia.”The answer hurt more than she expected.“You don't know?”“I remember a white blanket. I remember a nurse handing me a baby. I remember being told the child needed to be taken somewhere safe.” He rubbed his forehead. “But I never saw the baby's face clear
For several seconds, Amelia couldn’t move.Daniel stood before her, his face drained of colour.“I think I was the person who carried you out of that hospital.”The words seemed to hang in the air.Amelia shook her head.“No.”Daniel looked at her helplessly.“I don’t know what else to tell you.”“No, Daniel. You don’t get to say something like that and expect me to accept it.”“I understand.”“Do you? Because I’ve spent my entire life being told different stories about who I am. One person says she’s my mother. Another says she’s my mother. Now you’re telling me you carried me out of a hospital when I was born?”Daniel lowered his head.“I remember holding a baby. I remember Richard telling me the child’s mother was dead. I remember the bracelet.”“Did you know the baby’s name?”“No.”“Did you know where you were taking it?”“I was told to deliver the baby to Eleanor.”Amelia stared at him.“Then why did you say you think it was me?”Daniel looked at the photograph on Damian’s phone.“
Daniel stared at the housekeeper.“You’re mistaken.”The woman shook her head.“I remember you clearly.”“I have never visited this house with Gabriel.”“Not this house, sir. The hospital.”Daniel’s expression changed.“What hospital?”“St. Catherine’s Private Hospital. You came with Richard the night Mr. Carter was admitted.”Richard stepped forward.“That’s enough.”But Daniel was no longer listening to him.St. Catherine’s.The name stirred something buried deep in his memory.A hospital corridor.The smell of antiseptic.A man lying on a bed, his face covered in blood.Someone shouting that the patient needed to be transferred immediately.Daniel pressed a hand against his forehead.“Gabriel…”Amelia moved closer.“You remember him?”Daniel looked at her.“I remember meeting a man by that name. But I was told he died in the fire.”“Who told you?”He looked at Richard.Richard’s silence was becoming unbearable.“Tell her,” Daniel demanded. “Tell her what happened that night.”Richard’s fac
The sound of the front door slamming echoed through the house.Damian immediately moved towards the bedroom entrance.“Stay here.”Amelia caught his arm.“Don’t you dare leave me in this room without an explanation.”He looked at her.“Someone is downstairs.”“And someone just told me that my entire identity is a lie. I think I deserve to know what’s happening.”Alexander stepped between them.“Both of you need to listen.”Damian turned on him.“Not another word until you tell me who Amelia’s father is.”Alexander glanced at Isabella.She shook her head.“Not here.”A man’s footsteps sounded on the staircase.Slow.Deliberate.Then Richard appeared at the doorway.He wasn’t alone.Two men stood behind him.Richard looked at Damian, then at Amelia.“I warned you not to come here.”Damian’s expression hardened.“You lied about my mother being dead.”Richard ignored him.“Amelia, put the document down.”She tightened her grip.“Why? Afraid I’ll finally learn who I am?”Richard sighed.“You’ve be
Damian read the message twice.If you want to see your mother again, come alone.Then the second message appeared.And bring Amelia. She’s the only one who can tell you which of us is lying.He looked at Amelia.“You’re not going.”She raised an eyebrow.“Excuse me?”“It’s dangerous.”“That’s interesting coming from the man who was prepared to walk into a trap alone.”“Amelia”“No. Don’t start. Whoever sent that message knows my name, knows about the photograph, and knows we’re looking for your mother. I’m involved whether you like it or not.”Damian exhaled.“I don’t want anything happening to you.”“You should have considered that before making me part of this family’s disaster.”He looked away.There was nothing he could say to that.Daniel approached them, with Vanessa and Victoria behind him.“What’s happening?”Damian showed him the messages.Daniel’s expression hardened.“You’re not going anywhere without us.”“The message specifically says to come alone,” Damian replied.“Then we







