The heir in plain sight

Nobody moved.

Victoria's words hung in the air.

Alexander Blackwood has been hiding the third heir in plain sight.

Adrian stared at his mother.

“What exactly does that mean?”

Victoria placed her handbag on the table.

“It means your grandfather has spent years protecting someone whose identity could destroy everything he built.”

Elena stepped forward.

“Who is this person?”

Victoria looked towards Margaret.

“Before I tell you, she must explain what happened thirty years ago.”

Margaret's expression tightened.

“I have already told them enough.”

“No,” Victoria replied. “You've told them what you wanted them to know.”

Adrian's patience was running out.

“Both of you keep speaking in riddles. I want names, dates and the truth.”

Victoria nodded slowly.

“Then listen carefully. When Jonathan disappeared, Alexander believed he had eliminated every threat to his inheritance. He was wrong. Three children survived, and each carried a different part of Jonathan's legacy.”

“Samuel, Elena and Lydia,” Adrian said.

Victoria nodded.

“But there was another person Jonathan trusted. Someone who knew where the original inheritance record was hidden.”

Catherine's disappearance suddenly came back to Elena.

“Are you talking about Catherine?”

Victoria shook her head.

“Catherine helped create the agreement. She wasn't the person Jonathan entrusted with the final secret.”

Margaret looked uncomfortable.

“Victoria, stop.”

Victoria ignored her.

“The person Jonathan trusted was someone who remained close to Alexander even after Jonathan disappeared.”

Adrian frowned.

“Who?”

Victoria looked at him.

“Richard.”

---

Adrian immediately reached for his phone.

“My father?”

“Yes.”

“He has been missing. We don't even know whether he's safe.”

Victoria's expression changed.

“Richard is alive.”

Elena stepped closer.

“How do you know?”

“Because I spoke to him yesterday.”

Adrian looked stunned.

“You knew where he was and didn't tell us?”

“I knew he was trying to protect the original agreement. I didn't know where he had gone.”

“That's convenient,” Adrian replied coldly.

Victoria accepted his anger without responding.

Margaret finally spoke.

“Richard helped Jonathan hide the third heir. He was there when the child was taken away.”

Elena's eyes widened.

“Taken away by whom?”

Margaret looked at Victoria.

Victoria answered quietly.

“By me.”

Adrian stepped back.

“You?”

“I was young, frightened and convinced Alexander would destroy anyone who threatened his empire. Jonathan asked me to protect the child.”

Elena's voice hardened.

“And you agreed?”

“Yes.”

“Where is the child now?”

Victoria looked down.

“I don't know.”

Adrian gave a bitter laugh.

“You expect us to believe you protected someone for thirty years and have no idea where they are?”

“I didn't say I protected the child for thirty years. I said I helped hide the child when Jonathan disappeared.”

Lydia folded her arms.

“Then what happened afterwards?”

Victoria looked towards the window.

“Alexander took over.”

---

Samuel's photograph was still lying on the table.

Adrian picked it up.

“If Samuel isn't the third heir, why did he allow us to believe he was connected to the inheritance?”

Victoria examined the photograph.

“Because he knows the identity of the third heir. But he doesn't know where that person is.”

Elena frowned.

“Then why did he say he was Jonathan's firstborn son?”

“Because he is. But being Jonathan's firstborn doesn't automatically make him the third heir under the agreement.”

Margaret nodded.

“The agreement was based on three separate responsibilities, not simply birth order.”

Adrian looked at the old leather book.

“First heir restores the name. Second reveals the truth. Third decides the future.”

Victoria nodded.

“Exactly.”

Lily, who had been quietly listening, approached Elena.

“Mum, does that mean the third person can decide what happens to everyone?”

Elena knelt beside her.

“It means someone has been given a responsibility. But that doesn't mean they can hurt anyone.”

Lily looked towards Victoria.

“Does Grandpa know who the person is?”

Victoria's expression became unreadable.

“He knows more than anyone.”

---

A phone suddenly rang.

It was Adrian's.

An unknown number appeared on the screen.

He answered.

“Who is this?”

A familiar voice replied.

“Your family has been asking the wrong questions.”

Adrian recognised it immediately.

“Samuel?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you?”

“Somewhere your grandfather cannot reach me.”

Adrian moved away from the others.

“What do you know about the third heir?”

Samuel paused.

“I know who the person is. I also know why Jonathan refused to reveal the name.”

“Tell me.”

“Not over the phone. Meet me at the old Blackwood library tonight.”

Adrian narrowed his eyes.

“Why should I trust you?”

“You shouldn't. But if you want to find Richard, you have no other choice.”

The call ended.

Adrian returned to the others.

“Samuel wants to meet us.”

Victoria immediately shook her head.

“Don't go.”

“Why?”

“Because Samuel isn't the only person looking for the third heir.”

Margaret stood up.

“She's right. If Alexander discovers where Samuel is hiding, he'll make sure none of us ever finds the original agreement.”

Elena looked at Adrian.

“We need to find Richard first.”

Adrian nodded.

“We'll meet Samuel. But we won't go unprepared.”

---

Later that evening, Lydia helped Lily settle into bed.

Elena remained in the sitting room with Margaret.

For the first time in years, mother and daughter were alone.

Elena looked at her mother.

“Did you ever regret letting Daniel raise me?”

Margaret's eyes filled with tears.

“Every day.”

“Then why didn't you come back?”

“Because I believed you were safer without me.”

Elena lowered her head.

“I needed my mother.”

Margaret reached for her hand.

“I know. And I am sorry.”

Elena didn't pull away, but she wasn't ready to forgive everything.

Before she could respond, Victoria entered holding a small envelope.

“I found this in my belongings.”

Margaret looked alarmed.

“Where did you get it?”

“It was delivered to my room at the mansion.”

Victoria placed it on the table.

Inside was a photograph of a young woman standing beside Alexander Blackwood.

Elena recognised the woman.

She was the same woman who had appeared in the old photograph with Jonathan.

But this picture was different.

The woman was holding a little boy.

On the back, someone had written:

THE THIRD HEIR NEVER LEFT THE BLACKWOOD FAMILY.

Below it was another sentence.

YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE WRONG PERSON.

Adrian entered just as Elena finished reading.

He examined the photograph carefully.

Then he looked at Victoria.

“Who is the little boy?”

Victoria's face went pale.

For several seconds, she couldn't speak.

Finally, she whispered:

“That's Richard.”

Adrian stared at her.

“My father?”

Victoria nodded.

“But Richard was never supposed to inherit anything.”

She turned the photograph over again.

“And that's why Alexander made sure everyone believed he was adopted.”