The son among them

Adrian stared at the message on his phone.

THE SON IS ALREADY AMONG YOU.

He read it again, hoping he had misunderstood.

Elena approached him.

“What if the message is referring to you?”

Adrian looked at her.

“I am already Jonathan's son. We established that.”

“But what if there's another part of your identity we haven't discovered?”

Margaret shook her head.

“Jonathan had another son. He was born before Adrian, but Alexander made sure his existence disappeared from the family records.”

Catherine's earlier documents suddenly came to Elena's mind.

“The man at the warehouse,” she whispered.

Adrian turned towards her.

“Alexander Vale?”

“Yes. He claimed Jonathan was his father.”

Margaret nodded slowly.

“You have met him?”

Adrian's expression hardened.

“He appeared when we were searching for the original inheritance records. He knew things nobody else could have known.”

“Then you must find him,” Margaret said.

Lydia stood up.

“Why didn't you tell us about him earlier?”

“Because I didn't know where he was. Jonathan arranged for him to be protected by someone he trusted.”

Elena looked at her mother.

“Who?”

Margaret hesitated.

“Richard Blackwood.”

Adrian immediately reached for his phone.

“My father?”

“He knew about Jonathan's first son. He helped hide him when Alexander began searching for the child.”

Adrian shook his head.

“Richard has been lying to me for years.”

Margaret looked at him sadly.

“He believed he was protecting you.”

“Everyone keeps using that excuse.”

---

Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location, Daniel sat opposite a man dressed in a dark suit.

His hands were free, but the locked door reminded him that he was still a prisoner.

The man placed a photograph on the table.

It showed Elena, Lydia, Adrian and Lily leaving the old Vale estate.

“You should have stopped them,” the man said.

Daniel looked at the photograph.

“They have a right to know who they are.”

“You made a promise to Jonathan.”

“I kept that promise for years.”

“And now you've broken it.”

Daniel raised his eyes.

“No. I've finally understood what Jonathan wanted.”

The man leaned forward.

“Tell me where the original inheritance record is.”

Daniel remained silent.

“You know Alexander will never forgive you.”

Daniel gave a tired smile.

“Alexander has never forgiven anyone who refused to obey him.”

The man stood.

“Then perhaps you'll cooperate when you see what happens next.”

He walked towards the door.

Before leaving, he turned around.

“Tell Elena that her mother has only revealed half the truth.”

Daniel's expression changed.

“What does that mean?”

The man smiled faintly.

“Ask Margaret who gave Jonathan's first son away.”

The door closed.

Daniel immediately looked towards the small security camera in the corner.

“Jonathan,” he whispered, “I hope your children are ready.”

---

Back at the estate, Adrian was trying to contact Richard.

The calls went unanswered.

He tried again.

This time, someone picked up.

“Father?”

A few seconds passed.

“Adrian.”

“Where are you?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Because Margaret just told us you helped hide Jonathan's first son.”

Silence.

Then Richard sighed.

“So you've finally met Alexander.”

“Is that his real name?”

“No.”

Adrian's jaw tightened.

“Then tell me who he is.”

Richard lowered his voice.

“His name is Samuel Vale.”

Elena moved closer to hear.

“Who is Samuel?” she asked.

Richard continued.

“He is Jonathan's eldest son. The child Alexander tried to erase from the inheritance.”

Adrian looked at Margaret.

“Why did he call himself Alexander Vale?”

“Because he wanted to remind the family that the Blackwood name was built on something stolen,” Richard replied.

Adrian closed his eyes briefly.

“Where is he now?”

“I don't know.”

“Don't lie to me.”

“I'm not. The last time I saw him, he was trying to reach your grandfather's private archive.”

Richard paused.

“Adrian, there's something else you need to understand.”

“What?”

“Samuel wasn't the only person Jonathan entrusted with the original agreement.”

Adrian looked at Elena.

“Who else?”

Richard's answer came slowly.

“Victoria.”

The call ended.

---

Elena turned towards Margaret.

“Victoria has been involved in every part of this.”

Margaret nodded.

“She was once close to Amelia. She knew Jonathan's plans, and she knew what happened to his children.”

“Then why did she allow Adrian to grow up believing Alexander was his rightful father?”

“Because she was protecting a secret that could destroy the entire Blackwood family.”

Adrian walked away from the table.

“I need to speak to my mother.”

Elena caught his hand.

“Don't go alone.”

“I won't. But I need answers.”

Before they could leave, Lydia noticed a small envelope beneath the front door.

She picked it up.

There was no name on the front.

Inside was a photograph of a young man standing beside Jonathan.

Elena recognised him immediately.

It was the mysterious man from the warehouse.

On the back, someone had written:

SAMUEL VALE — FIRSTBORN SON OF JONATHAN VALE.

Beneath the photograph was another sentence.

HE IS NOT THE THIRD HEIR. HE IS THE KEY TO FINDING THE THIRD.

Adrian stared at the words.

“Then who is the third heir?”

A voice answered from behind them.

“Someone your family has been protecting for thirty years.”

Everyone turned.

Victoria Blackwood stood at the entrance.

Her expression was serious, and her eyes were fixed on Margaret.

Margaret stepped backwards.

“You shouldn't have come here.”

Victoria ignored her.

“It's time they knew what happened.”

Adrian approached his mother.

“Then start talking.”

Victoria looked at Elena, then Lydia.

Finally, her eyes settled on Lily.

“The third heir is not a stranger,” she said. “And the person who knows the truth has been living under the same roof as this family.”

Elena tightened her hold on Lily's hand.

“Who?”

Victoria's voice dropped.

“Your grandfather, Alexander Blackwood.”

She paused.

“He has been hiding the third heir in plain sight.”