Season 2 CHAPTER 41 — THE FOURTH CHILD

The Fourth Child

The room fell into complete silence.

Richard Blackwood stood frozen in front of the television, staring at the screen where Isabella's face had appeared only moments earlier.

"That's impossible," he whispered.

Amelia looked at him, still trying to understand what they had just heard.

"Richard, she said you're her father."

Richard shook his head.

"I have never had another daughter. I would remember something like that."

Charlotte crossed her arms.

"Unless someone made sure you never knew."

Alexander picked up the phone and tried calling Isabella again. The call went straight to voicemail.

"She's not answering."

"Then we need to find her," Amelia said.

Victoria slowly sat on the sofa. Her expression suggested that she recognized something in the photograph they had discovered.

"Victoria?" Richard asked. "Do you know anything about this?"

She looked at him.

"I knew Isabelle had a daughter before the triplets. I didn't know the child's name was Isabella."

Richard's face changed.

"You knew?"

"I heard rumors years ago. Eleanor told me Isabelle had given birth before meeting you. But she said the baby had been placed with another family."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because Eleanor warned me never to discuss it. She said the child's existence could destroy the Blackwood family."

Richard turned away.

"All these years, I thought I understood my past."

Amelia picked up the old birth record.

"There must be another explanation. We need to see the original document Isabella mentioned."

Alexander nodded.

"We'll find her."

Before anyone could respond, the mansion's front door opened.

A security officer entered carrying a small package.

"Mr. Blackwood, this was delivered to the gate. There was no name attached."

Alexander examined the package. Inside was a silver flash drive and a folded piece of paper.

The message contained only one sentence.

If you want to know who Isabella really is, watch the recording.

They gathered around the television as Alexander connected the drive.

A video appeared.

The footage showed an old hospital room. Isabelle Laurent was sitting beside a newborn baby, holding her close. A younger Richard stood near the window.

Amelia leaned toward the screen.

"That's him."

The recording continued.

Isabelle looked directly at the camera.

"If anyone is watching this, please understand that I never wanted my children separated. Richard doesn't know everything. Eleanor made sure of that."

Richard stepped closer.

"Isabelle..."

Then a second person entered the room.

It was Eleanor Blackwood.

She approached the bed and placed a document beside Isabelle.

"You have to make a decision," Eleanor said in the recording. "The child cannot remain here."

Isabelle shook her head.

"She's my daughter."

"And the Blackwood family has a reputation to protect."

The recording suddenly became distorted.

Before it ended, Isabelle turned toward the camera.

"One day, my children will find each other. When they do, tell them I loved every one of them."

The screen went black.

Nobody spoke.

Richard lowered himself into a chair.

"I remember that night," he said quietly. "Eleanor told me Isabelle had lost the baby. She said there was nothing we could do."

Amelia felt anger rising inside her.

"She lied to you, too."

Alexander removed the flash drive.

"Someone sent us this for a reason. They want us to discover the truth, but they don't want us to know who they are."

Charlotte looked toward the window.

"Maybe Isabella knows."

Richard stood suddenly.

"I need to find her."

Amelia reached for his arm.

"We'll find her together."

Just then, Alexander's phone rang.

The caller ID showed a private number.

He answered.

A woman's voice spoke softly.

"Mr. Blackwood, I know you've seen the recording."

"Who is this?"

"You don't need to know my name. But you need to understand something. Isabella is not the only child Eleanor hid."

Alexander's expression hardened.

"What are you talking about?"

The woman paused.

"There's another document. It was never included in the family records."

"Where is it?"

"Ask Victoria what happened on the night Isabelle disappeared."

Alexander slowly turned toward Victoria.

The woman continued.

"And whatever you do, don't let Richard see the original document."

The call ended.

Everyone looked at Victoria.

She stood motionless.

Richard approached her.

"What happened that night?"

Victoria's eyes filled with tears.

"I was hoping you would never ask me that question."

Amelia stepped forward.

"Then it's time to tell us."

Victoria looked at the four siblings' photographs scattered across the table.

Finally, she whispered:

"Because the night Isabelle disappeared, she wasn't alone."

And somewhere outside the mansion, a black car waited across the street.

Inside it, a woman watched the lights of the Blackwood mansion.

She opened an old photograph.

It showed Isabelle holding four children.

On the back, a message was written:

Four children were born. But only three were meant to survive the truth.