Chapter 11: The Child I Never Knew

“Elena, open this door before I break it!”

Adrian’s voice thundered from the other side, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. My eyes remained fixed on the message claiming I had a son somewhere in the city, a child I had never known existed.

My hands trembled as I typed a reply.

Who are you? Where is my son?

The message was delivered immediately, but no response came.

“Elena!” Adrian knocked again. “I know something is wrong. Please open the door.”

I slipped my phone into my pocket and unlocked it.

He entered, his eyes immediately searching my face.

“What happened?”

“Did you know my mother had another child?”

His expression changed.

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Answer me, Adrian.”

He closed the door behind him. “I heard your mother’s name mentioned in the hospital investigation, but I didn’t know she had another child.”

“Someone just told me I have a son.”

He stared at me.

“What?”

I showed him the messages, watching his expression grow darker with every line.

When he reached the final message, he took a slow breath.

“This could be a trap.”

“Or it could be the only chance I have to find my child.”

“Elena, you’re pregnant. You cannot walk into an unknown location because someone sends you a message.”

“I don’t need you to remind me that I’m pregnant. I know.”

“I am trying to protect you.”

I laughed bitterly.

“You keep saying that, but every time I discover something about my own family, you already know part of the story. How am I supposed to trust you?”

He lowered his voice.

“Because I am not the person who took your child.”

I stared at him.

“Then help me find out who did.”

An hour later, Adrian received a location from his investigator.

It was an abandoned medical facility outside the city, the same building where my father had reportedly died.

I insisted on going with him, and after several arguments, he agreed on one condition: his investigator would follow us.

The building looked neglected, with broken windows and weeds growing through cracks in the concrete. I stepped out of the car carefully, holding Adrian’s arm as we approached the entrance.

A single light flickered inside.

“Stay close to me,” he whispered.

I ignored his instruction and walked through the doorway.

A woman’s voice came from the darkness.

“You shouldn’t have brought him.”

I froze.

My mother stepped into the light.

“Mom?”

Her face was thinner than I remembered, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. She looked frightened, but the moment she saw me, she rushed forward and held my hands.

“I told you not to come with Adrian.”

“Why? What are you hiding from me?”

She looked at my stomach, then at Adrian.

“Because the truth about your first child is connected to the Blackwells.”

My breath caught.

“Is it true? Do I have a son?”

My mother began to cry.

“Yes, Elena.”

The words nearly brought me to my knees.

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know where they took him after I lost contact with the woman who was caring for him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She gripped my hands tighter.

“Because you were barely twenty-five, and the Blackwell family was watching you. I thought keeping you away from him would keep you safe.”

Adrian stepped forward. “Who took the child?”

My mother looked at him with open hatred.

“Your grandfather.”

“He’s dead,” Adrian replied.

“Dead men can leave instructions, Adrian. And your grandfather made sure that child would never be found.”

I felt tears running down my cheeks.

“Why would he take my baby?”

My mother shook her head.

“Because your father discovered that the child carried evidence that could destroy the Blackwell family. Your son was never just a baby to them. He was the key to something your father had hidden.”

Before I could ask another question, a loud noise came from behind us.

Adrian turned sharply.

“Get behind me!”

Two men entered through the broken doorway.

One held a metal pipe, while the other pointed a gun directly at Adrian.

My mother screamed and pulled me toward the back of the room.

“Run, Elena!”

But I couldn’t leave her.

The man with the gun stepped forward.

“Mrs. Blackwell, your family has caused enough trouble. Give us the documents.”

Adrian moved in front of me.

“You’ll have to go through me first.”

The man laughed.

“That’s exactly what we were hoping for.”

Then my mother reached into her coat and pulled out a small photograph.

She pressed it into my palm.

“Look at his face,” she whispered. “This is the last picture I have of your son.”

I looked down.

A little boy with dark hair and familiar brown eyes stared back at me.

On the back of the photograph was a name.

Daniel Blackwell.

I looked up at Adrian, my heart racing.

Before either of us could speak, the man with the gun raised his weapon.

And my mother stepped in front of me.