All Chapters of The Woman He Buried: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Outside Vespera City, a secluded estate stood behind high stone walls and iron gates, surrounded by manicured grounds and old trees.In the private study, an older man sat behind a broad mahogany desk, reviewing a stack of documents. He had just reached for his pen when his longtime assistant entered and closed the door.“Sir.”The man looked up. “What is it?”“There’s been a development concerning the Delacroix estate.”He set down his pen. “What kind of development?”“The missing heir may have been found.”The room fell silent.“May have been?”“The claimant underwent genetic testing. The results support her claim.”The old man’s expression shifted. “Who is she?”“A woman named Hazel Elsdon.”“Where is she?”“At the Delacroix estate.”He leane

Cassian had spent the night at Blackwater Pier searching the past for answers. Across the city, another set of unanswered questions was keeping Tristan awake.The file he had found in Fabian’s study remained open on his phone. He had checked the dates so many times that he knew them by heart.They still matched.Aniela Delacroix.And beneath it:Isla Marquez.Tristan stared at the screen, trying to reconcile the two names with everything he remembered.Isla had always been treated as the Marquez family’s adopted daughter. Fabian and Agatha had never hidden that fact, but they had never made her feel as though she truly belonged. Tristan had watched her become independent because she had learned early not to rely on anyone else.Now he was facing the possibility that the girl he had grown up calling his sister was the missing Delacroix heir.But one question remained.If Isla was Aniela Delacroix, who was the woman currently living at the Delacroix estate?Tristan picked up his phone a

The following morning, Dominic called Isla.He had spent much of the night reviewing the details that no longer seemed to fit together: the messages Isla had received before the accident, her failure to reach her destination, Tristan’s reference to someone who had disappeared, and Klaus Reinhardt’s suggestion that she examine the Delacroix family more closely.None of it proved that Isla was connected to the missing Delacroix daughter. Still, the pattern was troubling enough that Dominic wanted to speak with her before drawing any conclusions.She answered on the second ring. “Mr. Finch.”“Good morning, Isla. How are you?”“I’m well. Just busy.”“How are you settling into Geneva?” Dominic asked.“Better than I expected,” she replied, a smile audible in her voice.“I’m glad to hear it. Graham and Austin have both spoken highly of your work.”“I didn’t know they were discussing me,” Isla said.“They are. Austin also mentioned that Mr. Reinhardt was impressed,” Dominic said.Isla paused.

The appointment at the independent laboratory in Geneva took less than an hour.Isla arrived with Dominic late in the morning. The laboratory had prepared the necessary paperwork in advance, and a specialist met them in a private collection room.After verifying Isla’s identity, the specialist reviewed the consent forms with her. They explained the test, the samples being compared, how the material would be stored, and who could receive the report. Isla read everything carefully before signing.“We’ll collect a buccal sample from inside your cheek,” the specialist explained. “It’s quick and painless.”Isla nodded.The specialist collected the sample with a sterile swab, then labeled and sealed it in Isla’s presence and recorded it in the laboratory’s chain of custody. The reference material attributed to Lavinia Delacroix had been submitted separately and was handled under its own documentation.Once the collection was complete, Isla looked at the specialist.“You won’t know what resu

A month had passed since Isla’s DNA results changed the direction of the Delacroix case.In Astera, Dominic and Graham met in a private conference room at Delacroix Holdings to review the evidence. Two women had genetic results strongly supporting a biological relationship to Lavinia Delacroix. Only one could be Aniela.Dominic placed the files side by side.“Hazel’s current identity is documented,” he said, “but her early history is largely unverified. Ruth’s account explains some of the gaps, but we haven’t found independent records linking Hazel to the Delacroix family before adulthood.”Graham turned to the second file. “And Isla?”“We have reliable records of her life after she entered the Marquez family, school, identification, employment, and medical records. The problem is what came before.”“Her adoption.”“Exactly.”Graham studied him. “Which history is stronger?”“Isla’s,” Dominic said. “But that doesn’t establish that she is Aniela. It only gives us a more traceable histor