Chapter 8: The Sister Who Survived
Margaret's scream cut through the chapel.
“No!””
Nathan turned toward her.
She was staring at the woman in the doorway as though she had seen a ghost.
The woman smiled.
“Hello, Margaret.””
Margaret backed away.
“You're dead.””
The woman walked into the chapel.
“No.””
Her voice was soft.
“I was hidden.””
Nathan couldn't move.
The woman looked at him first.
Then at Samuel.
Then at the photograph still clutched in Samuel's hand.
Her eyes softened.
“You look just like Mother.””
Samuel's weapon lowered.
His face had gone completely white.
“Amelia?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
Samuel took one step.
Then another.
He stopped several feet away.
“How?””
Amelia's smile broke.
“I survived.””
Samuel shook his head.
“They told me you were dead.””
“They wanted you to believe that.””
He stared at her.
“I saw them take you.””
“I know.””
“I heard them say your name.””
“I know.””
“I thought—”
His voice failed.
Amelia crossed the space between them and hugged him.
Samuel stood frozen for one second.
Then his arms closed around her.
Nathan watched the reunion in silence.
He didn't know why, but the sight hurt.
There was something painfully intimate about seeing the brother he had only just met hold the sister everyone had spent sixteen years pretending was dead.
Amelia pulled back.
“You got old.””
Samuel laughed through tears.
“So did you.””
She touched his cheek.
“You still make jokes when you're afraid.””
He wiped his face.
“I'm not afraid.””
“You're terrified.””
Samuel looked away.
Nathan stepped closer.
“Amelia.””
She looked at him.
For the first time, the two of them faced each other.
She smiled.
“You're Nathan.””
“Yes.””
“I've heard stories.””
“I've heard stories about you.””
“Most of them aren't true.””
“I was told you were dead.””
“They weren't lying about that part.””
Nathan frowned.
Amelia's expression darkened.
“I was dead to the world.””
Thomas Reed stood near the altar.
He looked almost pleased.
“Beautiful, isn't it?””
Nathan turned on him.
“You knew.””
Thomas smiled.
“I knew everything.””
Nathan raised his weapon.
“Then start talking.””
Thomas's smile faded.
“Your mother discovered the council planned to eliminate all three children.””
Amelia nodded.
“She begged Thomas to help.””
Thomas looked at her.
“I did.””
Nathan frowned.
“You were loyal to my mother?””
“I was loyal to Evelyn before I was loyal to anyone else.””
Richard stepped forward.
“And yet you betrayed us.””
Thomas turned.
“You betrayed your wife first.””
Richard's face hardened.
Thomas looked at Nathan.
“Your father couldn't accept that the council had decided Samuel should inherit the network.””
Samuel laughed coldly.
“They didn't want me to inherit anything.””
Thomas nodded.
“They wanted to control you.””
Amelia walked toward the altar.
“They couldn't control Mother.””
Thomas looked at her.
“So they killed her.””
Nathan's breathing stopped.
He had heard the words before.
But somehow this time they sounded different.
“What exactly happened?””
Amelia looked at him.
“Mother found the original council ledger.””
Nathan held up the black book.
“This?””
“No.””
She pointed toward the ledger.
“That is a copy.””
Thomas slowly nodded.
“The original contained the names of everyone involved in your father's criminal network.””
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“And she was going to expose them.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't she?””
“She tried.””
Amelia looked at Richard.
“He stopped her.””
Richard's shoulders sank.
Nathan turned.
“Dad?””
Richard looked at his son.
“Your mother wanted to go to the authorities.””
“And you stopped her?””
“I begged her to wait.””
“Why?””
“Because the council had people everywhere.””
“You were afraid.””
“Yes.””
Richard looked at the floor.
“I was terrified.””
Nathan's voice hardened.
“So you sacrificed her to protect me.””
Richard shook his head.
“I thought I could save both of you.””
“Both?””
Richard looked at Samuel.
“I thought I could save all three.””
Amelia spoke quietly.
“You couldn't.””
Richard nodded.
“No.””
Nathan looked at Thomas.
“And you?””
Thomas's expression became grim.
“I helped your mother create a plan.””
“What plan?””
“We would fake Samuel's death.””
Samuel stared at him.
“And Amelia?””
“She would disappear.””
Amelia nodded.
“I was sent to the Vale estate.””
Nathan's head snapped up.
“Eleanor's family.””
“Yes.””
“Where they supposedly killed you.””
“They staged the burial.””
Nathan stared.
“So the grave was empty?””
“Completely empty.””
Samuel looked furious.
“Why didn't you find me?””
Amelia lowered her eyes.
“I tried.””
“Once?””
“Hundreds of times.””
“You could have found me.””
“I was being watched.””
Samuel took a breath.
“By who?””
She looked toward Thomas.
“Everyone.””
Thomas folded his hands.
“The council believed Amelia was dead.””
“They still do?””
“Yes.””
Nathan frowned.
“Then why come out now?””
Amelia's expression changed.
“Because the council has started killing again.””
Nathan's eyes hardened.
“Who?””
“Anyone connected to the old ledger.””
Thomas looked toward the chapel windows.
“And because someone told them Samuel returned.””
Nathan turned to Samuel.
“Who?””
Samuel looked at him.
“You.””
Nathan frowned.
“I've been looking for answers.””
“You announced the return of the Whitmore heir the moment you attacked the council's network.””
Nathan's jaw tightened.
“So they knew.””
“They've known for months.””
Amelia stepped closer.
“They also know about the wedding.””
Nathan looked toward the chapel entrance.
Victoria stood there.
She was pale.
Nathan walked toward her.
“Why did you really agree to marry me?””
Victoria looked at him.
“I didn't.””
Nathan stopped.
She swallowed.
“The real agreement was with my sister.””
“You said she was killed because she refused.””
“Yes.””
“Then why replace her?””
“Because my father needed the Whitmore trust.””
“What did you get?””
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“Nothing.””
Nathan waited.
“My family told me if I refused, they'd kill me too.””
“And you believed them.””
“I watched them kill Amelia.””
Amelia's expression softened.
“She didn't order it.””
Samuel looked at her.
“You trust her?””
“No.””
Amelia looked at Victoria.
“But I don't blame her for being sixteen.””
Victoria began crying.
Nathan looked away.
He was exhausted.
Every person he had loved seemed to be connected to a lie.
Every memory had another version.
Then Thomas opened the old envelope.
“There is one thing none of you know.””
Nathan turned.
“What?””
Thomas removed a folded document.
“Your mother didn't leave the trust to you and Samuel.””
Nathan frowned.
“What?””
Thomas unfolded the paper.
“She left it to all three children.””
Amelia stepped forward.
“No.””
Thomas nodded.
“She created a third trust.””
Nathan stared.
“For Amelia?””
“Yes.””
“And where is it?””
Thomas smiled.
“That is the problem.””
He handed Nathan the document.
At the bottom was a handwritten sentence.
*The third trust cannot be claimed until all three children stand together.*
Nathan looked at Samuel.
Then Amelia.
“What happens when we do?””
Thomas's voice dropped.
“The Whitmore empire becomes untouchable.””
Samuel's eyes narrowed.
“Meaning?””
“The council loses control of every company, account, property, and operation tied to your father's network.””
Nathan understood.
“That is why they want us divided.””
“Yes.””
Amelia stared at the document.
“Then the council will come for us.””
Thomas nodded.
“They already have.””
A loud crash came from outside.
Everyone turned.
The chapel windows shattered.
Bullets ripped through the stained glass.
Nathan grabbed Amelia and pulled her behind a pillar.
Samuel tackled Victoria to the floor.
Richard dragged Margaret down.
“Stay down!””
More shots.
Daniel returned fire from the entrance.
“Snipers!””
Nathan looked through the broken window.
Three black SUVs were speeding toward the chapel.
Amelia crawled toward him.
“They found us.””
“How?””
She shook her head.
Nathan looked at Thomas.
The old attorney was standing perfectly still.
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“You knew they were coming.””
Thomas didn't answer.
Nathan stepped toward him.
“You knew.””
Thomas smiled.
“Of course.””
Nathan's gun rose.
“Then whose side are you on?””
Thomas looked directly at Amelia.
“Yours.””
A beat.
Then he whispered:
“For exactly as long as necessary.””
He reached into his coat.
Nathan fired.
The gunshot echoed.
Thomas staggered backward.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Nathan rushed forward.
But Thomas smiled.
Not at Nathan.
At Samuel.
“The ring.””
Samuel frowned.
“What?””
Thomas's eyes shifted toward Nathan.
“Your mother's ring.””
Nathan looked down at his hand.
The family signet ring he'd inherited from his mother suddenly felt heavy.
Thomas whispered:
“Put it on Amelia.””
Nathan froze.
“Why?””
Thomas's smile disappeared.
“Because the woman you planned to marry isn't the only one the council needs.””
He collapsed.
Nathan caught him before his head hit the floor.
Thomas grabbed Nathan's jacket.
His final words were barely audible.
“Your mother told me one thing before she died.””
Nathan leaned closer.
“What?””
Thomas looked at him.
“She said when the three children finally stand together…”
His eyes moved toward Amelia.
“…the woman wearing the ring would become the most powerful person in Charlotte.””
Then Thomas went still.
Outside, the SUVs stopped.
Car doors opened.
Dozens of armed men stepped onto the chapel grounds.
Amelia looked at Nathan.
“Don't put that ring on me.””
Nathan stared at her.
“Why?””
She pointed toward the chapel entrance.
A man in a black suit was walking toward them.
He looked exactly like the boy in the photograph.
Elias Vale.
The Ghost.
He raised his weapon.
May you like
And smiled.
“Because she's not the sister you think she is.””
