Chapter 9: The Woman Behind the Mask
Arthur’s body moved before his mind could catch up.
He lunged toward Lily.
“Get away from her!””
The second woman stepped backward.
Lily screamed.
“Daddy!””
Arthur pulled his daughter into his arms and spun away from both women.
Detective Collins raised her weapon.
“Everybody freeze!””
The basement erupted into chaos.
The woman holding the gun stared at the other Evelyn.
The other Evelyn stared back.
For one impossible moment, Arthur couldn't tell which face belonged to the woman who had raised him.
They were identical.
Same gray eyes.
Same narrow jaw.
Same silver streak through dark hair.
Same small scar near the left eyebrow.
Even their voices had sounded the same.
Arthur backed toward the wall with Lily clutched against his chest.
“Which one is my mother?””
Neither woman answered.
Detective Collins looked at the woman holding the firearm.
“Drop it.””
She slowly lowered the weapon.
Then she stared at her double.
“You.””
The second woman said nothing.
Thomas whispered,
“I knew it.””
Arthur turned.
“Knew what?””
Thomas shook his head.
“The second one.””
Arthur's voice rose.
“Who is she?””
The woman with the gun looked at him.
“She isn't your mother.””
The second woman finally spoke.
“I am.””
Arthur’s head spun.
Lily buried her face against him.
“Daddy, I don't like this.””
He held her tighter.
“I know.””
Detective Collins stepped between the two women.
“Both of you, hands where I can see them.””
The woman without the gun obeyed.
The other dropped her weapon to the floor.
Collins kicked it away.
Then she looked at Arthur.
“Do you know a way to identify your mother?””
Arthur stared at both women.
He tried to remember.
A childhood song.
A perfume.
A nickname.
A scar.
Anything.
The woman on the left said quietly,
“You used to call me Mama when you were three.””
The woman on the right immediately replied,
“He hated vegetables until he was six. You used to hide carrots inside his mashed potatoes.””
Arthur froze.
Both knew things only his mother could have known.
He looked at Michael.
His brother was pale.
“Michael?””
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“I was nineteen when I disappeared.””
Arthur looked back at the women.
The second one stepped closer.
“Arthur.””
The first one snapped,
“Don't go near him.””
The second woman ignored her.
“When you were ten, you fell through the ice at the lake house.””
Arthur's breath caught.
“No one knew about that.””
She nodded.
“I pulled you out.””
Arthur stared.
The first woman shook her head.
“No. You pulled yourself out.””
Arthur turned.
“You're both answering.””
Neither moved.
The second woman smiled through tears.
“You also broke my favorite vase when you were thirteen.””
Arthur blinked.
“You blamed Michael.””
Michael suddenly laughed.
A tiny, stunned laugh.
“I remember that.””
Arthur looked at him.
“You do?””
Michael nodded.
“Dad grounded both of us.””
Arthur's eyes filled.
The second woman stepped closer.
“You wanted to tell the truth. You almost confessed.””
Arthur whispered,
“Mom.””
The first woman suddenly shouted,
“Don't call her that!””
Detective Collins swung her weapon toward her.
“Back up.””
The woman's face twisted.
“She isn't Evelyn.””
The second woman’s expression remained calm.
“You know that isn't true.””
Arthur looked at the first woman.
“Then who are you?””
She didn't answer.
The silence was devastating.
Arthur glanced at Thomas.
“You said my father knew this would happen.””
Thomas nodded.
“Your father discovered an operation involving identity replacement.””
Arthur stared.
“Identity replacement?””
“People who could be trained, altered, made to resemble someone else.””
Michael stepped back.
“That sounds insane.””
Thomas shook his head.
“It was real.””
Arthur looked at the woman who had been pretending to be his mother.
“Then you aren't Evelyn.””
She stared at him.
Her face softened.
“I can explain.””
Arthur's voice was cold.
“Then explain.””
She took a breath.
“I was brought into this family long before you knew.””
Arthur felt sick.
“Why?””
“To protect the estate.””
“From whom?””
“From your father.””
Arthur blinked.
“What?””
She looked toward the second woman.
“Evelyn wasn't supposed to survive.””
The real Evelyn closed her eyes.
Arthur looked at her.
“What happened?””
She spoke softly.
“Your father found out that someone had access to his private records.””
Arthur frowned.
“Someone inside the family?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at Thomas.
“Thomas.””
Thomas nodded.
Arthur turned sharply.
“So Thomas was behind this.””
“Partly,” Evelyn said.
“Then who was the other woman?””
The fake Evelyn answered.
“I was.””
Arthur stared.
“My mother was replaced?””
“Yes.””
“Who ordered it?””
The fake Evelyn swallowed.
“Your father's board.””
Arthur's stomach dropped.
“My father owned the company.””
“Your father controlled the company. That didn't mean everyone followed him.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“They wanted the ledger.””
Arthur looked at her.
“What was in it?””
“Evidence.””
“What kind?””
“Payments. Bribes. Blackmail. Names.””
Detective Collins frowned.
“Evidence of what?””
Evelyn looked toward Arthur.
“Your father had spent years secretly collecting proof against powerful people.””
Arthur stared at her.
“And the ledger?””
“He hid it.””
“Where?””
“Under the lake house.””
Arthur suddenly remembered the old steel box from his childhood.
“That's why everyone wanted the key.””
Evelyn nodded.
“But there's something you still don't understand.””
Arthur waited.
“The ledger is incomplete.””
He frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“The most important page is missing.””
Michael stepped forward.
“What page?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“The one that identifies the person who ordered the replacement.””
Arthur felt his stomach tighten.
“You mean the person who had someone impersonate my mother.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Evelyn's eyes moved toward the fake woman.
“She knows.””
The fake Evelyn began crying.
“I was ordered to do it.””
Arthur's voice sharpened.
“By whom?””
She looked at him.
Then at Michael.
Then at Victoria.
Finally, she whispered,
“Your father.””
Arthur recoiled.
“No.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“That isn't possible.””
The fake woman nodded.
“Richard ordered it.””
Arthur stepped backward.
“My father replaced my mother?””
“He believed Evelyn had betrayed him.””
Evelyn's face hardened.
“I didn't.””
“He didn't know that.””
“Then why did he fake my death?””
“Because he wanted to see who would come looking.””
Arthur's head spun.
“All these years…”
The fake woman continued.
“I was supposed to watch you.””
“Why?””
“To see whether the ledger had been passed to you.””
Arthur's eyes widened.
“And the insurance policy?””
“I created it.””
Victoria suddenly stepped forward.
“No.””
The fake Evelyn looked at her.
“You were supposed to retrieve the money.””
Victoria shook her head.
“I never knew who you really were.””
“You knew enough.””
“No.””
Arthur turned toward Victoria.
“Then why did you agree to any of this?””
Victoria started crying.
“Because they threatened Lily.””
The fake Evelyn laughed.
“They always used the girl.””
Arthur moved toward Victoria.
“What do you mean?””
Victoria looked down.
“I was told that if I didn't cooperate, Lily would disappear.””
Arthur clenched his fists.
“And the poison?””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I made the decision myself.””
Arthur stared.
“Why?””
“I thought if I staged your death, they'd stop watching us.””
The fake Evelyn shook her head.
“You made it worse.””
Thomas suddenly rushed forward.
Detective Collins shouted,
“Stop!””
Thomas didn't stop.
He grabbed the fake Evelyn by the arm.
“You were never supposed to come here.””
The woman screamed.
“Let me go!””
Michael tackled Thomas.
All three crashed against the filing cabinets.
Papers exploded across the floor.
Detective Collins pulled them apart.
“Everyone down!””
Arthur shielded Lily.
Then something slid from one of the scattered folders.
A single sheet of paper.
It landed at Arthur’s feet.
He picked it up.
At the top was one line:
*PROJECT MIRROR — FINAL SUBJECT: LILY HAYES.*
Arthur's blood turned to ice.
“No.””
Evelyn saw the page.
Her face went white.
“No…”
Arthur looked at her.
“What is Project Mirror?””
She stared at the paper.
Then at Lily.
“They were never trying to kill you.””
Arthur’s voice shook.
“Then what did they want?””
Evelyn whispered,
“They wanted your daughter.””
Lily cried,
“Daddy, why do they want me?””
Arthur hugged her.
“I don't know.””
The fake Evelyn suddenly shouted,
“Because she is the key!””
Everyone froze.
Arthur turned.
“The key to what?””
The fake woman looked at Lily.
“To everything your grandfather hid.””
Michael stepped forward.
“What does that mean?””
“She was born with—”
A gunshot thundered.
The fake Evelyn jerked backward.
Blood spread across her shirt.
Arthur screamed.
Detective Collins shouted,
“DOWN!””
Everyone dropped.
Another shot struck the concrete wall.
The basement filled with smoke and dust.
Arthur curled around Lily.
“Stay down!””
Michael crawled toward them.
“Arthur!””
“Get Lily!””
“I’m here!””
Thomas was already moving toward the basement stairs.
“There's a shooter outside.””
Detective Collins followed.
“Don't move!””
Then a voice came through the darkness.
A calm male voice.
A voice Arthur had heard before.
His father's.
“Arthur.””
Arthur looked up.
A figure stood at the basement entrance.
Richard Hayes.
Alive.
Watching them.
He slowly stepped into the light.
And in his hand was the missing page from the ledger.
He looked at Lily.
Then smiled.
“I'm sorry, son.””
May you like
Arthur stared in horror.
“But she was never supposed to be your daughter.””
