Chapter 8: The Truth Hidden In The Blood
Dr. Caldwell sat calmly at the kitchen table.
That bothered me more than if he had been screaming.
A guilty man should look afraid.
A guilty man should panic.
But Caldwell looked like someone who had been waiting years for this conversation.
“You expect me to believe you?”” I asked.
He looked at Lily.
“I expect you to believe the evidence.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“You experimented on my children.””
Caldwell’s expression barely changed.
“I studied them.””
“They were babies.””
“They were important.””
The room went silent.
I moved closer.
“Choose your next words carefully.””
For the first time, Caldwell looked nervous.
Not because of me.
Because he saw the anger in my eyes.
“I was part of a research group,” he said.
“The Blackwell Foundation funded our work.””
“Daniel?””
“No.””
That surprised me.
“Then who?””
Caldwell looked toward Sarah.
“Your father.””
I froze.
“My father died.””
“Yes.””
The answer was quiet.
“But not before he created the foundation.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Sarah grabbed my arm.
“Ethan.””
I ignored her.
“My father would never do that.””
Caldwell smiled sadly.
“You believed that about many people.””
The words hurt because they were true.
I had spent years believing people because I wanted them to be good.
And they had used that against me.
“Where is Emma?”” I asked.
Caldwell looked away.
“I don’t know.””
“Liar.””
“I know where she was taken.””
“By who?””
His eyes moved to Claire.
She looked terrified.
“No.””
I turned.
“What?””
Caldwell said:
“Claire knows.””
Everyone looked at her.
The silence was enough.
Sarah whispered:
“Claire?””
The woman who had spent years trying to save us looked broken.
“I thought she was dead.””
My stomach dropped.
“You knew where Emma was?””
Claire shook her head.
“I knew where they took her.””
“Who?””
She closed her eyes.
“Nora.””
Sarah stepped back.
“No.””
Claire cried.
“I tried to stop her.””
“Then why didn’t you tell us?””
“Because Nora threatened Lily.””
The same words.
The same nightmare.
Everyone had used Lily as a weapon.
I looked at my daughter.
She stood silently.
Listening.
Understanding far more than a child should.
I walked to her.
“Lily, go with your mother.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Lily.””
“I want to know.””
My heart broke.
“You shouldn’t have to.””
She looked at me.
“But I already do.””
No child should have that kind of sadness in their eyes.
I turned back.
“Where is Emma?””
Claire whispered:
“Blackwell Estate.””
The name hit me.
My grandfather’s abandoned property.
A place that had been closed for twenty years.
“No one lives there.””
Claire looked at me.
“They do now.””
The drive to Blackwell Estate felt endless.
Nobody spoke.
Sarah sat beside Lily in the back seat.
For the first time, they held hands.
A mother and daughter who had lost seven years.
I watched them through the mirror.
And I promised myself something.
Nobody would take them from me again.
When we arrived, the estate looked exactly as I remembered.
Old.
Empty.
Forgotten.
But the front gate was open.
That was impossible.
I stepped out.
The others followed.
Inside the mansion, everything was covered in dust.
Except one room.
A child’s room.
Fresh flowers.
New curtains.
A small bed.
And on the wall…
Photographs.
Hundreds of them.
Lily.
Emma.
Sarah.
Me.
My hands shook.
Someone had been watching us.
For years.
Lily walked slowly into the room.
Then stopped.
“Daddy.””
I turned.
She was holding a stuffed rabbit.
“This was mine.””
Sarah looked shocked.
“How do you know?””
Lily hugged it.
“Because Emma gave it to me.””
A sound came from the doorway.
A small voice.
“You still remember.””
Everyone froze.
I turned.
A girl stood there.
Same dark hair.
Same hazel eyes.
Same birthmark.
My breath disappeared.
Lily whispered:
“Emma.””
The girl looked at her.
Then at me.
She was older.
Maybe by only minutes.
But she carried the sadness of a lifetime.
“Hello, Daddy.””
I couldn’t move.
Two daughters.
Two miracles.
Two lives stolen from me.
Sarah began crying.
“Emma…”
The girl stepped back.
“I’m sorry.””
“Sorry?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I wasn’t supposed to find you.””
A shadow moved behind her.
A hand grabbed her shoulder.
A familiar voice whispered:
May you like
“She was never yours to find.””
Nora stepped into the room.
