CHAPTER 6 — THE SECRET WRITTEN IN A BIRTH CERTIFICATE
CHAPTER 6 — THE SECRET WRITTEN IN A BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Nobody spoke.
Finally Grant broke the silence.
"Grandmother..."
"You hid evidence inside my daughter's inheritance?"
Eleanor shook her head.
"No."
"I hid the key."
Emma looked confused.
"What key?"
Eleanor reached into her handbag and removed a faded envelope sealed with dark blue wax.
Across the front were handwritten words.
To be opened only after the first daughter of the fifth Mercer generation is born alive.
Emma slowly realized something.
"Lily..."
"...is the first daughter."
Eleanor nodded.
"For ninety-two years."
Grant whispered,
"My grandfather planned this?"
"No."
Eleanor smiled sadly.
"I did."
She carefully opened the envelope.
Inside rested a tiny brass key no larger than a thumbnail.
Alongside it lay an old handwritten letter.
Eleanor passed the letter to Emma.
"You should read it."
Emma unfolded the fragile paper.
The ink had faded with age.
The first line stole everyone's breath.
If you are reading this, someone has already tried to destroy our family.
The room remained perfectly still.
The letter continued.
Never trust the person who appears to save you first.
Emma instinctively looked around the room.
Grant.
Nolan.
Dr. Monroe.
Detective Donovan.
Security Chief Marcus Hale.
Any one of them.
Any one could be the wrong person.
Suddenly Detective Donovan's phone rang.
She listened for only ten seconds before her face changed completely.
"What?"
Everyone looked toward her.
She ended the call.
"We found the vehicle."
Emma rushed forward.
"Lily?"
"The SUV used during the kidnapping."
Grant asked,
"Where?"
"Burned."
The detective hesitated.
"With two bodies inside."
Emma's blood ran cold.
"Are they..."
"We don't know."
"The fire destroyed almost everything."
Grant whispered,
"My God..."
Before anyone could respond, another officer burst into the room.
"Detective!"
"What?"
"We found a survivor."
Forty minutes later...
Everyone gathered in the hospital trauma unit.
The survivor had suffered smoke inhalation but remained conscious.
Emma expected a criminal.
Instead...
She recognized the woman instantly.
Ava Carlisle.
Grant froze.
"Ava?"
Her face was bruised.
One arm was broken.
There were rope marks around both wrists.
She looked terrified.
Not manipulative.
Not arrogant.
Terrified.
She grabbed Emma's hand with surprising strength.
"They lied."
Emma stared.
"Who?"
Ava struggled to breathe.
"Victor..."
Grant stepped closer.
"Where's my daughter?"
Ava began crying.
"I tried to stop them."
Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You expect us to trust you?"
"No..."
Ava whispered.
"I expect you to hate me."
She coughed violently.
"But please..."
"...save Lily."
Grant leaned in.
"Tell me where she is."
Ava looked directly at Emma.
"The woman holding your daughter..."
"...isn't working for Victor."
Emma's heart stopped.
"Then who?"
Ava used the last of her strength to whisper one name.
"Nolan..."
The heart monitor suddenly erupted into a continuous tone.
Doctors rushed forward.
Emma stood frozen.
Grant slowly turned toward the hallway.
May you like
But Nolan Brooks...
Was already gone.
