CHAPTER 3 — THE GIRL WHO WAS NEVER GONE
CHAPTER 3 — THE GIRL WHO WAS NEVER GONE
The words refused to leave Adrian's mind.
"Our daughter isn't dead."
For five years, he had visited a grave with no body beneath it.
For five years, he had blamed himself.
For five years, he had believed he had failed the two people he loved most.
Now every memory felt poisoned.
He stared at Lily.
His voice was barely audible.
"...Say it again."
Tears rolled silently down Lily's cheeks.
"Our daughter is alive."
The silver pendant trembled in her hand.
"I've spent five years trying to find her."
Adrian stepped closer.
"Then where is she?"
Lily closed her eyes.
"I don't know."
The answer struck harder than any lie.
"You said Helena knows."
"I believe she does."
"Believe?"
Lily nodded.
"I've never been able to prove it."
Mrs. Agnes quietly led the remaining staff from the room.
Only a few trusted employees remained.
The mansion suddenly felt enormous.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Adrian poured a glass of water for Lily.
She wrapped both hands around it but never drank.
"I owe you the truth," she whispered.
"Everything."
Adrian sat across from her.
"No more secrets."
She nodded.
"No more."
Five years earlier...
A thunderstorm had swallowed the city.
Lily had gone into labor almost a month early.
Adrian was overseas closing the biggest business acquisition of his career.
His phone had been unreachable for hours.
By the time he landed...
Everything had already been decided.
Lily had been taken to a private maternity hospital.
The bills had mysteriously been paid before she arrived.
The nurses kept assuring her everything was under control.
After twelve exhausting hours...
A little girl entered the world.
Lily smiled through tears.
"She's beautiful."
A nurse placed the baby against her chest.
Only for a minute.
Then another nurse rushed in.
"The infant needs oxygen."
They carried the baby away.
That was the last time Lily held her daughter.
Hours later...
A doctor entered her room.
His face was solemn.
"I'm sorry."
"The baby didn't survive."
Lily screamed until her voice disappeared.
She begged to see her child.
The staff refused.
"The body has already been transferred."
Every request.
Every question.
Every plea...
Was denied.
She was discharged the next morning with sedatives and paperwork she could barely read.
Adrian listened without interrupting.
His fists tightened beneath the table.
"I received a different story."
Lily looked at him.
"They told me you abandoned us."
"They told me you left before the birth."
"They showed me documents saying you refused to acknowledge the baby."
Adrian's face hardened.
"I never signed anything."
Lily slowly reached into her worn handbag.
"I know."
She unfolded several yellowed papers.
"They wanted me to believe you had."
Adrian examined the signatures.
Within seconds...
His expression changed.
"These are forgeries."
"You can tell?"
"I've signed my name ten thousand times."
He looked up.
"This isn't mine."
Something inside Adrian shattered.
Someone hadn't merely lied.
Someone had built an entire false history.
Deliberately.
Professionally.
Expensively.
Only one person had enough influence inside both the family and the hospital.
Helena.
"There was something else," Lily said.
"The night before I left the hospital..."
She hesitated.
"I woke up because I heard voices."
"What voices?"
"A man and a woman arguing."
"What did they say?"
Lily swallowed.
"I couldn't hear everything."
"But I clearly heard the woman say..."
"'The child is worth more alive than dead.'"
The room fell silent.
Adrian's heartbeat pounded in his ears.
"Worth more?"
"I've remembered those words every day."
His phone rang.
The screen showed one name.
Helena.
He answered.
Her voice was calm.
Almost cheerful.
"I hope you've calmed down."
Adrian didn't speak.
"You embarrassed me tonight."
Silence.
Then Helena laughed softly.
"I suppose Lily has filled your head with fairy tales."
"You lied."
"Did I?"
"My daughter is alive."
A pause.
Long enough.
Just long enough.
Adrian heard it.
Not surprise.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
Then Helena spoke carefully.
"Be very careful what you choose to believe."
Click.
She hung up.
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
He looked at Lily.
"She didn't deny it."
Across the city...
Inside a luxury penthouse...
Helena stood beside a floor-to-ceiling window.
Her smile had vanished.
A man in a black suit entered.
"Ma'am?"
She didn't turn around.
"He's starting to remember."
"What should we do?"
Helena picked up an old photograph.
It showed a newborn wrapped in a pink blanket.
Half the picture had been burned away.
"Bring me Dr. Marcus Reed."
"The doctor?"
"The one who signed the death certificate."
The man hesitated.
"I heard he retired."
Helena's eyes became cold.
"Then un-retire him."
"And if he refuses?"
May you like
She finally looked at the bodyguard.
"Dead men don't testify."
