Chapter 11 - THE GIRL IN THE ATTIC
Ethan ran toward the upper walkway.
Lily’s chair had been knocked onto its side.
He tore away the tape.
“Are you hurt?”
Lily shook her head, sobbing.
“She took the baby.”
“Where did she go?”
“She said we had to leave before the police came.”
Ethan looked around.
A narrow staircase led to the roof.
Detective Ruiz rushed inside with officers behind her.
“The back exit is blocked,” she said. “She couldn’t have gone outside.”
Lily grabbed Ethan’s sleeve.
“There’s another room.”
“Where?”
“Above the office.”
They climbed into a small attic filled with broken furniture.
Behind a stack of boxes, they found a hidden door.
Inside were photographs, bank statements, passports, and several birth certificates.
Victoria had prepared a new life.
There were documents showing her as the mother of the newborn and the legal guardian of Lily.
There were also photographs of Ethan’s house.
Taken before she married him.
Detective Ruiz opened a metal box.
Inside was Sarah’s missing file.
Ethan’s hands shook as he opened it.
Sarah had documented illegal adoptions connected to the agency where Victoria worked.
Victoria had used fake medical records to separate mothers from their babies.
One of the names in the file was Victoria’s.
Ethan read the final page.
Sarah had written:
If anything happens to me, look at the accident report. The brake line was cut.
Ethan felt the room tilt.
Victoria had not entered his life by chance.
She had known about the trust.
She had known about Sarah.
And she had chosen Ethan because he was vulnerable.
A police officer found a fresh trail of blood near the attic window.
Lily looked frightened.
“Dad, is she hurt?”
Ruiz examined the drops.
“Not hers.”
Ethan looked toward the roof.
The blood belonged to someone Victoria had injured while escaping.
A phone began ringing inside the metal box.
Everyone froze.
The screen showed Victoria’s number.
Ethan answered.
Victoria’s breathing was fast.
“You found Sarah’s file.”
“You killed my wife.”
“She was going to ruin everything.”
“Where is my son?”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“You still think this is about the baby?”
Ethan stared at the documents.
“What else could it be?”
“Sarah left something else behind.”
“What?”
May you like
“The truth about who your son’s real mother is.”
Then Victoria ended the call.
