Chapter 10 - Mia’s Real Name
The elevator descended toward the hospital parking garage.
Mia stood between the man and Noah.
Her face had gone pale.
“Dad?”
The man removed the nurse’s wig.
His name was Victor Kane.
He had disappeared from Mia’s life two years earlier.
Mia had believed he was dead.
Victor smiled coldly.
“You’ve grown.”
“You left me.”
“I had work to do.”
“You said you were coming back.”
“I say many things.”
Mia looked at Noah.
“You found him before I did.”
Victor pressed the emergency stop button.
The elevator froze between floors.
“I took him from the clinic.”
“Celeste paid me to remove him.”
Mia’s eyes filled with tears.
“You put him in the dumpster.”
Victor shrugged.
“I was supposed to make sure he never reached Adrian.”
“But you didn’t kill him.”
“I thought the garbage truck would handle that.”
Mia’s hands curled into fists.
“You knew I slept behind that bakery.”
Victor’s smile widened.
“That was unfortunate.”
Mia realized the truth.
He had knowingly left the baby near the place where his own daughter slept.
He had risked killing them both.
“You’re a monster.”
Victor grabbed her hair.
“Your mother used to say the same thing.”
Mia froze.
“You said she died.”
Victor leaned closer.
“She discovered what I did for Dr. Hale.”
“She threatened to expose me.”
“So I made her disappear.”
Mia’s breathing became uneven.
“Where is she?”
“Dead.”
Mia stared at him.
Victor turned toward Noah.
“Now open the crib compartment.”
“What?”
“The key is hidden under the mattress.”
Mia understood.
Victor knew about key 314.
He believed she had kept it with Noah.
“I gave it to the police.”
Victor struck her across the face.
She fell against the elevator wall.
He searched beneath Noah’s mattress.
Nothing was there.
His anger grew.
“Where is it?”
Mia said nothing.
Victor grabbed Noah.
The baby began crying.
Mia reached into her shoe.
She removed the real key.
“I have it.”
Victor smiled.
“Good girl.”
“Put Noah down.”
“Give me the key.”
“Put him down first.”
Victor laughed.
“You think you can negotiate with me?”
Mia held the key near the gap between the elevator doors.
“One move and I drop it.”
Victor lowered Noah into the crib.
Mia slid the key across the floor.
Victor bent to pick it up.
Mia slammed the emergency alarm.
The elevator began moving again.
Victor lost his balance.
Mia grabbed Noah and ran when the doors opened.
They were on the second floor.
She screamed for help.
Victor chased her through the corridor.
A security officer stepped into his path.
Victor shot him.
Patients screamed.
Mia pushed Noah’s crib into an empty operating room.
She locked the door.
Victor struck the glass window with the gun.
“Mia!”
She dragged a heavy equipment cart against the door.
Noah cried behind her.
Victor fired through the glass.
Mia ducked.
The bullet shattered a cabinet.
Then the gunfire stopped.
Adrian appeared in the hallway.
He could barely stand from the injection.
But he held a metal fire extinguisher.
He struck Victor from behind.
Victor fell.
Adrian kicked the gun away.
Detective Brooks and two officers arrived seconds later.
They handcuffed Victor.
Mia opened the operating room door.
She ran straight into Adrian’s arms.
He held her tightly.
“You came back again.”
Adrian looked at Noah.
“I told you I would.”
Victor laughed from the floor.
“You think you saved them?”
Brooks pulled him upright.
Victor looked at Mia.
“Tell Adrian your real last name.”
Mia stared at him.
Victor smiled.
“She isn’t Mia Kane.”
“Her mother’s name was Isabella Vale.”
Adrian’s face changed.
Victor continued.
“Isabella was Julian’s wife.”
Mia looked up at Adrian.
Victor’s laughter echoed through the corridor.
May you like
“That little street girl is your brother’s daughter.”
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