Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WITH A BORROWED NAME
Sloane Whitaker did not exist.
Not legally.
Not before three years ago.
Mateo found the proof by noon.
Her birth certificate was fake.
College records were purchased.
Social security number belonged to a child who died in infancy.
Julian stared at the report.
“Who is she?”
Mateo pulled up an older photograph.
Different hair.
Different name.
Same face.
NORA VANCE.
Twenty-nine.
Daughter of Patrick Vance.
Julian knew the name immediately.
“Vance Shipping.”
Mateo nodded.
Twenty years earlier, Henry Mercer had destroyed Patrick Vance’s company during a brutal port war.
Vance later died by suicide.
His wife disappeared.
Nora had been fourteen.
“She came for revenge,” I said.
Julian shook his head.
“That doesn’t explain Charles.”
“No.”
Mateo found the connection.
Charles Mercer had quietly funded Nora’s education.
Paid her rent.
Financed cosmetic surgery.
Created the Whitaker identity.
For fifteen years.
Julian looked disgusted.
“He trained her.”
“To get close to you,” Mateo said.
“But why wait?”
“Because Gabriel’s stored genetic material was legally inaccessible until eight months ago.”
“What changed?”
“A court petition.”
Filed anonymously.
Granted control to the surviving Mercer trustee.
Charles.
Julian walked toward the window.
The man who had taught him to drive.
Attend funerals.
Run companies.
Survive his father.
Had spent fifteen years building a weapon with a woman’s face.
I asked:
“Where is Sloane now?”
Mateo looked at me.
“Gone.”
“She left?”
“Apartment empty.”
“Brynn?”
“Gone too.”
Julian’s phone rang.
Charles.
He answered without greeting.
“Julian.”
“Uncle.”
“You sound angry.”
“Should I be?”
Charles laughed softly.
“Depends what you’ve learned.”
Julian’s voice became ice.
“Enough.”
“Then bring me Elise.”
Elise went pale.
Julian looked at her.
“No.”
“Bring me Elise and Gabriel’s child survives.”
Julian’s face hardened.
“You don’t have Anna.”
“Don’t I?”
Mateo began typing frantically.
Anna’s security detail had stopped responding.
My blood ran cold.
Charles continued.
“You have six hours.”
“Where?”
“The old Mercer shipyard.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You waited your whole life to hold a baby.”
A pause.
“Would be unfortunate if Gabriel’s son never took his first breath.”
The call ended.
Julian smashed the phone against the wall.
I had never seen him lose control.
Then I noticed Elise staring at the broken screen.
“Julian.”
“What?”
“There’s something Charles doesn’t know.”
“What?”
Elise opened her medical bag and removed a sealed envelope.
“Anna isn’t carrying one baby.”
Julian stared.
“Twins?”
“Yes.”
“Both Gabriel’s?”
Elise shook her head.
“No.”
The room went silent.
“One embryo was Gabriel’s.”
“And the other?”
May you like
Elise looked directly at Julian.
“Yours.”
