Chapter 18 - THE WOMAN WE THOUGHT WAS DEAD
Cassandra's mother was alive.
For years, Cassandra had believed she had died shortly after her father's death.
But the photograph proved otherwise.
We found her in a small town outside Boston.
She opened the door.
Cassandra stopped breathing.
"Mom?"
The woman froze.
Then she began to cry.
"My little girl."
Cassandra ran into her arms.
I stayed outside.
Some reunions are too sacred to interrupt.
Later, she told us everything.
She had been working with my mother.
She had helped hide Rebecca.
She had helped protect the final heirs.
And she had been the person who originally created the foundation's relocation program.
"Why didn't you tell Cassandra?"
"Because Samuel was watching."
"Why did you let her believe you were dead?"
"Because a dead mother couldn't be used against her."
Cassandra wiped her eyes.
"Why didn't you trust me?"
Her mother touched her face.
"Because I loved you."
It was the same answer my mother had given me through all those years of silence.
Love expressed through secrecy.
Protection that sometimes looked like betrayal.
Then she gave me a folder.
Inside was the final document.
The original succession agreement.
There were four heirs.
Me.
Cassandra.
Rebecca.
And someone else.
I stared at the fourth name.
My blood ran cold.
It was Luke.
Cassandra gasped.
"Luke?"
"No."
I read the document again.
It wasn't Luke.
It was Violet.
My daughter.
She had been designated as the final controlling heir.
"Why her?"
Cassandra's mother answered.
"Because your mother believed Violet would grow up without the burden of the empire."
"Then why include her?"
"Because she needed someone outside the old bloodline."
Someone innocent.
Someone who could legally dismantle everything.
I looked at Cassandra.
"That's why they wanted our children."
She nodded.
Then the front door exploded inward.
Agents shouted.
Everyone dropped.
A man entered.
Samuel.
He had escaped custody.
He looked at me.
"Give me the document."
"No."
"Your daughter dies if you don't."
The room went silent.
Then Violet stepped forward.
She was holding the small brass key.
The same key Luke had found.
She looked at Samuel.
And said something no child should ever have known.
"Grandpa said you would say that."
Samuel froze.
"Who told you?"
Violet pointed toward the hallway.
My mother stood there.
Or rather, a video projection of her.
Her final recording.
May you like
"Samuel," her voice said.
"You failed again."
