Chapter 8 - The Inheritance Nobody Wanted Us to Find
Dominic Vale had spent years controlling a criminal empire, but the discovery of my twin sister frightened him more than any rival ever had.
For the first time, I saw him genuinely uncertain.
"Why would Adrian care about Eleanor's daughters?" I asked.
Dominic paced beside the window.
"Because your mother was appointed guardian over something valuable before she disappeared."
"What?"
He stopped.
"My mother's inheritance."
I stared at him.
"Your mother's?"
Dominic nodded.
"My mother, Sofia Vale, came from a wealthy family in Boston. Before she married my father, she owned shipping shares, real estate, and a private investment trust."
Rose frowned.
"What happened to it?"
"After she died, Adrian tried to take control. But her will placed restrictions on who could access the assets."
I leaned forward.
"And Mom?"
"Eleanor became the temporary guardian of the trust records because she was the only adult the court believed would protect me."
My stomach tightened.
"Why would the trust have anything to do with us?"
Dominic opened an old legal document.
He placed it before me.
At the bottom were three signatures.
Sofia Vale.
Eleanor Carter.
And a man named Jonathan Carter.
I froze.
"Jonathan Carter?"
Dominic nodded.
"Your grandfather."
My chest tightened.
Grandpa Jonathan had died before I was born.
Mom rarely spoke about him.
Dominic continued.
"Your grandfather was an attorney. He helped Sofia establish the trust before she married into the Vale family."
Rose stared.
"So Eleanor inherited responsibility for protecting the records?"
"Yes."
Dominic looked toward me.
"Adrian may have believed her daughters could inherit that responsibility if she died."
I rubbed my forehead.
"This is insane. I'm a waitress. I barely have enough money to fix my car."
Dominic's expression softened.
"Money doesn't determine legal rights."
Rose looked down at the documents.
Then she pointed toward a paragraph.
"What's this?"
Dominic leaned closer.
His expression changed.
The paragraph described a sealed succession agreement.
The identity of the successor remained confidential until certain conditions were met.
Rose whispered, "Could one of us be the successor?"
Dominic didn't answer immediately.
Then his phone rang.
Marcus.
Dominic listened carefully.
His jaw tightened.
"Are you sure?"
Another pause.
"Send it."
He ended the call.
"What happened?" I asked.
Dominic looked at us.
"Marcus found the doctor who handled your birth."
Rose gripped my hand.
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
"Then he can tell us what happened."
Dominic hesitated.
"He already did."
He turned his phone toward us.
A recorded interview began playing.
Dr. Harold Price looked elderly and frightened.
His voice shook.
"Adrian Vale ordered the second baby removed from Eleanor Carter's room."
My heart pounded.
The doctor continued.
"He told me one twin had to disappear."
Rose started crying.
Then Dr. Price whispered the final revelation.
"Because the twins were not just Eleanor Carter's daughters."
He swallowed.
"Their biological father was the man Adrian had spent twenty-nine years trying to destroy."
May you like
Dominic's father.
Vincent Vale.
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