CHAPTER 7 — THE BOY WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD
CHAPTER 7 — THE BOY WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD
Emily's world stopped.
The little boy stood beside the elegant woman, clutching a stuffed dinosaur.
His brown hair...
His blue-gray eyes...
The tiny birthmark behind his left ear.
Emily's knees buckled.
"No..."
The woman smiled.
"His name is Noah."
Emily whispered the name through trembling lips.
"Noah..."
It had been one of the names she and her husband had chosen before the twins were born.
The little boy stared at her with frightened eyes.
He had no idea why this stranger was crying.
Dominic's expression hardened.
"Claire..."
Emily turned toward him.
"You know her?"
Dominic nodded.
"My former fiancée."
Claire laughed.
"I preferred 'the woman smart enough to leave you.'"
She rested one hand on the child's shoulder.
"You've been looking for your daughter's enemies."
She smiled coldly.
"You never thought to look inside your own family."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"My brother."
Claire nodded.
"He ordered the hospital attack."
Emily felt sick.
"What about my husband?"
"He discovered the money laundering network," Claire said. "Your husband was honest. Honest people don't survive in our world."
Emily's tears flowed freely.
"And my babies?"
Claire's smile faded for the first time.
"One died that night."
Emily closed her eyes.
"The other..."
Claire gently pushed the little boy forward.
"...was taken before anyone realized the mistake."
Emily stared.
"You kidnapped him?"
"No."
Claire shook her head.
"I rescued him."
Silence.
"Dominic's brother planned to kill both babies after realizing the hospital mistake. I couldn't let that happen."
"Why should I believe you?"
Claire reached into her purse and tossed a worn silver bracelet onto the snow.
Emily recognized it instantly.
It had belonged to her husband.
She had searched for it after his funeral.
It had vanished.
"I was there," Claire whispered.
"I couldn't save your husband."
"But I saved your son."
The little boy looked at Emily.
"Are... are you really my mommy?"
Emily broke.
She ran across the snow without thinking.
Bullets were forgotten.
Fear disappeared.
She dropped to her knees and wrapped the child in her arms.
For the first time in four years...
She held her son.
The attackers didn't fire.
Even they remained silent.
Some moments were too human to interrupt.
Suddenly—
BANG!
A sniper's shot echoed across the valley.
Claire's eyes widened.
A red stain spread across her chest.
She looked down in disbelief.
"They..."
She coughed blood.
"They found me..."
Dominic shouted,
"Sniper!"
Chaos erupted.
The ceasefire vanished instantly.
Gunfire exploded from every direction.
Mason dragged Emily and Noah toward cover.
Claire collapsed into the snow.
With her final breath she looked at Dominic.
May you like
"It... was always... your brother..."
Then she died.
