PART 6: THE CHILDREN EVERYONE WANTED
PART 6: THE CHILDREN EVERYONE WANTED
Andrew stood completely still.
The words echoed in his head.
Their blood is the reason everyone has been fighting.
He looked at Noah.
Then Liam.
His sons.
The two boys he had raised.
The two little lives that saved him after Sophia disappeared.
His voice came out quietly.
“What are you saying?”
Sophia looked like she had been carrying the weight of the world alone.
“I didn’t know how to tell you.”
Andrew’s eyes filled with confusion.
“Tell me what?”
“That our sons…”
She swallowed.
“Are the last descendants of my grandfather’s bloodline.”
Nobody spoke.
The room was silent.
Even Victor stopped smiling.
Andrew shook his head.
“I don’t understand.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“I’ll explain.”
Andrew turned toward her.
“You have said enough.”
But Eleanor continued.
“Your wife’s family built an empire long before you knew her.”
“Not just businesses.”
“Influence.”
“Property.”
“Assets hidden across countries.”
Andrew frowned.
“And?”
Eleanor looked at the twins.
“The inheritance was designed to pass only through the true bloodline.”
Sophia looked down.
“My grandfather created a legal condition.”
“Only his direct descendants could control it.”
Andrew stared.
“So everyone wanted my children?”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
“Because whoever controlled the boys…”
“Controlled everything.”
Andrew felt sick.
He looked at Claire.
“You knew?”
Claire shook her head.
“I didn’t know about that.”
For once…
She sounded honest.
Andrew didn’t know whether to believe her.
Sophia stepped closer.
“I found out after the twins were born.”
“Your grandfather left documents.”
“He believed someone would try to use the children.”
Andrew’s voice softened.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Sophia’s eyes filled.
“Because I thought I could handle it.”
“And then?”
She looked toward the floor.
“I realized someone was watching us.”
“Following me.”
“Sending threats.”
Andrew remembered.
The strange calls.
The fear in Sophia’s eyes before the fire.
He had missed everything.
Because he thought everything was fine.
“I should have protected you.”
Sophia looked at him.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You didn’t fail me.”
“I failed because I trusted the wrong people.”
Her eyes moved toward Eleanor.
The woman didn’t react.
Like she had expected this moment.
Andrew looked at her.
“You destroyed your own daughter’s life.”
Eleanor’s face remained cold.
“I did what was necessary.”
Sophia stared.
“How can you say that?”
“Because feelings make people weak.”
The answer was terrifying.
Andrew understood then.
Eleanor wasn’t sorry.
Not even now.
She believed she was right.
“You caused the fire.”
Eleanor smiled slightly.
“I arranged for Sophia to disappear.”
Sophia stepped back.
“But you didn’t want me dead?”
“No.”
The answer shocked everyone.
Eleanor looked at her daughter.
“I needed you gone.”
“Not destroyed.”
“Not dead.”
“Just removed.”
Andrew couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“You planned everything.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Claire was emotional.”
“Victor was ambitious.”
“Thomas was weak.”
She looked around.
“But I was the only one thinking clearly.”
Victor laughed.
“Still arrogant.”
Eleanor ignored him.
Andrew looked at Claire.
“And you?”
Claire cried.
“I thought if Sophia disappeared…”
She looked at Andrew.
“You would finally see me.”
Andrew felt nothing.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Only disappointment.
“You almost killed someone for a fantasy.”
Claire lowered her head.
“I know.”
Then suddenly—
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Andrew’s first reaction was immediate.
The children.
He ran.
“Sons!”
Sophia followed.
The hallway was empty.
The bedroom door was open.
Andrew’s heart stopped.
The twins’ room was destroyed.
The drawers were pulled out.
The toys were scattered.
But the boys…
Were gone.
“Sophia.”
Her face turned white.
“No.”
Andrew searched everywhere.
“NOAH!”
“LIAM!”
No answer.
Then he saw something.
A piece of paper on the bed.
His hands shook as he picked it up.
Three words.
BRING THE DOCUMENTS.
Sophia looked at him.
“Who took them?”
Nobody answered.
Then Andrew heard footsteps downstairs.
He turned.
Victor was standing there.
Holding his phone.
His face was serious.
“I didn’t do this.”
Andrew’s eyes narrowed.
“Where are my sons?”
Victor shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
Victor looked toward the paper.
“Someone else knows about the inheritance.”
Sophia stepped closer.
“Who?”
Victor hesitated.
Then said:
“The person who started all of this.”
Everyone went silent.
Andrew felt cold.
“Who?”
Victor looked at Eleanor.
And said:
“Thomas.”
Sophia froze.
“My father?”
Victor nodded.
“He wasn’t dead.”
“He has been watching.”
“No.”
Sophia shook her head.
“My father saved me.”
Victor looked at her.
“Did he?”
The question stayed in the air.
Then Andrew’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at it.
Andrew answered.
A voice came through.
A voice he remembered.
A voice that should not exist.
“Andrew.”
His blood froze.
Thomas.
Sophia’s father.
Alive.
Again.
“Where are my sons?”
Silence.
Then Thomas said:
“Safe.”
Andrew’s grip tightened.
“If you touch them—”
Thomas interrupted.
“I’m not your enemy.”
Andrew laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
Thomas sighed.
“I know.”
“Bring the documents to the old family estate.”
“Come alone.”
Andrew’s eyes darkened.
“No.”
A pause.
Then Thomas said:
“Then you’ll lose them.”
The call ended.
Andrew stared at the phone.
His family had finally come back together.
Only to be torn apart again.
Sophia grabbed his hand.
“We’re going together.”
Andrew looked at her.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“We lost three years.”
“I’m not losing another second.”
For the first time in years…
Andrew and Sophia stood together.
Not as broken people.
Not as strangers.
As parents.
As husband and wife.
They looked at each other.
And both knew.
This time…
May you like
They were not fighting to uncover the truth.
They were fighting to bring their children home.
