Chapter 5 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ETHAN Isabella was staying in a private hospital outside Milwaukee.
Victor stood outside her room for nearly ten minutes before entering.
She looked thinner than he remembered.
Older.
Fragile.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
Lily entered first.
Isabella immediately looked at her.
“Did Serena send you?”
“No.”
Lily placed the recorder on the table.
She pressed play.
Serena's threats filled the room.
Isabella's hands began to shake.
“Ethan?”
“He's alive.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Is he safe?”
“He was hurt.”
Isabella covered her mouth.
“What happened?”
“His arm was broken.”
She closed her eyes.
Then Victor entered.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Their reunion was not beautiful.
It was painful.
Two people standing across from years of lies.
“You believed I was dead,” Isabella said.
“Yes.”
“You never questioned it.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I spent years believing you hated me.”
Victor's voice broke.
“I never hated you.”
“You didn't have to.”
She looked away.
“You forgot me.”
Then Isabella told him what Serena had hidden.
She had given birth to Ethan while imprisoned.
Serena told her the baby had died.
But the child had been taken.
Victor had later been given another story—one involving an embryo and a surrogate.
He had believed Ethan was his son.
He had never known the child's mother was alive.
Victor stared toward the hallway.
“Ethan is…”
“Your son.”
Victor's knees almost gave way.
His son.
His wife.
Both had been stolen from him.
Then Isabella whispered:
“Serena has a ledger.”
“What kind?”
“Every payment.”
“Every doctor.”
“Every person she bought.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Where is it?”
Isabella looked toward the mirror.
“Inside Ethan's crib.”
Lily's heart stopped.
The crib was still in the mansion.
Then Victor's phone rang.
Smoke alarms were screaming.
May you like
The mansion was on fire.
The nursery was burning.
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