Chapter 19: The Son Beneath the Grave
Damian didn't move.
The phone remained pressed against his ear long after the call ended.
Ethan watched him.
"Who was it?""
Damian slowly lowered the phone.
"Someone claiming to be the son Mother buried.""
Ethan frowned.
"Daniel?""
"No.""
Across the garden, Margaret was still holding Sofia's hands. Daniel stood beside her, uncertain and frightened, while Isabella tried to make him smile.
Damian looked at the boy.
Then at the message on his phone.
Ask your mother which baby she brought home from the hospital.
He walked toward Margaret.
"Mother, I need to ask you something.""
She looked up.
"What's wrong?""
"How many children did you give birth to?""
Margaret's expression changed.
"Four.""
"Damian, Ethan, Isabella, and Daniel?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Are you certain?""
Her eyes narrowed.
"Why are you asking me that?""
Damian showed her the message.
Margaret read it.
Her fingers began trembling.
"No.""
"What is it?""
She looked toward Arthur.
"Where is he?""
Arthur was standing near the chapel entrance. When he saw Margaret approaching, he immediately understood something was wrong.
"Margaret?""
She held up the phone.
"Who sent this?""
Arthur read the message.
His face went pale.
"Where did you get that?""
"Answer me. How many babies were born that night?""
Arthur looked toward Damian.
"Not here.""
"Here," Damian said.
"Now.""
Arthur glanced at the others.
Then he exhaled.
"Margaret gave birth to twins.""
The words silenced the garden.
Ethan stared.
"Twins?""
Arthur nodded.
"Two boys. One was Damian. The other was taken before Margaret woke up.""
Damian felt the ground shift beneath him.
"Who took him?""
"Alexander.""
Margaret shook her head.
"He told me the second baby hadn't survived.""
"He lied.""
"Where is he?""
Arthur looked down.
"I don't know.""
Damian stepped closer.
"You said there were four children.""
"There were four children Margaret raised or believed she had lost. But Alexander had another son.""
Ethan's face hardened.
"That's five.""
"Six, if you count Adrian.""
Arthur nodded.
"Alexander never wanted the family tree understood. He changed names, falsified records, and made children disappear.""
Damian looked toward the house.
"Who was on the phone?""
Arthur hesitated.
Then he said, "His name is Nathan.""
Margaret covered her mouth.
"Alexander's hidden son?""
Arthur nodded.
"He was raised by a family outside Boston. Alexander kept him away from the estate because he believed the boy would eventually become a threat to Damian.""
"Why?"" Ethan asked.
"Because Nathan was the firstborn twin.""
Damian stared at him.
"You're saying he's my brother?""
"Yes.""
"And he knows?""
Arthur nodded.
"He knows everything.""
An hour later, Damian stood alone in the old chapel.
The room smelled of dust and melted candle wax.
He examined the old photograph of himself as a baby.
Ethan had been holding him.
Now he understood why.
His brother had been told to protect him because their father had already decided one child would be kept and the other discarded.
The chapel doors opened.
Nathan entered.
He looked almost exactly like Damian.
The same dark eyes. The same sharp jaw. The same controlled expression.
But there was something different in his face.
A bitterness Damian recognized.
"You came," Nathan said.
Damian didn't reach for his weapon.
"You called me.""
"I wanted to see whether you'd recognize me.""
"I've never seen you.""
Nathan smiled without humor.
"That's the point.""
He walked toward the altar.
"Do you know what Alexander told me when I was old enough to understand?""
Damian said nothing.
"He told me my mother had chosen you. That she had held you in her arms and refused to look at me.""
"That's not true.""
"I know that now.""
Nathan turned.
"Do you?""
Damian stepped closer.
"Mother didn't know you were alive.""
"She searched for me?""
"Yes.""
Nathan laughed softly.
"She searched for you, too. She built an empire around you. She gave you everything.""
"She didn't give me anything. Alexander did.""
"And you accepted it.""
Damian absorbed the accusation.
"You're right.""
Nathan's expression flickered.
Damian continued.
"I had a home. A name. A family.
You had none of those things. I can't pretend that's fair.""
Nathan looked away.
"For years, I wanted to kill you.""
"Why didn't you?""
"Because I wanted you to know what it felt like to lose everything first.""
Damian nodded.
"I understand.""
Nathan studied him.
"Do you?""
"Yes. But if you came here to take revenge, you'll have to do it without using Sofia or Mother.""
Nathan's face tightened.
"I never touched them.""
"You sent the messages.""
"I wanted you to understand that Alexander had another son.""
"Why now?""
Nathan reached into his coat and removed a small envelope.
"Because Alexander is dying.""
Damian looked at it.
"He's in custody.""
"He's not the only one who knows where the original trust documents are. He hid the final proof before the estate was searched.""
Nathan handed him the envelope.
Inside was a hospital photograph.
A newborn baby lay beside Margaret.
Two babies.
One had a small crescent-shaped birthmark near his left shoulder.
Damian looked down at his own shoulder.
He had the same mark.
The second baby had a tiny scar beneath his chin.
Nathan touched his own chin.
"That's me.""
Damian stared at the photograph.
"Why give me this?""
"Because I don't want the empire.""
Nathan looked toward the garden.
"I want my mother to know I existed.""
Damian opened the chapel doors.
Margaret was waiting outside.
She had heard enough to understand.
Nathan stopped.
For a long moment, mother and son simply stared at each other.
Then Margaret approached him.
"Your name," she whispered.
"Nathan.""
She touched his face.
"I thought you were dead.""
"I know.""
"I looked for you.""
He nodded.
"I know that, too.""
Margaret began to cry.
Nathan stood still until she wrapped her arms around him.
Then, slowly, he embraced her.
Damian stepped aside.
Ethan joined him.
"Well," Ethan murmured, "that makes the family tree even more confusing.""
Damian almost smiled.
But Nathan suddenly pulled away.
His phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes?""
His expression changed.
"What do you mean?""
He listened.
Then looked at Damian.
"Alexander has escaped.""
Damian's blood ran cold.
"How?""
Nathan ended the call.
"Someone opened the transport vehicle.""
A second later, Damian's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Alexander's voice came through, weak but unmistakable.
"You finally met your brother.""
Damian tightened his grip.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere you won't find me.""
"You're finished.""
Alexander laughed.
"Perhaps. But before I disappear, I want you to know something.""
"What?""
"The trust is not the only thing Rose left behind.""
Damian said nothing.
Alexander continued.
"Your grandmother left a final instruction. The Voss empire belongs to the person who destroys the Cross empire.""
The call ended.
Damian looked toward the garden.
Sofia was standing there.
She had heard the last sentence.
"What does he mean?"" she asked.
Damian held out the document.
"Your grandmother left you a choice.""
Sofia read the final paragraph.
Her face changed.
She looked toward the estate, where the Cross family crest still hung above the entrance.
Then she looked back at Damian.
"Maybe it's time this family stopped owning everything.""
Damian nodded.
But before he could answer, a gunshot echoed from the road.
Everyone turned.
Marcus was standing beside a black vehicle.
A man lay on the ground at his feet.
And in Marcus's hand was a bloodstained envelope.
He looked directly at Damian.
"Boss, I found the original ledger.""
May you like
Then he added:
"But there's something inside you need to see.""
