Chapter 14 - THE ADOPTION FILE
Adrian was arrested.
Peter Sloan was caught before sunrise.
Rebecca survived surgery and agreed to testify.
Samuel Mercer turned over every altered medical record he could find.
Arthur survived too, under police guard.
Dominic thought the worst truth had finally surfaced.
Then Vincent walked into the hospital waiting room with a sealed file.
"We found this in Pike's office."
"What is it?"
"An adoption record."
Dominic frowned. "For who?"
"Marcus."
Marcus grabbed it.
"I wasn't adopted."
The sealed birth record named Isabel Vale as his mother.
The father listed was Nathan Mercer.
Samuel sat down.
"My brother?"
Marcus looked at him.
Samuel shook his head. "Nathan never told me."
A DNA test was ordered.
While they waited, Arthur gave a formal confession.
He admitted helping fake Marcus's death to get him out of Antonio's reach.
He admitted hiding Isabel's letters.
He admitted giving Antonio the fatal dose.
Dominic stood behind the glass.
"You called it protection."
Arthur nodded.
"The word cowards use when they decide for other people."
Dominic said nothing.
Vincent's phone rang.
The lab had rushed the results.
Marcus was Nathan Mercer's biological son.
Samuel covered his face.
Marcus stared at the floor.
Then Vincent continued.
"There's another match."
Dominic looked up.
"Who?"
Vincent turned toward the hall.
Clare stood there holding Ellie's hand.
"Clare Rowan."
May you like
Silence.
Vincent said, "Clare and Marcus are half siblings."
