Chapter 61 - DANIEL DISCOVERED HE HAD AN OLDER SISTER—BUT THE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE SECRET CHAPEL REVEALED SOMETHING EVEN MORE DISTURBING
The entrance to the chapel was hidden behind a wall in the oldest section of Hawthorne Villa.
Daniel stood beside Sofia as workers carefully removed a panel of carved oak.
Behind it, a narrow staircase descended into darkness.
The air smelled of stone, dust, and old candle wax.
Margaret had refused to accompany them.
She had given investigators a formal statement and agreed to remain available for questioning.
Sofia had not spoken to her again.
Not yet.
There were too many emotions she could not separate.
Anger.
Grief.
Love.
Betrayal.
Daniel placed a hand against the wall.
"My father lived in this house for decades."
Sofia looked at him.
"Yes."
"And somehow I never knew this place existed."
She touched his arm.
"You're not responsible for everything he hid."
Daniel gave a tired smile.
"I know."
But Sofia could tell he did not entirely believe it.
They descended.
At the bottom stood a wooden door.
A brass cross had been carved into its center.
Daniel inserted Margaret's key.
The lock turned.
The door opened with a long, reluctant groan.
Inside was a small chapel.
Rows of wooden benches faced a simple altar.
Dust covered the floor.
Stained-glass windows had been sealed behind the surrounding foundation walls.
Along one side stood dozens of small brass plaques.
Sofia approached the nearest.
A child's name.
A date.
Another name.
Another date.
Her throat tightened.
"Daniel."
He came beside her.
They read the plaques in silence.
Some names had been replaced with numbers.
Others carried only initials.
There were far too many.
Daniel's voice broke.
"My father knew."
Sofia looked at him.
"We don't know when he learned."
"He built this."
"Maybe he built it because he couldn't forget."
Daniel stared at the plaques.
"That doesn't excuse what happened."
"No," Sofia answered. "It doesn't."
They moved toward the altar.
Behind it hung a large framed photograph.
A young Charles Hawthorne stood beside a woman holding a little girl.
Sofia recognized Charles immediately.
But the woman was unfamiliar.
The girl appeared to be about seven years old.
Dark hair.
Serious eyes.
A faint scar near her eyebrow.
Daniel leaned closer.
"Elizabeth?"
Sofia shook her head.
"The resemblance is there."
"But?"
"Look at the date."
The photograph had been taken years before Elizabeth Ashford was born.
Daniel's expression changed.
"Then who is she?"
Sofia examined the frame.
A handwritten inscription appeared beneath the glass.
CHARLES, HELENA, AND CLAIRE — 1978.
Daniel stared.
"Claire Hawthorne."
Sofia nodded.
"The daughter Margaret mentioned."
Daniel looked at the woman.
"Helena?"
A voice answered from behind them.
"Helena Mercer."
They turned.
Elizabeth stood in the chapel doorway.
Victoria followed her.
Elizabeth's face had gone pale.
"She was my mother's older sister."
Daniel stared.
"Your aunt?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"And Charles Hawthorne's first wife."
Silence.
Daniel looked toward the photograph.
"My father was married before Eleanor?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Elizabeth approached the altar.
"Because Helena and Claire disappeared."
Sofia felt cold.
"When?"
"Shortly after this photograph was taken."
Daniel stared at the little girl.
"What happened?"
Elizabeth swallowed.
"Richard Ashford told our family they died in an accident."
Sofia looked at her.
"Did they?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"I don't know."
Victoria stepped closer.
"My father used to say Helena had stolen something from Charles."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
Victoria looked toward the plaques.
"The original Meridian research."
Sofia felt another piece fall into place.
Helena.
Claire.
Elizabeth.
Subject Zero.
The hidden chapel.
Perhaps the family had spent decades searching for the wrong first child.
Daniel examined the back of the photograph.
A folded paper had been tucked inside the frame.
He carefully removed it.
The handwriting belonged to Charles.
He read aloud.
"If Claire ever returns, tell her I never stopped looking."
Sofia looked at him.
Daniel continued.
"And tell her that her mother was right."
He stopped.
Sofia leaned closer.
"About what?"
Daniel read the final sentence.
"Meridian was never created to cure disease."
Silence.
Then Elizabeth whispered:
"It was created to identify children who could inherit the Hawthorne fortune."
Sofia turned sharply.
"What?"
Elizabeth looked toward the altar.
May you like
"And Claire was the first child they tried to remove from the family."
TO BE CONTINUED...
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