Chapter 17 - THE BABY’S CRY CAME FROM A ROOM SEALED FOR TWENTY-SIX YEARS—AND THE NAME ON THE CRIB MADE ISABELLA COLLAPSEThe crying came again.
The crying came again.
Soft.
Distant.
Impossible.
Every person inside Charles Hawthorne’s study looked toward the ceiling.
Sofia’s heart pounded.
“There is no baby in this house.”
Claire whispered:
“There is now.”
Daniel drew his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Sofia glared.
“Stop saying that.”
“Fine.”
He moved beside her instead.
“Better?”
“Marginally.”
They followed the sound upstairs.
The crying seemed to come from the sealed west wing.
But when Sofia entered the corridor, it stopped.
Silence.
Then again.
Not a real baby.
A recording.
Sofia followed it to the circular room containing her childhood photographs.
A panel in the wall had opened.
Inside was another corridor.
Daniel stared.
“I’m going to demolish this house.”
Victoria whispered:
“I'll help.”
They entered.
The passage ended at a nursery.
Dust covered everything.
White crib.
Rocking chair.
Faded wallpaper.
A mobile hanging motionless above the crib.
Sofia approached.
The crying came from an old cassette player.
She turned it off.
Silence returned.
Then Isabella entered.
She saw the crib.
Her face collapsed.
“No.”
Sofia turned.
“Mom?”
Isabella stepped backward.
“No.”
“What?”
“I've been here.”
Sofia stared.
“When?”
Isabella began shaking.
“The night you were born.”
Everyone froze.
Sofia approached.
“You told me I was born at a private clinic.”
“You were.”
“Then why were you here?”
Isabella looked at the crib.
“Afterward.”
Sofia’s stomach tightened.
She looked inside.
A brass nameplate was attached to the rail.
MARISOL ELEANOR RAMIREZ.
Sofia stared.
Her original name.
Marisol.
Isabella sat down hard.
“I thought Charles destroyed this room.”
Daniel looked around.
“My father brought Sofia here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To hide her.”
“From whom?”
Isabella whispered:
“Catherine.”
Victoria flinched.
“My mother?”
Isabella looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“What did my mother want with Sofia?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't do that.”
Victoria’s voice rose.
“Everyone keeps saying they don't know while somehow knowing exactly enough to ruin my life!”
Sofia touched her arm.
Victoria pulled away.
Then immediately regretted it.
“Sorry.”
Sofia nodded.
Isabella looked at Victoria.
“Your mother came to the clinic the night Sofia was born.”
“Why?”
“She demanded the baby.”
Victoria stared.
“What did you do?”
“I ran.”
Isabella had still been weak from childbirth.
Luis helped her.
Charles drove them to Hawthorne Villa.
They hid newborn Sofia in this room for three nights.
Then Luis took Isabella and the baby away.
Sofia touched the crib.
Her father had carried her from here.
Daniel asked:
“Why did Catherine want Sofia?”
Isabella shook her head.
“She called her ‘the inheritance.’”
Sofia looked toward the countdown on her phone.
Eden succession.
Inheritance.
Everything connected.
Victoria sat down.
“My mother wasn't a victim.”
Isabella answered carefully.
“She may have been both.”
Victoria looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
“People can be harmed and still harm others.”
Sofia glanced at Victoria.
That truth belonged to many people in this story.
Including Victoria herself.
They searched the nursery.
Under the mattress was an envelope.
CATHERINE.
Victoria opened it.
Inside was a letter from Luis.
Catherine,
You do not own this child.
Neither does Eden.
Neither does Charles.
Neither do I.
She belongs to herself.
If you come for her again, I will expose everything.
Victoria handed it to Sofia.
Sofia’s eyes filled.
Luis.
Again.
Protecting her autonomy before she could even speak.
Another page.
If Eden needs an heir, choose me.
Leave the children alone.
Sofia whispered:
“He volunteered.”
Margaret nodded.
“That's why he became Subject Zero.”
Daniel frowned.
“He wasn't originally?”
“No.”
Margaret explained.
Project Eden existed before Luis.
But when Catherine tried to use newborn Sofia as part of the succession program, Luis negotiated.
He would become Eden’s legal Subject Zero.
He would undergo monitoring.
He would cooperate.
In exchange, Sofia disappeared from the program.
Sofia felt tears.
“He sacrificed himself.”
Margaret shook her head.
“Not completely.”
“What?”
“He sabotaged Eden from inside.”
Sofia almost smiled.
That sounded like Luis too.
He altered records.
Destroyed samples.
Helped subjects escape.
And wrote the chosen-family clause into Eden’s succession charter.
Daniel stared at the countdown.
“So why is it activating now?”
“Because Luis died.”
“He died nine years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why wait?”
Margaret looked toward the nursery.
“Because someone kept his status active.”
Sofia frowned.
“How?”
“Biometric heartbeat simulation.”
Daniel stared.
“Someone made the system believe Luis was alive.”
“For nine years.”
“Who?”
A voice behind them answered.
“I did.”
Everyone turned.
Arthur Bell stood in the doorway.
Security raised weapons.
He lifted his hands.
“I came voluntarily.”
Sofia stared.
“You called me.”
“Yes.”
“You said the first successful Eden subject was beside me.”
“Yes.”
“Luis?”
Arthur smiled.
“No.”
Sofia’s expression hardened.
“Then who?”
Arthur looked toward Isabella.
“Her.”
Silence.
Isabella froze.
Sofia turned.
“Mom?”
Arthur continued.
“Isabella Ramirez was Eden Subject One.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No.”
“You don't remember.”
“Stop.”
Arthur looked at Sofia.
“Your mother was treated when she was six.”
Sofia stared.
“For what?”
“A congenital immune disorder.”
Isabella whispered:
“I was sick as a child.”
“Yes.”
Arthur nodded.
“Eden saved your life.”
Sofia looked at him.
“And changed her?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Gene therapy.”
Primitive.
Experimental.
But successful.
Isabella became the first child to survive Eden treatment.
Sofia stared at her mother.
“So the first successful subject really was standing beside me.”
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then why is Luis Subject Zero?”
“Legal designation.”
“Not medical.”
“Correct.”
Sofia felt the distinction settle.
Arthur continued.
“Catherine wanted Sofia because she believed Isabella’s modified genetics could pass to a child.”
Elias stiffened.
“And mine.”
Arthur looked at him.
“Yes.”
Sofia understood.
Her birth had combined two experimental bloodlines.
Eden and Meridian.
Isabella and Elias.
That was why Catherine called her the inheritance.
Not because Sofia was special in some mystical way.
Because she was biologically valuable to people who viewed human beings as data.
Sofia felt disgust.
“Where is Catherine?”
Arthur looked at Victoria.
“She'll come for you.”
Victoria froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were her contingency.”
Silence.
Victoria laughed nervously.
“For what?”
Arthur’s expression darkened.
“If Sofia couldn't inherit Eden…”
He looked at Victoria.
“…Catherine planned to make you eligible.”
Victoria stared.
“I'm not related to Luis.”
“No.”
“Then how?”
Arthur did not answer.
Sofia stepped closer.
“How?”
Arthur looked at Victoria.
“Your mother altered your legal birth records.”
Victoria went pale.
“What?”
“You were adopted.”
Silence.
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
Arthur continued.
“Richard was your father legally.”
“Biologically?”
“No.”
Victoria backed against the wall.
“My mother?”
“Catherine was your biological mother.”
“Then my father?”
Arthur looked toward the photograph of Luis.
Victoria saw it.
Her face collapsed.
“No.”
Sofia stared.
Arthur whispered:
“Luis Ramirez.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Victoria looked at Sofia.
If Luis was Victoria’s biological father—
then Victoria was his biological daughter.
A true descendant.
Eligible for Eden succession.
Victoria laughed through tears.
“No.”
Sofia approached.
“Victoria.”
“Don't.”
“Okay.”
Victoria stared at Luis’s photograph.
“The man whose daughter I tried to fire.”
Sofia said nothing.
“The man whose family my father destroyed.”
Sofia whispered:
“Richard wasn't your father.”
“He raised me.”
Victoria looked at her.
“You taught me that still counts.”
Sofia nodded.
“Yes.”
Victoria began crying.
Arthur continued.
“Catherine hid the truth because Luis threatened to expose Eden.”
Victoria stared.
“Did Luis know I was his daughter?”
Arthur hesitated.
“Yes.”
That destroyed her.
“He knew?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever see me?”
“From a distance.”
“Why didn't he come?”
“Catherine threatened Sofia.”
Victoria looked at Sofia.
Luis had been forced to choose between protecting one daughter openly and another secretly.
Sofia felt no triumph.
Only grief.
Then Arthur’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
“Catherine.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“Answer.”
Arthur did.
Catherine’s voice:
“Victoria.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“Mom.”
“You found the nursery.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know.”
“I'm Luis’s daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you weren't ready.”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“You don't get to decide that anymore.”
Catherine became quiet.
Then:
“You sound like Sofia.”
Victoria looked at her.
For once, Sofia saw no hostility.
Only strange recognition.
Catherine continued.
“Come to me.”
“No.”
“I have Marcus.”
“Release him.”
“Come alone.”
“No.”
Catherine sighed.
“Then I'll give Eden to Daniel.”
Sofia frowned.
“You can't.”
Catherine laughed.
“Oh, Sofia.”
“What?”
“You still think the succession protocol is about inheritance.”
Sofia looked at the countdown.
“What is it really?”
“Selection.”
“For what?”
Catherine’s voice softened.
“To decide which one of you becomes the legal owner of every surviving human genetic patent Eden ever created.”
Silence.
Sofia felt sick.
Human genetic patents.
People reduced to property.
Catherine continued.
“And when the countdown reaches zero…”
She paused.
“…the people those patents belong to become assets of the winner.”
The call ended.
Victoria stared at Sofia.
Daniel stared at both women.
And the countdown continued.
47:18:11.
47:18:10.
May you like
47:18:09.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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