Chapter 10 - THE HOUSE WHERE MONSTERS WERE MADE
Blackwood Manor had been empty since Charles died.
Victor had refused to sell it.
He had also refused to visit.
Now, at midnight, he stood outside the iron gates.
Claire sat in an armored vehicle behind him with police protection.
She had begged Victor not to go.
He had kissed her forehead.
“I already lost you once.”
She grabbed his hand.
“Then don’t make Ethan lose you.”
Victor had no answer.
Lily stood beside him wearing a bulletproof vest.
Ruiz hated everything about the plan.
Lauren had demanded Lily come alone.
Lily refused to let the police stay away.
So they compromised.
Lily would enter.
A tactical team would surround the estate.
Victor was supposed to remain outside.
Nobody believed he would.
The front door opened by itself.
Lily looked at Victor.
“Stay here.”
He almost laughed.
“You know I won’t.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
She touched the vest.
“You have a son.”
“So do you.”
Lily blinked.
Victor corrected himself.
“You have people in there too.”
She looked at him for a long second.
Then nodded.
They entered.
The house smelled exactly as Victor remembered.
Wood polish.
Old stone.
His father’s cigars.
He hated that the smell still existed.
Lights came on one room at a time.
A path.
Lauren’s voice filled hidden speakers.
“Welcome home, Victor.”
He looked around.
“Show yourself.”
A laugh.
“You sound like your father.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Lily called out, “Lauren!”
Silence.
Then a door opened.
At the end of the hall stood a woman.
Lily’s exact face.
Almost.
Lauren’s hair was darker.
Shorter.
A scar cut through her left eyebrow.
But the resemblance was breathtaking.
Lily whispered, “Oh my God.”
Lauren smiled.
“Hi, sis.”
Lily stared.
“So it was you.”
“Usually.”
“You planted the suitcase.”
“Yes.”
“The passport.”
“Yes.”
“You took Rebecca.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lauren tilted her head.
“Because she saw me.”
Lily’s hands shook.
“And Ethan?”
“Safe.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Let me see him.”
Lauren looked at Victor.
The smile disappeared.
“You have his eyes.”
Victor said nothing.
“Charles had those eyes too.”
“I’m not my father.”
“Men always say that.”
“Where is Ethan?”
Lauren turned.
“Follow me.”
They entered Charles Blackwood’s old study.
The walls had been stripped.
Behind them were photographs.
Hundreds.
Children.
Employees.
Politicians.
Lawyers.
Judges.
Families.
Victor recognized some faces.
People his father had controlled.
Destroyed.
Bought.
Lauren stood in the middle.
“He called this room the board.”
Victor’s stomach twisted.
“He was sick.”
“He was brilliant.”
Lily stared at her.
“He kidnapped you.”
Lauren’s eyes snapped toward her.
“He saved me.”
“No. He stole you.”
“He made me useful.”
“He abused you.”
Lauren’s face changed.
A flicker.
Pain.
Gone instantly.
“He taught me not to be weak.”
Lily stepped closer.
“He made you think love was weakness.”
Lauren laughed.
“You sound like a greeting card.”
“I sound like your sister.”
“You are not my sister.”
Lily’s face tightened.
“We’re twins.”
“We share DNA.”
“That’s what sisters are.”
“No. Sisters share lives.”
Lily swallowed.
“Then let me know yours.”
For the first time, Lauren looked uncertain.
Victor saw it.
Lily did too.
“What happened to you here?” Lily asked softly.
Lauren’s eyes moved around the room.
“He tested me.”
“How?”
“Don’t.”
“Lauren.”
“I said don’t.”
“What did he make you do?”
Lauren’s voice rose.
“He made me survive!”
A baby cried upstairs.
Victor moved.
Lauren pulled a gun.
“Don’t.”
Victor froze.
Ethan cried again.
His son was above him.
Close.
Victor’s entire body screamed to move.
Lauren pointed the gun at Lily.
“Victor goes upstairs.”
Lily frowned.
“What?”
Lauren smiled again.
“He gets his son.”
Victor didn’t trust it.
“And Lily?”
“She stays with me.”
“No.”
Lauren’s gun shifted toward him.
“You don’t set terms here.”
Lily looked at Victor.
“Go.”
“No.”
“Victor.”
“I’m not leaving you with her.”
Lauren laughed.
“That’s sweet.”
Lily whispered, “Your son needs you.”
Victor looked at the staircase.
Then at Lily.
He hated the choice.
Lauren waved the gun.
“Tick-tock.”
Victor moved upstairs.
The nursery door stood open.
Ethan was inside a crib.
Alive.
Crying.
Victor rushed to him.
“Daddy’s here.”
He lifted his son.
Ethan wrapped both arms around his neck.
Victor nearly collapsed from relief.
Then he smelled something.
Gasoline.
He looked down.
A dark wet line ran beneath the nursery door.
Victor ran to the window.
Bars had been installed outside it.
He grabbed the handle.
Locked.
Lauren’s voice came through a speaker.
“Victor?”
He looked up.
“Your father used to give me choices.”
Victor’s blood turned cold.
“What are you doing?”
“He said choices reveal character.”
Downstairs, Lily shouted.
“LAUREN!”
Victor held Ethan tighter.
Lauren continued through the speaker.
“So here’s yours.”
A mechanical lock slammed across the nursery door.
Victor rushed to it.
“Open the door!”
“You can save Ethan.”
Victor looked around.
“Or…”
A camera screen on the wall flickered on.
It showed Lily tied to a chair downstairs.
Beside her sat Evelyn.
And Serena.
All three were bound.
Lauren stood behind them.
A gun in one hand.
An ignition switch in the other.
Victor stared.
Lauren smiled into the camera.
May you like
“Or you can save everyone else.”
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