Chapter 1 - The Shattered Truth
The room spun around me as the reality of the death certificate sank into my brain.
Vanessa stood by the door with a cold expression on her face.
Her hands gripped the wooden cane so tightly her knuckles turned white.
"Who is pretending to be Claire?" I screamed at her.
She just smiled a hollow, terrifying smile.
"You are asking the wrong questions, Daniel," she whispered.
Noah stepped closer to me, his arms still wrapped protectively around my crying baby, Lily.
"We need to call the police right now," Noah said with a trembling voice.
Vanessa laughed dryly and tapped her cane against the hardwood floor.
"The police work for Marcus Hale, and Marcus works for the board," she replied.
I lunged forward and grabbed Vanessa by the collar of her expensive silk blouse.
"Tell me where my sister's body is!" I demanded.
Before she could answer, a loud crash echoed from the front hallway.
The heavy oak door splintered as three men in tactical gear burst into my home.
They were heavily armed and wore completely black ski masks.
"Get Lily out of here!" I yelled to Noah.
Noah did not hesitate and sprinted toward the back door with my daughter in his arms.
Vanessa tried to run, but one of the masked men grabbed her by the hair.
I threw a heavy glass vase at the closest attacker, striking his shoulder.
The distraction gave me a split second to dive through the kitchen window.
Glass shattered everywhere as I rolled onto the wet grass of my backyard.
Gunfire erupted behind me, tearing through the walls of my own home.
I scrambled to my feet and ran blindly into the dark woods behind the estate.
My chest heaved with every breath as I prayed Noah had made it out safely.
Suddenly, my cell phone vibrated violently in my pocket.
I pulled it out with shaking, bloodstained hands.
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It was a text message from Claire's phone number.
The message read: "Keep running, little brother, because they are coming to bury you next."
