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“It started after I gained custody of you both. My suspicions.” Callum’s head tilted. “Your records weren’t panning out, Sloane. In fact, they appeared fabricated. All of it from your birth records. Social security…”
I shook.
“None of it appeared right, and that didn’t sit well with me.”
Bru put his hand over mine. “What made you think she was Pilar?”
Him saying that name made me twitch.
That’s not my name. That’s not my name.
“My team found out all that for me. They have their ways, but it took some time.” Callum panned in my direction. “They presented to me the strong possibility that you were this missing girl, Pilar Mallick, and as soon as they did, I started the process of undoing all Godfrey and his wife had done. That meant you coming home and back to your family.”
My breaths labored again, thoughts the same. “My family.”
“The Mallicks, dear.” Callum nodded. “Ramses and Brielle Mallick. You are their biological child. A twin.”
A twin.
“One who was taken from a hospital not far from here,” he continued. “You were very sick the week of your birth and your kidnappers…”
I cringed.
“Godfrey and Marilyn,” he corrected, knowing to do that for some reason. I knew what he was saying. I knew what was claiming they were, but still. Callum’s expression hardened. “They took you. He and his wife lived in a town not far from Maywood Heights. Godfrey actually worked for me during that time. He left the company abruptly. It was unusual considering his more senior position, but in business there’s often movement.”
“But why would they do that?” Bru rocked and when I returned beside him, but then his eyes twitched. “Am I taken too? Kidnapped?”
“No, Bru,” Callum said, and both my brother and I sighed. Callum lifted a hand. “You are biologically Godfrey and Marilyn’s, but according to the file and the information my people were able to gather about your parents, the two had quite a bit of difficulty having children. We believe that was why Sloane was initially taken—”
“But how was he alive?” I stood. “Godfrey? Also, you said he tried to destroy the evidence? You mean me?”
The words chilled, the thought making me completely ill. Me in that fire…
That I was evidence to destroy.
Bru took my hand while I stood, but I wouldn’t sit down.
I honestly didn’t know if I’d be able to get back up.
“We found the details surrounding all that about an hour ago, the faking of his death and his motives surrounding it.” Callum paused, his lips pressed together. “Godfrey had been staying at a motel, and the establishment contacted the authorities after seeing Sloane’s story on the news about a kidnapping and who’d done it.” Callum shifted in my direction. “You see, they found a journal. The ravings of a madman, they said. It gave details about a plan to wash himself of sin. Cleanse from wrongdoing.”
I wavered, and Bru stood up beside me.
“I believe we saw the result of that.” Callum exchanged a glance between my brother and me. “The plan was to fake his death, eliminate Sloane, and eventually come back for Bru and start a new life with him. The motel ID’d Godfrey from the footage on the news and contacted the hospital where Sloane was staying.”
Oh, God.
“Of course, I’m sure Godfrey’s plan didn’t involve me finding out the truth.” Callum’s eyebrows narrowed, his eyes scanning the floor. “He must have found out some way that I was asking questions. Gathering evidence to make things right.” He sighed. “This feels like my fault what happened. I should have been more careful about the investigation, as well as spoken up sooner. My people and I weren’t being quiet about what we were looking into, and I suppose we didn’t think we had a reason to considering your father’s passing.”
“Why didn’t you? Speak up sooner?” Bru rubbed my arm, and I was at a loss for words. How was all this true?
How was this my life?
I leaned into my brother, and using his cane, Callum stood. He faced my brother. “There’s a lot of parties involved here, Bru. A lot of people who could be hurt if evidence was unfounded or not factual. I had you kids moved here when we were mostly certain. Once we were, I planned to reveal the information delicately. First to you kids, then well, the Mallicks of course. The family.”
But Dad got in the way of all that, Godfrey…
“It’s unfortunate how it all ended up happening. And I do take responsibility.” Callum frowned. “I’ve known for a few weeks now, and I was trying to find the right time. It’s difficult. There are other factors.”
