Amelia’s Final Message
Chapter 03 - Amelia’s Final Message
The memory key required a phrase Daniel had once used with Amelia.
Blue stars never disappear.
When he spoke the words, a video opened.
Amelia appeared in a hospital gown, sitting beside a bassinet.
Smoke alarms sounded faintly in the background.
“Daniel, if you are seeing this, the fire did not begin where they will say it began.”
She explained that Saint Catherine’s had been using newborn identities to bill private trusts and arrange illegal guardianship transfers.
Wealthy families paid for discreet adoptions.
Children without strong advocates were assigned new records.
Amelia discovered the system after a nurse brought her the wrong birth certificate.
Grace’s file listed another mother.
Amelia began copying documents.
Before she could contact Daniel, Dr. Mercer told her a fire had broken out in the electrical room.
Nurse Anna Reed took Grace through a service corridor.
Amelia stayed behind to preserve the records.
The video ended abruptly.
Daniel had spent eight years believing Amelia and Grace died together.
In reality, Amelia had separated from the baby to save her.
The final file showed Anna carrying Grace from the hospital.
A black Crowne Family Services vehicle waited outside.
Anna turned away from it and disappeared into the smoke.
Vanessa watched from the doorway as Ortiz reviewed the footage.
“You knew about Rosewood,” Daniel said.
Vanessa denied it.
Ortiz showed her a recent message recovered from the locket’s tracker.
THE HARTWELL CHILD IS MOVING. MAKE SURE SHE DOES NOT REACH THE GROOM.
The message had been sent from Vanessa’s phone.
May you like
The bride looked at her mother.
Evelyn said nothing.
