Chapter 13 - The Mother Before the DaughterIsabel’s earliest memories began inside a convent in Austria.
She believed an American couple adopted her at age nine. Both died before she turned eighteen.
Gabriel met her while researching displaced art heirs.
He said her family might be connected to the Weiss collection.
Years later, they married.
Isabel believed he loved her.
He also tested her bloodline.
The results were inconclusive.
Gabriel then adopted Evelyn, whose genetic profile provided stronger evidence.
Isabel had not known she was a failed version of the same search.
She sat beside Evelyn in the Roosevelt Island ballroom, staring at the microfilm.
“He told me we found you because you needed a family.”
“You both needed a claim,” Evelyn replied.
“I did not.”
“You stayed after learning he created Elise.”
“I took Elise and left.”
“You left me with Julian.”
“I believed he loved you.”
Evelyn looked toward the snow outside.
“Everyone believed someone else’s love made the secrecy safe.”
Isabel accepted the words.
Miriam found another hidden clause in the trust.
If multiple claimants existed, no single claimant could transfer, sell, or insure the disputed paintings without unanimous agreement.
Gabriel created replacement heirs not only to protect the claim.
He created legal deadlock.
As long as the daughters remained divided, he controlled negotiations as their guardian, adviser, or secret trustee.
Their rivalry was his authority.
Evelyn issued a public statement.
She acknowledged Elise and Clara as children created without consent, recognized Rebecca and Celeste as independent claimants, and refused to assert exclusive ownership until every woman received separate counsel.
The move shocked Vale’s buyers.
Without a single heir, the original Mourning Girl could not be sold cleanly.
Gabriel’s leverage weakened.
Celeste contacted Evelyn from Iceland.
“You destroyed the claim.”
“I stopped it from owning us.”
“Easy for you to say. You have the townhouse, Gabriel’s name, and public sympathy.”
“The townhouse burned.”
“You still have people calling you the victim.”
“You tried to kill me.”
Celeste’s voice broke.
“Rebecca switched the fuel.”
Evelyn paused.
The security footage showed Celeste helping Julian pour from the cans. But she may not have known which one contained gasoline.
“Who locked the cellar?”
“Gabriel.”
The accusation changed the entire timeline.
Celeste said Gabriel discovered Julian planned to extract Evelyn before ignition. He locked the exit to force Evelyn toward the hidden case and ensure she rescued the evidence.
“He knew the servants’ passage remained open,” Celeste said. “He believed you would reach it.”
“He gambled with my life.”
“He called it proof you were the strongest daughter.”
Celeste hated Evelyn partly because Gabriel compared them for years.
He praised Evelyn’s patience, education, and legal standing.
He described Celeste as useful but unstable.
The fire became Celeste’s chance to prove she could control the operation.
Rebecca changed the suppressant to gasoline, hoping both Evelyn and Celeste would be blamed.
No woman held the whole truth.
Gabriel had ensured that too.
Celeste offered Clara’s location in exchange for safe passage and independent counsel.
She said Gabriel took the child to an underground art vault beneath a Swiss hotel.
Rebecca followed with the original painting.
Mateo recognized the location.
It belonged to the Morgen Foundation, a supposedly neutral restitution organization.
Gabriel helped establish it twenty-five years earlier.
Ruiz requested international cooperation.
The foundation denied holding any child or artwork.
Then a live security feed appeared on Evelyn’s phone.
Clara stood inside a white gallery beside the original Mourning Girl.
Gabriel faced Rebecca across the room.
Both held weapons.
Elise watched from Roosevelt Island through the same feed.
Clara looked toward the camera.
“Which one is my mother?”
Evelyn answered immediately.
“No one gets to choose that for you tonight.”
Gabriel turned toward the hidden camera.
He heard her.
A faint smile crossed his face.
“That is why you were always the final heir.”
The gallery doors sealed.
Gas began entering through the ceiling vents.
Rebecca shouted that Gabriel had activated the system.
Gabriel shouted that Rebecca had.
May you like
Clara stood between them.
👉 Evelyn finally united the competing claims, but Clara remained trapped inside a gas-filled vault with Gabriel, Rebecca, and the original painting.
