Aria looked at the paper in her hand.
THE KEY IS YOUR REAL NAME.
The words began to fade.
She read them once more.
Or again.
No change.
Her true name.
Not Valmont.
She had known a name for twenty-seven years.
Aria Valmont.
It was the name on her papers.
The name her father called her.
The name on every school record, every legal document, every memory of herself.
And now Elena was telling her that it was all a lie.
Aria slowly raised her eyes.
“What’s my real name?”
Elena’s lips parted.
There was no reply.
Aria’s voice changed.
“You got me here.”
“I know.”
“You said my mother was alive.
“Yes.
“You told me that the trust is owned by an identity that is hidden.”
“Yes.
“And now you tell me I was never Aria Valmont.
Elena swallowed hard.
Your name is Aria.
“That’s not what I asked.”
Victor watched them silently.
Damien looked at his mother and then Aria.
“Tell her.”
Elena looked at him.
“You don’t know what you’re asking for.
“I know enough.”
No, Damien.
Her voice shook.
Any change in her when she finds out the truth before she’s ready.
Aria took a step forward.
“It all changed already.”
She waved the paper around.
I signed divorce papers because I thought my husband did not love me.
Her eyes turned to Damien.
“Then I found out our marriage is fixed.”
She looked over at Victor.
“I found out my family had kept a secret for twenty years.
Then back to Helen.
“I found out that my mother may have been alive all these years.
”
She clutched the note tightly in her hand.
And now they are telling me my own name is a lie.
She lowered her voice.
“What am I supposed to be ready for?”
Tears came into Elena’s eyes.
Truth.
Then tell me.
Before Elena could reply, Victor chuckled softly.
Not that there was anything funny.
Because he knew something they don’t.
“You want the truth?
Aria looked at him.
Yes.
“Then stop asking Elena.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Ask mum.”
Aria went still.
“My mom?”
She is the only one who can tell you who you were before you became Aria Valmont.
Then came the hard silence.
Damien crossed to Victor.
“You know where she’s at.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell us.”
“Nope.”
Damien looked blacker.
Victor looked at him.
“You’re still making demands like you’re in charge.”
Damien stepped closer.
“You told me what I’ve known for years.”
“And it made you strong.”
“It blew me away.”
Victor’s face altered.
Damien went on.
I thought my mother was dead.
“You lived.”
“I thought Aria was just a woman.”
Victor looked at Aria.
She was never just plain.
“I thought you were guarding us.”
Victor’s face grew cold.
I was.
“No.”
Damien shook his head.
You were looking out for yourself.
Victor’s silence was answer enough.
Aria looked down at the paper once more.
“What’s my name got to do with the trust?”
At last Elena spoke.
“The trust was set up under another name.
“Who’s?”
“Yours.”
Aria made a face.
“That doesn’t make sense,”
“You bet it will,”
Elena came up to her.
“Your mother knew the people who wanted control of the trust would be looking for the Valmont heir.”
She altered my identity.
Aye.
“Why?”
“To make them think the heir was someone else.”
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“And everyone called me Aria Valmont.
Elena nodded.
“Protection under that name.
“From who?
“From those who had already killed for the inheritance.”
Damien’s face hardened.
“How many?”
Elena turned her head.
Too many.
Aria shivered.
“Did I have a father?
”
Elena did not answer.
“Was he Richard?
”
Nothing still.
“Victor?”
Victor kept his face expressionless.
Aria moved toward him.
“Did you kill my father?”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“Nope.”
The answer came at once.
Aria looked at him.
He looked like he was mad.
But innocent.
‘Then who was it?’
“I don’t know.
“You want me to believe that?
“I expect you to understand, some things I could not control even I could not control.”
Aria almost giggled.
“You want me to believe you couldn’t do anything after everything you’ve confessed?”
Victor’s jaw clenched.
“Helpless,” I said.
“Then what were you?”
“A man trying to keep a war from breaking up two families.”
Aria looked at him.
“What war?”
Victor didn’t reply.
Elena did.
“The war over who the original owner was.”
Aria looked at her.
“Who bought it?”
Elena breathed in.
Then she said, “Your mother.”
Aria stiffened.
“My mother?”
“Uh-huh.
Damien scowled.
“But you said the inheritance was from an identity.
Elena nodded her assent.
“Before she went missing, it was your mother’s legal owner.
Aria’s mind was racing.
“Why does my name matter then?”
“Because she changed everything to you.
“When?” “
‘before she vanished.’
Aria read the note.
“That’s what the trust deed said.”
“Yes,” he said.
“It passed over when I married Damien.”
Elena nodded.
The marriage was to highlight the transfer.
Aria’s face went rigid.
“So the marriage was really in the plan.
“Yes.
She looked toward Damien.
“And you were the key.
Damien nodded, slowly.
“Yes.”
Aria cast her eyes downward.
For a moment she felt the familiar pain.
The very same she had carried through their marriage.
The feeling that she had never really been chosen.
But this time it was different.
She wasn’t falling apart.
She was sympathetic.
Her marriage had not been a love match.
But that didn’t mean every emotion Damien had shown her had been a lie.
That was what made the truth so tangled.
Damien moved closer.
“Aria.
She looked up at him.
“I never knew.”
“You knew a lot.
“Yes.”
“You knew there was a command to marry me.
Yes.
And you still said nothing.
“Yes,”
She turned her head away.
I don’t know if I can forgive that.”
“I don’t expect you to.
Aria turned her eyes back to him.
“But you are telling me the truth at last.”
I should have done it years ago.
“Yes.”
He nodded his head.
“I know it.”
His simplicity of answer troubled her more than would an argument.
There was no excuse for it.
No defense.
Just regret.
Suddenly a loud crash came from above.
Everyone looked up.
Noah scrambled for the stairs.
“The main house had been broken into.”
Victor’s men sprang to their feet.
Victor put up a hand.
“Don’t.”
They halted.
Aria glanced at him.
“You knew this was coming.
Victor said nothing.
“You knew once Elena showed up there was going to be an attack.”
“yes.”
Who?
The one you’ve been waiting for.
Aria’s heart hammered.
“Who’s behind Project Eclipse.”
Victor nodded his head.
Damien glanced toward the stairs.
“Then, why are you still here?”
Victor glanced at his son.
“Because they’re not here for me.
His eyes went to Aria.
“They came for her.”
The secret room was silent.
Aria’s grip on the key tightened.
“What do they want?”
The key.
‘Why?’
“Because it opens up the original archives.
“And that archive holds?”
“Evidence.”
“Proof of what?
Victor’s face darkened.
“The second changeover.”
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“Trust transfer?
“No.”
Victor looked at her.
“Transmittal of your identity.”
Aria’s heart stopped.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
He moved closer.
Your mom didn’t just change your name.
“What was she doing?”
“You cleaned out.”
Aria looked at him.
“That’s impossible.
“She wiped all the official records linking you to your birth family.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because if we can identify the original owner, then the people hunting your mother will find you.
Aria glanced at Elena.
“Then who am I?”
“You were born with a different name,” Elena whispered.
“What name?”
Tears sprang to Elena’s eyes.
“Aria…
“Tell me.
“You were born as—
A gunshot went off overhead.
The concealed room trembled.
Noah ducked down.
Damien grabbed Aria, pulling her behind the table.
Victor’s men moved forward on the stairs.
Elena staggered backward.
“Mother!
Aria hurried toward her.
Elena had stumbled against the wall.
Blood was on her sleeve.
Damien caught her up.
Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Elena looked at the staircase.
“They’re here.”
Noah headed for the passage.
“Don’t move.”
Another shot cracked out.
The bullet hit the wall.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Which way is out?”
Victor pointed to the wall at the far end.
“There.”
Aria turned.
No door.
“Where?”
Victor moved to the wall and pressed a secret panel.
A section was put up.
There was a narrow way.
“Go.”
Aria turned to him.
“You’re coming.
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“Why, what?”
“Because they want to think I have the key.
Aria nodded.
You’re going to take them off.
Victor nodded his head.
Damien moved forward immediately.
“I’m not leaving.”
“Nope.”
Victor gazed at his son.
You have lived your life in obedience to me.
He looked at Aria.
“Don’t make that mistake again.”
Damien didn’t say a thing.
Victor’s face softened for the briefest moment.
“Give me her.
Then he turned to the staircase.
He left, and Aria watched.
She didn’t believe him.
But for the first time she wondered if he had spent years protecting them in a way they would never comprehend.
Damien reached for Aria’s hand.
“Come,”
They followed Elena and Noah down the hall.
The secret door closed behind them.
They were in darkness.
They hurried.
But one question circled around in Aria’s mind.
“What was I born with the name of?”
Elena kept going.
“Your mother wanted you to know when you were old enough.”
“Too old.
I’m too old.
“I do.
“Then tell me.”
Elena halted.
Damien and Noah turned around.
Elena stared Aria straight in the eye.
“The name that was yours at birth…
She paused.
Then he whispered, “Aria Sinclair.
Breath caught in Aria’s throat.
Noah looked shocked.
Damien glanced at his mom.
“Sinclair?”
Elena nodded.
“Your mother’s last name.”
Aria shook her head.
‘My mother was Elena Valmont.
“No.
.
.
.”
Elena’s eyes welled with tears.
That was the name she went by after the disappearance.
Aria felt a little dizzy.
“Then who was she?”
Elena caught her hand.
“Her name was Elena Sinclair.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“And dad?”
Elena’s expression changed.
“That is the part your mother did not wish you to know.
Tell it to me.
Elena glanced at Damien.
Then to Noah.
And back at Aria.
“Your father wasn’t Richard Vale,”
Aria held her breath.
“What?
Elena’s voice was shaking.
“Richard raised you.
“But he wasn’t my dad?”
“No.”
Aria felt as if the floor had dropped out from under her.
And who was then?”
Tears filled Elena’s eyes.
“Your father was the original owner of the trust.
Aria gawked.
“That’s not a name.
“I know,”
“Who was it?”
Elena drew in a slow breath.
“His name was—
There was a loud metallic bang behind them.
The door of the secret passage began to open.
Someone had discovered them.
Elena’s eyes flew open.
“Go.”
Aria didn’t stir.
“Tell me.
“Aria!”
Tell me!
Elena stared at her, broken.
Then she breathed the name.
The whole world, to Aria, stopped.
For the name that Elena had said was the name of a man that Aria had known all her life.
A man she’d trusted.
The oldest family records found in a man’s photograph.
The man at the heart of every secret.
Richard Vale
Aria’s face turned white.
“That’s impossible.
Elena shook her head.
That is the truth.
The door of the passage behind them burst open.
And Richard’s voice came back out of the dark.
“You were not supposed to know that, Aria.”