Damain, stare at the video footage that is fifteen years old.
This is the hospital CCTV camera recording showing what happened fifteen years ago.
At first they found nothing, many of the investigators spend hours of looking trying to find any sign of tampering with it.
But the footage was clean.
Too clean.
This made everyone doubt there direction of investigation.
Untill, one of the intern notice something weird in the footage.
Seven minutes.
Yep, seven minutes before the nurse left with the dilivery room with the baby Aelith.
The door of the dilivery room seem to have move just for milliseconds before closing.
After that the intern found nothing.
So, rather then looking at the nurse taking the baby to the nursery.
He start looking at the entry and exist footage of the hospital.
To his shock, both the entry and exist footage have some minor inconsistency to the footage.
The slight blurr of the camera and a sudden shadow without any figure just for a milliseconds appear at the exist of the hospital door.
The intern grab everything he had found and run to his superior.
This made everyone shock, as they realise they were looking at wrong side of the footage.
Damian look at the gathered picture out of the footage with solemn look on his face.
Specially, the one with the dilivery room.
Cause this will prove that there initial guesses of someone tampering with there memory is true.
Arthur Ashbourne stare at the carefully documented paper with serious expression as he declare.
Arthur “this was not enemy attack. It was demonstration”
Eleanor “what kind of demonstration is exchanging the babies”
Arthur ” that someone can stand in the center of our family, in a room full of witnesses, replace an Ashbourne child before our eyes….
Leaving us thanking for the evidence”
The realisation of this situation even terrified the old man himself.
The whole room fell silent as they stare at the document infront of them.
Arthur “invite the girl. Do not force her” he only gave one order.
Everyone present in the room know which girl he’s talking about.
Next day, Ashbourne family acted with caution.
There were no dramatic announcement.
No public statement.
A private meeting was arranged.
Instead a quiet room was reserved at Astra Nova Metropolitan High school.
Present were victor Ashbourne, Isabella Ashbourne, the family legal advisor, and Elara Nova with her mother.
Eleanor Roosevelt, didn’t join the meeting.
As she can’t face the child without breaking down in guilty of failing her.
Though everyone assure her that the incident is not her fault.
She don’t need to feel responsible but no one can convince her otherwise.
Victor Ashbourne spoke first breaking the weird atmosphere in the room.
Elara Nova and her mother look tense.
Victor “the resent discovery of the Ashbourne family suggest that Miss Elara may have connection to our family”
Elara remain silent with frown on her face.
Her mother uncomfortably shift in her chair as she stare at the victor.
Miss Nova “what kind of connection you are talking about Mr. Ashbourne”
Victor took a beed breath.
He carefully worded there discovery of the DNA and the reopened investigations.
He finished his explanation with a simple offer to the mother daughter duo.
Victor “if you wish, we can provide you with every resources the Ashbourne family possesses. Education, security, a place within the family where we recover what we lost, while uncovering what had happened fifteen years ago.”
He expected hesitation, resentment, anger.
Instead…..
Elara laughed.
Not mocking.
In disbelief.
She looked directly at victor eyes.
Her face which bore uncanny resemblance to Eleanor along with her ash-grey hair make his expression slightly soften.
Elara “do you think I’m what you’re looking for.” Her question make everyone look at each other in dismay.
As no one had answer to this question.
Yes, she’s really not what they’re looking for…
But there some responsibilities they had to take.
She stood up from her chair.
Elara “I have a mother” she gently squeezed the hand of the women beside her.
Elara “I have a grandfather who taught me to shoot my first arrow.”
Elara “I have friends.”
Elara” I have a home.”
Elara “I have a life.” Get faster updates on g.com.
She looked around the room, at everyone.
Elara “you lost a child fifteen years ago.”
Elara “I understand that.”
Elara “but I didn’t lost a family”
The Ashbourne family legal advisor jump in the conversation to convince Elara.
Advisor “there might be inheritance right—
Elara “I don’t need there inheritance.”
Advisor “there might be obligation—-
Elara “I owe you none”
She then turn toward victor with calm look on her face.
Elara “you lived fifteen years not knowing that I existed.”
Elara “I lived fifteen becoming who am I”
Elara “you can’t change those years with just DNA reports.”
She didn’t wait for anyone to say anything.
She grab her mother and turn to leave the room.
Only for the door to be opened.
Arthur stood outside of the room.
No one knows when he had arrived.
He look at Elara then at her mother.
Then he slightly lower his in head in bow, which suprise everyone present in the room.
Arthur “I owe you an apology young lady” Elara expression soften slightly at the sight of on old man bowing to her.
Elara “the incident was not your fault. You don’t need to apologies.”
Arthur “I know. But it’s still an adult responsibility to apologise to the young child who got involved in adult schemes.”
Arthur “and I also like to inform you. If you need anything in the future the door of Ashbourne family are always opened.”
Arthur “it’s not an order or summon”
Arthur “it’s also not obligation”
Arthur “it’s just a door.”
With that both mothers daughter duo leave the room.
Victor look at his father and ask.
Victor “do we really not need to try to convince them”
Arthur “victor, the best way to ask for forgiveness is too respect the child decision.”
Arthur “no one shall force either girls to move against there wishes.”
Victor “yes father.”