Chapter 27: Blood Ties

Aidan straightened his bow tie in the mirror, trying to calm his racing heart. In just two hours, he would expose everything at the gala. The plan was set: Maya would create a distraction while he uploaded the evidence to the main screen during Victor's speech.

His phone buzzed. An email from the DNA lab.

His hand froze. The test results. They'd submitted samples days ago, before discovering their mother's message about Elijah being their cousin. Now, scientific truth would either confirm or contradict what they'd learned.

"They're here," Aidan called out, his voice shaking.

Asher and Elijah rushed into the room. The three men stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the phone.

"Open it," Elijah whispered.

Aidan took a deep breath and tapped the screen. The report loaded, filled with charts and percentages. But the conclusion was clear:

"DNA analysis confirms subject Elijah Hart shares approximately 12.5% genetic markers with subjects Aidan and Asher Carter, consistent with first cousin relationship."

"So it's true," Asher said, his voice filled with wonder. "You're our cousin, not our half-brother."

Elijah sank into a nearby chair. "All these years... I thought Victor was my father."

"Who is your father then?" Aidan asked.

Elijah looked up, his eyes wide with realization. "Dr. Mercer. It has to be. He and my mother Elena..."

The room fell silent as the implications sank in.

"That's why he's been helping Victor all these years," Asher said. "He's been protecting his own secrets too."

Maya burst into the room, already dressed for the gala in a stunning red gown. "We need to leave in twenty minutes." She paused, sensing the tension. "What happened?"

Aidan handed her the phone. Her eyes widened as she read.

"This changes things," she said quietly. "If Mercer is Elijah's father, he has even more reason to want you silenced."

Elijah stood up, his face hardening with determination. "And I have even more reason to bring him down."

While Maya and Aidan finished preparing for the gala, Asher pulled Elijah aside into the kitchen.

"We need to talk about... us," Asher said awkwardly. "About what this means."

Elijah's expression softened. "I know."

"All this time, I thought we couldn't be together because you were my half-brother," Asher said, his voice low. "But now..."

"Now we're just cousins," Elijah finished.

Their eyes met, years of complicated feelings hanging between them.

"But there's also you and Aidan," Asher continued. "I've seen how you look at each other."

Elijah ran a hand through his hair. "I never expected to have feelings for both of you. I came here for revenge, not... this."

In the bedroom, Aidan was having a similar conversation with Maya.

"You knew, didn't you?" he accused. "About Elijah being our cousin."

Maya nodded slowly. "I suspected. Your mother told mine many things before she died."

"What else haven't you told us?"

Maya looked away. "There's no time for that now. We need to focus on tonight."

"No more secrets," Aidan insisted. "We deserve the truth."

Maya sighed. "After the gala. I promise."

Back in the kitchen, Asher took Elijah's hand. "Whatever happens tonight, we need to be honest with each other. All three of us."

"I agree," Elijah said. "But first, we have to survive."

The group gathered one last time to review their plan. Alex and Audrey would position themselves outside the gala, ready to help if things went wrong. Maya and Aidan would go inside, while Asher and Elijah monitored everything from a van parked nearby.

"Remember," Maya warned, "Victor and Mercer will be on high alert. Trust no one."

As they prepared to leave, Aidan's phone buzzed again. Another email from the lab.

"There's more?" he muttered, opening it.

His face went white as he read.

"What is it?" Asher asked, alarmed.

"There's... another match," Aidan said, his voice barely audible. "The lab found a second relation in their database."

"Who?" Elijah demanded.

Aidan looked up, his eyes wide with shock. "Audrey. She's our sister."

All heads turned to Audrey, who stood frozen in the doorway.

"Is this true?" Maya asked sharply.

Tears filled Audrey's eyes. "I wanted to tell you," she whispered. "But I was afraid."

"You're the missing Carter sibling," Elijah realized. "The one mentioned in the outline."

Audrey nodded. "Catherine gave me up for adoption before she married Victor. I only found out who my birth mother was three years ago."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Asher asked, hurt filling his voice.

"Because I was working for Victor," Audrey admitted. "He found me first. Hired me to spy on you all. But when I discovered what he did to our mother..." Her voice broke. "I couldn't go through with it."

"Can we trust you?" Maya asked coldly.

"Yes," Audrey insisted. "I switched sides weeks ago. Everything I've done since has been to help you."

Aidan studied her face—their sister's face. He could see hints of his mother there. "We'll deal with this later," he decided. "Right now, we have a bigger problem."

"If she was working for Victor," Elijah pointed out, "he might know our plan."

A chill settled over the room.

"We need to change the plan," Maya said. "Now."

They huddled together, quickly forming a new strategy. Instead of Aidan and Maya going in alone, they would all attend the gala—hiding in plain sight.

"Victor won't expect all of us to show up," Asher said. "It might throw him off balance."

As they prepared to leave, Elijah pulled both twins aside.

"About us," he said quietly. "About our... feelings."

Aidan and Asher exchanged glances.

"Let's get through tonight first," Aidan suggested.

"And then we'll figure it out," Asher added. "Together."

The gala was being held at the grand ballroom of The Meridian Hotel. Spotlights swept the night sky as limousines lined up to deposit New Haven's elite at the entrance.

The group arrived separately. Maya and Aidan first, then Asher, followed by Elijah and Audrey. Alex remained outside as planned, ready to help them escape if necessary.

Inside, the ballroom glittered with crystal chandeliers and expensive decorations. A banner announced "Carter Enterprises: 50 Years of Excellence."

Aidan spotted Victor immediately, holding court among board members. Dr. Mercer stood nearby, sipping champagne and watching the crowd.

"There they are," Maya murmured. "Stick to the plan."

Across the room, Asher positioned himself near the main control panel for the audiovisual system. Elijah circulated through the crowd, keeping an eye on security guards. Audrey stationed herself by the exit.

Everything was in place.

Then Victor saw Aidan and Maya. His eyes narrowed dangerously. He leaned over to whisper something to Dr. Mercer, who immediately scanned the room until his gaze landed on Elijah.

A slow, cold smile spread across Mercer's face.

"They know," Maya whispered to Aidan. "They know we're all here."

Before Aidan could respond, the lights dimmed. Victor stepped onto the stage, tapping a microphone.

"Welcome, friends and colleagues," he announced. "Tonight, we celebrate half a century of innovation and success."

Aidan's hand tightened around the USB drive in his pocket. It was almost time.

"But first," Victor continued, his voice taking on an emotional quality Aidan had never heard before, "I want to share something personal with you all."

Victor gestured to the side of the stage. "I'd like to introduce someone very special. Someone I've kept hidden away for far too long."

The crowd murmured in confusion as a spotlight illuminated a woman in a wheelchair being pushed onto the stage. She was frail, her face lined with age, but there was something hauntingly familiar about her features.

Aidan felt his knees weaken. Beside him, Maya gasped.

"My beloved wife," Victor announced, taking the woman's hand. "Catherine Carter."

The room erupted in shocked whispers.

Aidan stared in disbelief. It couldn't be. Their mother was dead.

Wasn't she?

The woman in the wheelchair lifted her head. Her eyes, so like Asher's, scanned the crowd until they found the twins.

"My sons," she whispered into the microphone Victor held out to her. "Please... help me."