Chapter 23 - The Fourth Birth Certificate
Ava Sloan arrived under federal protection.
She was forty, composed and known for prosecuting organized financial crimes. She carried a sealed evidence case and showed no surprise when she saw Elise.
“I have waited twenty-one years for Rebecca Ward to contact me,” Ava said.
Rebecca insisted that only three girls had shared Elise’s record.
Ava placed a fourth birth certificate on the table.
Her childhood name had been Evelyn Ward.
Malcolm created her identity before the clinic fire, intending to raise her as the legitimate Ward heir.
But Samuel secretly removed Ava from the program and placed her with another family.
Ava had spent her career building a case against Malcolm.
“Why haven’t you arrested him?” Nora asked.
“Because every case collapsed. Witnesses changed statements. Records vanished. Judges discovered conflicts they had never reported.”
Ava opened the evidence case.
Inside were photographs of Lydia meeting with officials responsible for Elise’s identity transfer.
A hearing had been scheduled for the following morning.
Unless Elise appeared, a judge would certify Lydia as the authentic Elise Ward.
Ava offered them a bargain.
She would place the Orchard archive under federal protection and freeze the trust.
In exchange, Victor had to testify about every identity he helped create.
Victor agreed immediately.
Elise knew what that meant.
He would likely spend years in prison.
Ava prepared to leave.
Rebecca stopped her.
“You said you were called Evelyn Ward.”
“Yes.”
“Samuel told me Evelyn died before the fire.”
Ava’s expression hardened.
“He wanted you to believe that.”
Rebecca looked at the prosecutor’s left hand.
Ava wore a silver ring engraved with Malcolm Hale’s initials.
Victor moved toward the door.
Federal agents entered before he reached it.
May you like
Ava turned to Elise.
“The hearing has been moved,” she said. “It begins in one hour.”
