A Stranger's Child Found the Photo of My Deceased Wife and Called Her Mom — Part 2

Previously: When Vincent dropped a photo of his late wife on a cobblestone street, a little girl picked it up and claimed the woman was her living mother—with terrifying proof.

The Hidden Legacy

Before Vincent could process the impossible sight of the child's glowing eyes, a sharp voice pierced the quiet street. "Nora! Come away from him right now!"

The supernatural red in Nora's eyes vanished instantly, returning to a normal, innocent hazel. She dropped the photograph onto the damp cobblestones and bolted toward the shadows of a nearby alley. Vincent, his heart racing with a mixture of terror and desperation, snatched the photo and ran after her. He rounded the corner just in time to see a dark sedan idling in the dusk. A woman was hurriedly ushering Nora into the back seat. As she turned to close the door, the streetlamp illuminated her face. It was Evelyn, Clara’s estranged sister.

"Evelyn!" Vincent screamed, but the car sped away, its tires screeching loudly against the asphalt.

Vincent spent a sleepless night tormented by questions. Five years ago, the police told him Clara’s car had plunged off a bridge into a raging river, her body never recovered. Now, his sister-in-law was hiding a child who claimed Clara was her mother—a child with the legendary, dormant genetic trait of Clara's family. The lineage, rumored to possess supernatural anomalies, was something Clara had always warned him about, though he had dismissed it as family folklore.

The next morning, Vincent drove to Evelyn's secluded home on the outskirts of town. Finding the front door unlocked, he stepped into the silent, dusty house. He followed a faint smell of woodsmoke to the living room, where his heart stopped. On the mantelpiece sat dozens of framed photographs. They were recent pictures of Clara, smiling, holding a baby, and looking very much alive. Suddenly, a floorboard creaked behind him. Vincent turned to find Evelyn standing there, holding a heavy iron poker, her eyes wide with terror.

"You shouldn't have come here, Vincent," she whispered. "If they find out you know, none of us will survive the night."