Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

After they were all seated at the table, Hunter looked at Callan. "Don't you want to know about your birth mother?"

Callan's heart skipped a beat, and he realized the thought had not crossed his mind since he thought Karen Combs was his biological mother.

"It doesn't matter. I don't want to know about the past," he said with a shake of his head, afraid that he'd find out something even worse than Ryan Harris being his father.

He had wanted to find closure by searching for Karen Combs, but now he feared that the revelation of his parentage would cause him only more trauma.

"You should, darling. You need to know. You were always sad because you thought you were abandoned by your mother. She didn't abandon you. She died giving birth to you," Delilah said softly, and this time tears sprang to Callan's eyes again.

Was he supposed to be comforted by that knowledge?

"You need to hear the whole story before making up your mind about your biological father, Callan," Hunter said, and Callan gave him a nod.

Hunter unlocked his phone, grateful that Harry had given him the recording between Ryan Harris and Karen Combs that would give him an idea of what had happened.

"As you already know, the Hanks and Jonas are keeping a close eye on him because of Jamal. So, they got this recording," Hunter said before playing it to Callan's hearing.

Callan's heart quickened when he heard Ryan's voice as he talked to Karen. The coldness of his voice sent a chill through Callan.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard Ryan mention Nancy.

Was that his mother's name?

Before he could finish processing that, he heard Ryan's threat to sink a bullet in Karen's skull, and his heart skipped a beat.

Was Ryan Harris such a blood thirsty man that he'd make such threat easily?

Callan's brows drew together as he tried to process what Karen was now saying, "…Didn't you kill everyone you know were involved already? Or you think I don't know that was the reason you married Kimberly and murdered her and her parents?"

He killed everyone involved already? Involved in what? The reason he married Kimberly? Was she talking about Dawn's mother? What did she and her parents have to do with what happened to Nancy? Callan wondered with a frown.

Callan flinched when he heard the loud gunshot followed by Karen's scream, and his face went pale as he listened to Ryan's threat to shoot off one toe at a time until she told him what he wanted to know.

The threat seemed to work because in the recording that followed, Callan got the answers to his question.

His parents gaze remained on him while his gaze was on the phone.

His heart pounded in his chest as he listened to the conversation that followed and he tried not to think of anything else and just focus on what they were saying.

The longer Callan listened to the conversation the colder he felt.

He didn't know what to feel or how to think.

Was he supposed to feel relieved that he hadn't been abandoned by his birth parents as he had thought?

Was he supposed to be glad that his birth father had avenged the death of his birth mother which had led to all his sufferings?

Or was he supposed to hate his birth father for all the despicable things he had done?

So, what if it all hadn't been a thoughtless act on Ryan's end as they initially thought?

Were Ryan's actions and crimes excusable simply because he had a motive for doing all that he did?

He should be more understanding of Ryan, shouldn't he? Callan asked himself.

He was just like him, after all. Like father like son. Hadn't he killed a man at a very young age? That same murderous blood flowed in his veins. He thought as he looked at his hand.

"Cal? Darling?" Delilah called softly when he didn't say anything long after the recording ended.

Callan looked up at his mother, his face blank, and his eyes devoid of emotion.

"Say something," she whispered.

What could he say? He was exhausted. He didn't know what to say. He didn't have anything to say.

He just wanted to sleep and not wake up.

He was cursed like his first mother had said. His whole existence was cursed.

How many more people would have to get hurt for Ryan to be able to give everything the Moores owned to him as he planned?

Jamal? Abigail? Their kid?

He wished he didn't exist. It would have been better for everyone had he died with his mother at birth. Maybe then, Ryan wouldn't have had to do all he did to amass all that wealth.

"Son?" Hunter called, and Callan turned to look at him.

How could he still call him that when he knew the blood of a monster ran in his veins? Callan wondered.

Did they not realize what could happen to the Quinn name if word of his parentage and Ryan's deeds became public knowledge?

"I want to be alone," Callan said in flat tone as he pushed away from the table and rose.

Delilah rose quickly, wanting to reach for him. To hold him and tell him that he wasn't alone, and that if anything fate had brought them together because she was related to Ryan by blood and they were cousins.

But before she could, Callan walked away, his shoulders hung low as he headed for his bedroom.

She wanted to go after him, but her husband caught her hand, stopping her.

Delilah turned to him, her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembling, "I don't want him to be that way. You know Callan. He's a deep thinker. Being alone will only give him time to think the worst thoughts."

Hunter rose and pulled her to himself as tears rolled down her eyes. "Anyone would need a little time alone to process things after that revelation. Let's give him some time."