"Mother's alive?" Sheridan gasped. "How could that be true?"

Julian looked at Sheridan and then turned back to Martin. "My sister's right. We embalmed and buried her . . ."

Martin pressed his lips together and blinked back tears. "Alistair tried to make you think you did, but, in reality, I think he imprisoned her."

Martin turned to Sheridan, his eyes glistening. "I helped your mother escape to Mexico, and then I went back for you. She wanted to bring you with her—to start a new life with you."

Sheridan's hands flew to her mouth; tears sprang to her eyes. Her entire body began to tremble in Luis's arms.

Luis squeezed her tighter and kissed her cheek. "I'm right here with you, Sheridan."

Martin's voice cracked as he took in the scene in front of him. "You were her little girl, Sheridan. She wanted to protect you."

Julian rubbed his chin. "But then Father caught you and had me force you out of the country—he told me you were a thief."

Martin turned back to Julian. "I guess in a way he did think that. I had helped his wife escape to another country—helped her get away from him." Martin twisted his fingers together. "Katherine wanted to protect you, too, Julian, but it was harder since you were an adult."

Julian bowed his head. "I know my mother loved me—but thank you for saying that."

"She did love you," Martin reassured him. "She loved both of you. Helping her children was her main focus when she escaped from your father—it's just unfortunate that she got caught. From what I understand, she had uncovered information about your son, Julian, and was getting close to tracking him down."

"Our son?" Eve gasped. "Martin, you've got it all wrong: The son Julian and I had is dead."

Martin looked over at Eve. "From what I understand, that was originally Alistair's plan; however, Katherine discovered that the henchman he had hired had second thoughts."

Eve faltered on her feet and sank back into Julian's arms. "Katherine actually found proof that our son was alive?" she gasped, her eyes filling with tears.

"Yes," Martin assured her. "She was almost 100% positive of it."

A look of horror spreading across his face, Julian tightened his arms around Eve. "Is that why Father imprisoned Mother—told the world she was dead?"

Martin frowned and took a deep breath in. "Yes, Julian, it is."

"I can't believe this," Julian muttered. "How could Father do this to us? How could he do it to her?"

"We have to find him, Julian!" Eve cried. "We have to find our son."

"Yes," Julian agreed, fixing his eyes on hers. "We need to find my mother, too."

Sheridan shrank back further into Luis's arms. "How could Father have done this?" she whispered. "How could he have done this to us?"