LOGIN“They want us to choose one child and leave the other three behind.”Ava's voice was quiet, but the room heard every word.On Marcus's tablet, the order remained unchanged.ONLY THE CHILD WHO CARRIES THE ORIGINAL RECORD MAY ATTEND.Beneath it, Lucas's birth record had been marked invalid, and the name ELIAS REED had appeared where no child's name should have been.Ava looked at Cross.“Explain it. All of it. Now.”Cross rubbed a hand over his face. For the first time since entering the estate, he seemed less like a physician preparing to defend himself and more like a man watching the consequences of his silence finally arrive.“Elias Reed was never meant to be a second child,” he said. “It was a protective identity assigned to a record that could not safely remain visible in the ordinary registry.”“Which record?”“The original succession record.”Ethan moved closer to the screen. “You're saying someone used Lucas's birth registration to conceal a trust document?”“Not exactly. They
One of Ava's children had been declared legally nonexistent.The message gave no name.No explanation.Just four small faces in a photograph taken the day before the fire, with a threat beneath them that made every adult in the room understand the stakes.Ava stared at the screen.“Tell me this is another lie.”Marcus examined the image. “The photograph is genuine. The message came through the Vale trust's private channel.”“That's not what I asked.”He looked at her.“I can't verify the claim about the children.”Ava took the tablet from him and enlarged the photograph. Lucas stood at the front, his little hand wrapped around Lily's. Noah leaned against his sister, while Evelyn watched the camera with a solemn expression that didn't belong on a child so young.Ava remembered none of that day.She hated that the photograph could prove her children had been somewhere without telling her where, why, or who had taken them there.Ethan stood beside her, his shoulder touching hers.“We'll
The man who had helped bury the truth was walking into the estate.And Ava had only one question.How many times could Dr. Samuel Cross betray them before someone finally made him answer for it?“Lock every entrance,” Ethan ordered.Marcus was already moving. “The east gate is secured. I'm checking the service corridors.”“No,” Ava said.Ethan turned.She held his gaze. “We're not locking him in a building full of hidden passages and hoping he comes to us.”“He may be dangerous.”“So are the people who keep making decisions for us.”Ethan's expression tightened, but he didn't argue.“Then we meet him together.”The words steadied her more than any promise of protection could have.Ava slipped her hand into his. His thumb brushed her knuckles once before he released her so Marcus could lead them toward the estate's main entrance.Richard remained behind.Ava noticed.“Are you coming?”He looked toward the underground chamber.“If Cross is here, he may have come for the original record.
The man on the screen smiled.“Richard.”Richard couldn't breathe.For twenty years, he had lived with the certainty that his father was dead.Now the dead man was speaking to him.“You were always terrible at keeping secrets.”Richard staggered backward.Ava looked from the screen to him.“Is that really your father?”Richard's voice barely came out.“No.”The man on the screen smiled.“Yes.”Richard shook his head.“You died.”The man leaned closer to the camera.“That's what I needed you to believe.”Ethan stepped forward.“Who are you?”The man ignored him.His eyes remained fixed on Richard.“You failed me.”Richard's face hardened.“You destroyed everything.”“No,” the man replied. “I built everything.”The screen flickered.Then a second window opened.A document appeared.BLACKWOOD FAMILY SUCCESSION — FINAL CONTINGENCYMarcus moved toward the computer.“That's the file.”Richard stared at it.“No.”Ava turned.“What is it?”Richard's expression had become one of genuine fear.
The man had worn Alexander Blackwood's face for so long that even Richard had forgotten what the real one looked like.Then he smiled.And the illusion finally died.Ava stepped closer.“Who are you?”The man didn't answer.Ethan moved in front of her.The stranger laughed softly.“You still think standing in front of her makes her safe.”Ethan's expression hardened.“It gives you one less direction to walk.”The stranger looked at him.“You sound like your father.”Adrian stepped forward.“Don't use my name.”“I didn't.”The stranger's eyes moved toward Ethan's twin.“I used his.”The twin went still.Ava looked between them.“You've been using our identities.”“Not yours.”The stranger reached into his coat and removed a small black device.“Your identities were already compromised.”Marcus raised his weapon.“Put it down.”The man smiled.“I don't need a weapon.”He pressed the device.Every screen in the chamber went dark.Then one sentence appeared:ALEXANDER BLACKWOOD — DECEASED
Ava ran before anyone could stop her.“Lily!”Ethan was beside her instantly.They reached the doorway.Lily was standing there.Safe.Alive.Confused.Ava dropped to her knees and pulled her daughter into her arms.“Where did you hear that voice?”Lily pointed toward the underground passage.“I didn't.”Ava froze.“What?”Lily looked frightened.“I heard it in my head.”Ethan's expression changed.Marcus immediately checked the security system.“No audio transmission.”Richard stared at the open passage.“Then someone wanted us to think Lily was down there.”Ava stood slowly.“A distraction.”Marcus nodded.“Someone knew we'd react.”Ethan looked toward the children.“Get them somewhere secure.”Ava shook her head.“No.”Everyone turned toward her.“We're not separating again.”Ethan understood immediately.“Then we move together.”They gathered the children.The underground passage remained open.Waiting.Ava held Lily's hand while Ethan held Lucas's.His twin stayed behind them.Ma







