Chapter 26 The Second Key

​The Warehouse

​In an abandoned factory, the masked leader’s voice echoed chillingly through the silent warehouse as he declared, "The game is finally beginning."

​Kendall met his gaze without blinking and said firmly, "You'll never find it."

​A slow smile spread across the leader's face. "I don't need to," he replied. "I only need your son."

​Kendall shook his head. "You still don't understand. My son doesn't even know what he carries."

​Leaning closer, the masked leader dropped his voice to a dangerous whisper: "Then I'll make him remember."

​The Swan Group Boardroom

​Meanwhile, inside the Swan Group boardroom, the atmosphere remained extremely tense. Alex kept his eyes fixed on Victor Grant, who remained perfectly calm while taking another sip of his coffee.

​"You've brought the police into my company," Victor said casually.

​"You made that necessary," Alex replied coldly.

​Victor simply smiled and asked, "Have I?"

​Inspector David stepped forward to clarify the situation: "Mr. Grant, you're not under arrest. But until this investigation is complete, you are not permitted to leave the city."

​Victor gave a polite nod. "I have nothing to hide," he said, picking up his briefcase. "If we're done here, I have work to do."

​As Victor tried to walk past, Alex blocked his path. "You're staying," Alex demanded.

​Victor looked him straight in the eyes. "You sound just like your father." Without another word, he gently brushed past Alex's shoulder and headed toward the door.

​Just before leaving, Victor stopped, glanced back, and smiled softly. "Oh, Alex... If I were you, I'd spend less time chasing old ghosts... and more time protecting your wife." With that warning, he walked away.

​Alex turned immediately to Inspector David. "Put him under surveillance."

​David gave a short nod. "It's already done."

​St. Mary's Hospital

​At the same time, over at St. Mary's Hospital, Javier finished signing her discharge papers. Nina gently helped her into a wheelchair, offering, "You should let me push you."

​Javier smiled warmly. "I think I can still walk."

​Their doctor passed by and overhead them, adding with a reassuring smile, "For another two days, I'd prefer you to use the wheelchair."

​Javier let out a playful sigh. "Alright."

​As Javier and Nina stepped into the elevator, Javier's phone vibrated with a call from an Unknown Number. She froze in place.

​Nina noticed her reaction right away. "Another one?"

​Javier gave a slow nod before answering cautiously, "Hello?"

​"Mrs. Swan," the familiar distorted voice came through the speaker.

​Javier's expression hardened. "What do you want?"

​"To save your life," the caller replied calmly.

​She frowned. "I don't believe you."

​"You don't have to," the voice responded. "Leave the hospital through the west exit, not the main entrance."

​Javier glanced at Nina. "Why?"

​"Because someone is waiting for you there," the voice said, right before the line went dead.

​When Nina anxiously asked what the caller said, Javier repeated every word.

​Nina frowned uncertainly. "It could be another trap... or they could actually be trying to warn us." Unsure of what to believe, the two women exchanged uneasy glances.

​The Main Entrance

​Outside the hospital's main entrance, a black sedan was parked across the street. Inside, one of the hitmen lowered his binoculars and remarked, "They're taking longer than expected."

​His partner checked his watch. "They'll come. They always do."

​At that moment, back inside the hospital, Inspector David's phone rang. It was an urgent call from an officer on his team: 

"Sir! We've just intercepted a message. Someone instructed armed men to wait outside the main entrance of St. Mary's Hospital."

​David's face darkened. He broke into a run toward Javier's hospital room, but when he pushed the door open, it was completely empty.

​He rushed over to a nearby nurse. "Nurse! Where's Mrs. Swan?"

​"They've already left," she replied, shaking her head when David frantically asked which exit they took.

​David hurried to the security desk and demanded to see the live CCTV monitors. He located Javier and Nina stepping into the elevator, then switched cameras to track where they were headed. Instead of opening at the main lobby, the elevator doors opened at the west exit.

​A relieved smile crossed David's face—they had changed direction just in time.

​The West Exit & The Revelation

​Javier and Nina cautiously stepped outside into the west parking lot, which was almost completely deserted. There was no black sedan and no armed men—only Alex waiting beside his car.

​The moment Alex saw Javier, he hurried over in relief. "Are you alright? I came as soon as I heard you were being discharged."

​Javier nodded softly. "We're fine."

​"We should leave," Nina urged, scanning the empty area.

​"I've arranged a safe house," Alex told them.

​Javier looked at him in surprise. "I'm not going back to Swan Mansion?"

​"Not until we find my father," Alex explained.

​Before they could get into the car, the screech of tires echoed through the lot as a police SUV pulled up. Inspector David jumped out, holding a tablet. "Alex! Our surveillance team followed Victor."

​"And?" Alex asked, his expression immediately growing serious.

​David tapped the screen to play a recorded video. The footage showed Victor's car parked outside an old church on the outskirts of the city. Moments later, a woman approached the vehicle and climbed inside.

​"Zoom in," Alex instructed.

​David enlarged the image, and as the woman's face came into focus, Javier gasped in shock: "That's impossible..."

​The woman wasn't Camille or Nina—it was Margaret Cole, the former personal assistant to Alex's late mother, Evelyn Swan. Everyone believed Margaret had disappeared over twenty years ago, yet here she was, alive and secretly meeting with Victor Grant.

​David looked at Alex grimly. "I think your family's secrets go much deeper than your father ever admitted."

​Alex remained silent, his eyes fixed on the screen. The realization hit him hard: his mother's most trusted assistant was working directly with the man he suspected of betraying his family. The mystery wasn't just growing deeper—it had become painfully personal.