Chapter 17: The Photograph

Ava’s hands trembled as she stared at the old photograph.

Richard Cross had gone pale the moment he saw it.

For the first time since she had met him, he looked genuinely afraid.

“Ava!” Richard shouted.

“Give me that photograph.”

Ava looked from the photograph to Richard.

“No.”

Richard immediately started toward her.

Ethan stepped in front of him.

“Don’t.”

The armed men raised their weapons.

So did Damien.

Within seconds, the street was at a standstill.

One wrong move would start a bloodbath.

Ava looked down at the photograph again.

It showed Richard.

Her mother.

Her father.

And two young boys.

There was nothing unusual about it.

At least not at first glance.

Then she noticed something.

The photograph had been folded before.

Many times.

As if someone had repeatedly hidden it.

Protected it.

Or feared it.

“What is this picture?” Ava asked.

No one answered.

“Someone tell me the truth.”

Her father took a slow breath.

“That photograph was taken twenty-eight years ago.”

Ava looked at him.

“Before I was born?”

“Yes.”

“Why is it important?”

Her father glanced at Richard.

“Because it was taken the day everything changed.”

Richard’s expression hardened.

“Stop talking.”

“No.”

For the first time, Ava’s father sounded fearless.

“You’ve controlled the story for too long.”

Ethan frowned.

“What happened that day?”

Ava’s father looked at him.

“Richard decided to expand the network.”

“The Black Ledger?” Ethan asked.

“Not yet.”

“Then what?”

“The foundation of it.”

Silence followed.

Ava listened carefully.

“This photograph was taken during a private meeting.”

“Who was there?” Ethan asked.

“Richard.”

“Elena.”

“Myself.”

“And several business partners.”

Ava frowned.

“Then why are only four people in the photograph?”

“Because the others were removed.”

A chill ran through Ava.

“Removed?”

Her father nodded.

“The original photograph was larger.”

Richard cursed under his breath.

Ava immediately noticed.

He didn’t deny it.

Her father continued.

“Someone cut the others out.”

“Who?”

“We never found out.”

Richard laughed coldly.

“You know exactly who did it.”

Ava’s father ignored him.

But the look on his face said otherwise.

Ava looked at her mother.

“You knew about this?”

Elena nodded slowly.

“I helped hide the original.”

“What?”

Tears filled Elena’s eyes.

“I was trying to protect everyone.”

Ava felt exhausted.

Every answer created ten more questions.

Ethan moved closer.

“What was so important about the original photograph?”

Elena hesitated.

Then she answered.

“It showed everyone involved in the beginning.”

“The beginning of what?”

“The conspiracy.”

Silence.

Ava’s heartbeat quickened.

“The people in the Black Ledger?”

“Some of them.”

Her father nodded.

“Enough to destroy powerful people.”

Richard suddenly smiled.

The expression unsettled Ava.

Because it wasn’t the smile of a cornered man.

It was the smile of someone who knew something they didn’t.

“You think that photograph matters?” Richard asked.

“No.”

He looked directly at Ava.

“The real evidence was never in the photograph.”

Ava froze.

“What?”

Richard’s smile widened.

“The photograph is a distraction.”

Ethan’s expression changed instantly.

Ava noticed.

So did Richard.

“There it is,” Richard said.

“You finally understand.”

Ethan grabbed Ava’s arm.

“We need to leave.”

Ava stared at him.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Ethan looked toward the photograph.

Then toward Richard.

His face had gone pale.

“Ethan?” Ava pressed.

“What is it?”

He swallowed hard.

“The photograph isn’t important.”

“Then why does everyone want it?”

“Because of where it was found.”

Ava frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Her father suddenly looked alarmed.

“Ethan…”

But it was too late.

Ethan had already figured it out.

“The envelope.”

Everyone went silent.

Ava looked at the old envelope in her father’s hand.

The one that had contained the photograph.

Nothing about it seemed special.

Until she noticed Ethan staring at it.

Not the photograph.

The envelope.

Her stomach dropped.

“What’s wrong with the envelope?”

No one answered.

Ava’s father slowly lowered it.

Richard’s smile returned.

And for the first time, Ava realized he wasn’t afraid of the photograph at all.

He was afraid of something else.

Something hidden.

Something they had completely overlooked.

Then a gust of wind swept through the street.

The envelope slipped from her father’s hand.

It hit the ground.

A small metallic object fell out.

Everyone froze.

Ava stared at it.

So did Ethan.

So did Richard.

It was a key.

A second key.

And judging by the look on Richard Cross’s face…

This was the key he had been searching for all along.