Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

Ava stared at her mother."My father is the only way inside?"Isabella nodded."Yes.""But he was at the estate.""He was.""And then he disappeared.""He was taken."Ava's heart dropped."By Marcus?"Isabella shook her head."No.""Then who?""The Serpent."The room went silent.Daniel stepped closer."How do you know?""Because they needed him.""For what?"Isabella looked at Ava."To open the underground passage."Ava frowned."Why would they need Dad to open it?""Because your father helped build it."Adrian looked shocked."He helped build the Serpent's headquarters?""Not willingly."Isabella sighed."Years ago, before you were born, the Serpent approached him. They wanted his expertise. He refused.""What happened?""They threatened his family."Ava's voice was barely a whisper."His family?""His parents. His siblings. Everyone he loved."Daniel's expression hardened."So he agreed.""Yes."Ava looked down."And that's how he became involved."Isabella nodded."He spent years

Ava didn't know that, several levels beneath her feet, her mother was watching her.She didn't know that Isabella had disappeared willingly.She didn't know that Marcus wasn't the person giving the orders.And she certainly didn't know that the woman she had spent years believing was a victim was now standing in the darkness with an expression she had never seen before.Cold.Powerful.Dangerous.All Ava knew was this—She had two hours to save the people she loved.And the clock was still counting down.02:11:08"Move!"Daniel's voice echoed through the underground corridor.Ava ran beside him, her breathing uneven as her boots struck the cold concrete floor.Behind them, Aria supported Ethan.Adrian walked on Ethan's other side, his injured arm pressed against his body.They had tried to convince Ethan to stay behind.He had refused."I can walk," he had said.And despite the weakness in his voice, nobody had argued with him again.Ava glanced back.Ethan looked pale.Sweat covered

For a moment, nobody moved.Nobody spoke.The only sound inside the enormous chamber was the sharp, mechanical beeping of the countdown.00:59:21Ava stared at Seraphina.Her mind had stopped working."Your mother isn't the woman who gave birth to you."And then—"She isn't me either."The words kept repeating in her head.Over.And over.And over again.Ava slowly shook her head."No."Seraphina watched her carefully.A faint smile rested on her lips."No?""No."Ava's voice was stronger this time."I don't believe you.""You don't have to.""Good."Seraphina's smile widened."Because the truth doesn't require your belief to exist."Daniel immediately stepped forward."Enough."His voice was cold.Seraphina looked at him."You really do love her."Daniel didn't answer."You would die for her.""Try me."A dangerous silence followed.Ava would normally have felt comforted by Daniel's words.But her mind was too occupied with the nightmare unfolding before her.She looked at her father

Ava couldn't move.For several seconds, she simply stood there.Staring at Isabella.Staring at the tears running down her face.Staring at the impossible words that had just shattered everything she thought she knew.Amara isn't dead.Her mother was alive.Somewhere beneath them.Ava's lips parted, but no sound came out.Then—"No."It came out as a whisper.Isabella shook her head, crying."Ava—""No."Ava took a step backward."No, you don't get to say that."Her voice suddenly rose."You don't get to stand there and tell me my mother is alive after everyone spent years telling me she was dead!""I know.""You knew?"Isabella's face crumpled."I found out later.""When?""I—""When, Isabella?""I found out three years ago."Ava stared at her.Three years.Three years of believing she had buried the last piece of her mother.Three years of grieving someone who might have been alive the entire time.A bitter laugh escaped Ava."Three years."Isabella nodded helplessly."And you said

The chamber went completely silent.Ava couldn't move.She stared at Amara as though she had stopped recognizing the woman standing in front of her.“Your grandmother?”Amara's face remained pale.“Yes.”Ava swallowed.“My grandmother built the Serpent?”Amara nodded slowly.“But everyone said the Serpent was created by Victor.”“Victor wanted you to believe that.”“Why?”“Because he wanted you to fear him.”Ava shook her head.“I don't understand.”“You weren't supposed to.”Amara reached for her daughter's hand.“Not until you were ready.”Ava pulled away.“Ready for what?”Amara looked toward the sealed doors.“For the truth about our family.”A deep vibration moved through the chamber.The walls trembled.Dust fell from above.Daniel immediately moved beside Ava.“Something is happening.”Adrian rushed toward the control panel.“The entire system has restarted.”Ethan looked at him.“Restarted?”Adrian nodded.“Every system that was shutting down is coming back online.”Ava looked