Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

By eight in the morning, the Harrington mansion was already awake. Staff moved through the halls carrying boxes, decorations, trays, and flowers. The large birthday space in the garden had been transformed overnight, with tables arranged beneath the decorated canopy and enough food being prepared to feed far more people than the family had originally expected.It was Charlotte's twenty-sixth birthday, and she intended to enjoy every second of it. Upstairs, Charlotte sat before the mirror while a makeup artist worked carefully on her face.“Is everything ready?” she asked.“Yes, Miss Harrington,” one of the staff members replied.Charlotte looked at herself again.“Good.”She picked up her phone.“Where is Sophia?”“She's still getting ready.”Charlotte sighed.“She takes forever.”As if summoned by the complaint, footsteps sounded outside. Victoria Hayes entered the room carrying her handbag. Charlotte immediately smiled.“Finally.”Victoria laughed. “I came as early as I could.”“You

By the time the sun disappeared, the Harrington mansion had become quieter, but the celebration was far from over. The formal birthday gathering had ended, and most of the older guests had already left, taking their congratulations and polite conversations with them. Richard and Margaret had retired inside, satisfied that Charlotte had received the kind of birthday celebration befitting the youngest Harrington. But Charlotte had no intention of ending the night there. She had planned something separate for the people her own age, and as darkness settled over the estate, the garden changed once again. The formal decorations remained, but the atmosphere became younger and louder, with music filling the open space, outdoor lights glowing around the lawn, and groups of Charlotte's friends arriving for the second part of the celebration.Ethan stood near the entrance of the garden and watched several cars pull in one after another. The people arriving were different from the guests earlier

Ethan stared at the link on his phone for several seconds before finally tapping it.The screen went black. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a plain white page appeared with a single message in the center.IDENTITY VERIFICATION REQUIRED.Beneath it was a photograph not clearly shown, Ethan recognized it immediately. It was the same photograph Samuel Brooks had given him months ago, the one right beside him. Now, beneath the blurred photograph, another message appeared.Security Question 1What was the symbol displayed on the building shown in the photograph?Several answers appeared beneath it.A. A golden lion inside a shieldB. A circle surrounding a black eagleC. A silver crown above crossed swordsD. A red wolf inside a triangleEthan stared at the choices. He didn't need to think for long. His eyes returned to the photograph in the desk. The symbol had been one of the details he remembered clearly because it had looked unusual against the old building. A circle surrounded a

Ethan had become very good at keeping his thoughts to himself. Since discovering the truth about Apex Global Holdings, he had even more reason to remain quiet. He still hadn't told anyone about the money, the ownership confirmation, or the messages from Samuel Brooks. Until he understood exactly what had happened to his past, he wasn't going to let a single word about Apex leave his mouth. The Harrington family could continue believing he was the same Ethan they had always known. For now, that suited him.One week after Ethan's return from Charlotte's birthday celebration. Richard had invited Marcus to dinner, and nobody seemed surprised when he arrived. Marcus had become comfortable in the Harrington mansion in a way Ethan had never been. Richard welcomed him personally and Sophia spoke to him naturally as though his presence required no explanation. Marcus had connections with nearly everyone in their world. His father had founded Vale Holdings, he had attended some of the most pres

Ethan did not open the second folder until he was back in his car.He sat behind the wheel, the folder resting on his lap, while the city moved. The morning had changed, yet Ethan felt as though he were in a different world.His grandfather had left him Apex, not a small inheritance, not a collection of properties or a forgotten account.Apex Global Holdings….a fortune worth more than a trillion dollars.He opened the folder. The first document was a certified copy of Alexander Cole’s death record. Ethan read the date twice.Recent.His grandfather had not been dead for decades. He had died only recently. That fact unsettled Ethan more than the money had.Ethan had believed his grandfather was simply another name from a childhood he could barely remember. Now he was looking at proof that Alexander Cole had been alive until recently and had spent his final years arranging what would happen to the empire he built.Ethan turned the page, a legal document followed.At the top was the name