Chapter 6 - Evelyn’s Last Secret
Adrian did not sleep.
Instead, he sat in a secure room beneath the mansion listening to Evelyn’s damaged recording.
Thomas had recovered eleven minutes.
Most of it was static.
Some sections were incomplete.
But every surviving word mattered.
Evelyn had apparently discovered the stolen money by accident.
She had been designing a nonprofit arts center financed by the Vale Foundation.
A payment intended for construction was redirected.
She asked questions.
The accountant responsible disappeared three days later.
Evelyn became suspicious.
She quietly copied records.
Then she found Victor’s name connected to one of the shell companies.
She confronted Marcus because she believed Marcus was Adrian’s closest friend.
That mistake cost her everything.
On the recording, Marcus tried to persuade her to surrender the files.
Evelyn refused.
Victor arrived.
Then came the words Adrian had already heard.
“Take care of the mother.”
“And make certain the child disappears.”
But there was more.
Evelyn’s voice returned several minutes later.
Weak.
Breathing heavily.
“If Adrian hears this, tell him I’m sorry.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“I thought I could protect Lily without dragging him back into everything he was trying to leave.”
Static swallowed several seconds.
Then Evelyn whispered again.
“Adrian.”
“If she survives, don’t raise her inside this.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
Thomas stood near the doorway.
Neither man spoke.
The meaning was obvious.
Evelyn had not only feared Marcus and Victor.
She had feared the empire itself.
The violence.
The secrets.
The loyalty bought with fear.
The inheritance Adrian had spent his life convincing himself he could control.
Thomas finally spoke.
“She wanted you out.”
“I know.”
“Are you?”
Adrian looked at the monitors displaying his mansion.
Security teams.
Armed men.
Cars.
Warehouses.
Clubs.
A kingdom built by his father and grandfather.
“For Lily?”
He looked back at Thomas.
“I’ll burn all of it.”
Before Thomas could answer, Daniel Cross entered quickly.
“We have movement.”
Adrian stood.
“Where?”
“Grace’s safe house.”
Adrian’s blood went cold.
Daniel turned on a monitor.
A camera showed three vehicles stopped two blocks from the warehouse.
Men were getting out.
Marcus’s men.
Adrian grabbed his coat.
Daniel stopped him.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Grace isn’t inside.”
Adrian stared.
“What do you mean?”
“She left twenty minutes ago.”
“With Lily?”
“No.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Then where is my daughter?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Emma’s gone too.”
Adrian’s phone vibrated.
A message appeared from Grace.
I HAD NO CHOICE.
Then another.
DON’T TRUST THOMAS.
Adrian slowly turned toward the man beside him.
May you like
Thomas Kane had already disappeared.
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