Chapter 3 - The Woman in the Glass RoomJulian's message led them to an abandoned Vance hotel.
It had been closed for fifteen years.
Eleonora entered through the main doors.
Marcus stayed behind with Lily.
“Wait here.”
“No.”
Lily grabbed her hand.
“I want my mommy.”
Eleonora looked at the child.
“So do I.”
They entered together.
The elevator carried them to the top floor.
The doors opened.
A long corridor stretched ahead.
At the end stood a glass room.
Inside was Eleonora's sister.
Alive.
Older.
Thin.
But alive.
“Claire.”
Her sister looked up.
For several seconds, neither woman moved.
Then Claire ran toward the glass.
“Eleonora.”
Eleonora pressed her palm against the glass.
Claire placed hers against it.
Tears streamed down both their faces.
“Mia?”
Claire nodded.
“She calls me Lily now.”
Eleonora turned.
Lily was crying.
“Mommy!”
Claire dropped to her knees.
The glass door opened.
Lily ran into her mother's arms.
Eleonora watched them embrace.
Her heart shattered.
Thirty years.
Thirty years stolen.
Claire finally looked at her.
“I tried to find you.”
“I know.”
“I thought you hated me.”
“I thought you were dead.”
Claire shook her head.
“They made sure we believed the worst about each other.”
“Who?”
Claire looked over Eleonora's shoulder.
“Julian.”
A slow clap echoed through the hallway.
Julian stepped into view.
“You two finally reunited.”
Eleonora's expression became cold.
“You destroyed my family.”
Julian smiled.
“I preserved your family.”
“You murdered people.”
“I protected an empire.”
Claire shouted:
“You stole it!”
Julian's smile disappeared.
“This empire belonged to no one.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“It belonged to our father.”
“Your father was weak.”
“And you?”
Julian looked at Eleonora.
“I was strong enough to take what he couldn't protect.”
Eleonora stepped toward him.
“You married me because of the inheritance.”
“Yes.”
“You knew who I was.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Claire was alive.”
“Yes.”
“And you killed people who tried to tell me.”
Julian's silence confirmed everything.
Eleonora felt something inside her die.
The man she had loved had never existed.
Only the predator had.
Then Julian said something unexpected.
“You still haven't asked the most important question.”
“What?”
“Why did your father betray you?”
Eleonora froze.
Julian smiled.
“Ask him yourself.”
The doors behind them opened.
Her father entered.
Older.
Scarred.
But unmistakable.
Eleonora stared.
“Dad?”
He looked at her.
“I am sorry.”
She stepped backward.
“You knew?”
“I knew everything.”
“Then why?”
Her father looked at Lily.
“Because they threatened her.”
Claire screamed:
“You coward!”
He lowered his head.
“They promised to spare you.”
Eleonora felt tears burn her eyes.
“They lied.”
“Yes.”
Julian stepped closer.
“And now we have reached the final stage.”
He held up a document.
“Sign this.”
Eleonora looked at it.
“What is it?”
“A transfer of your remaining shares.”
“And if I refuse?”
Julian looked at Lily.
Eleonora understood.
He was threatening her niece.
She reached for the pen.
Then stopped.
Because something was wrong.
The document carried an old family seal.
The same seal engraved on Lily's ring.
Eleonora smiled.
Julian noticed.
“What?”
“You made one mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You forgot that I was raised by lawyers.”
She tore the document in half.
Julian's face turned murderous.
“Kill them.”
Gunfire erupted.
Marcus appeared from the corridor.
May you like
The lights exploded.
And the entire building descended into chaos.
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