Chapter 4 - The Dead Woman at the Door
Adrian had spent ten years believing Eleanor Voss was dead.
He had watched her coffin lower into the ground.
He had scattered flowers over her grave.
He had inherited the company she left behind.
He had believed she had finally lost.
Now he watched a woman wearing his mother's face walk through his study.
Lena whispered:
“Is that really her?”
Adrian could not answer.
The woman looked directly into the security camera.
Then smiled.
She knew they were watching.
She raised one hand.
Waved.
The screen went black.
Adrian stared.
“She knows.”
Lena's voice trembled.
“What's happening?”
Adrian grabbed his coat.
“We're leaving.”
They moved quickly.
The estate's emergency system locked down.
Guards sealed every gate.
But when Adrian reached the study, the room was empty.
Only one object remained.
A photograph.
Adrian picked it up.
It showed his father.
Eleanor.
Richard.
Marcus.
And Michael.
All standing together.
The date was twelve years earlier.
Lena looked at it.
“Your mother wasn't supposed to be there.”
“No.”
“Then who took the picture?”
Adrian flipped it over.
A message.
You were never meant to know.
He clenched his jaw.
“Find Marcus,” he ordered.
Security moved.
Three minutes later, Marcus's location appeared.
A private airport.
Adrian drove.
Lena went with him.
They reached the hangar.
Marcus was there.
So was Richard.
And standing between them was Eleanor.
Alive.
Adrian's heart hammered.
“Mother.”
Eleanor smiled.
“You always were a dramatic child.”
“Why?”
She sighed.
“Because your father was going to destroy everything.”
“Everything?”
“The company.”
“The money?”
“The network.”
Adrian stared.
“What network?”
Eleanor looked at Lena.
“The one Michael discovered.”
Lena stepped forward.
“You killed him.”
Eleanor's smile disappeared.
“No.”
Richard looked away.
Marcus remained still.
Eleanor continued.
“Michael died because he trusted the wrong person.”
Adrian looked at Richard.
Richard did not speak.
Eleanor pointed at Lena.
“She knows the secret.”
“What secret?”
“The Carter inheritance.”
Lena frowned.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
Eleanor laughed.
“Your family owned the original company.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
She explained.
Before Holay became a global empire, the company belonged to Lena's grandfather.
Marcus's father had stolen it.
Then married Lena's family into silence.
Lena's mother died trying to expose the fraud.
Lena inherited the remaining rights.
But she never knew.
The documents had been hidden.
Michael discovered them.
He tried to return the company to Lena.
That was why he died.
Lena stared.
“My family owned your empire?”
Eleanor nodded.
“And Michael tried to give it back.”
Adrian looked at his mother.
“Why did you stop him?”
“Because it belonged to me.”
“No.”
Eleanor's voice sharpened.
“Nothing in this world belongs to anyone. It belongs to whoever can keep it.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“You taught me that.”
“Yes.”
“And I believed you.”
“I know.”
He stepped forward.
“I don't anymore.”
Eleanor laughed.
“You think you're different?”
“I am.”
“No.”
She looked at Lena.
“You've already become weak.”
Adrian moved between them.
“Don't touch her.”
Eleanor smiled.
“There's the son I raised.”
Richard pulled out a weapon.
Adrian reacted.
He drew his own.
Marcus did too.
The hangar erupted into shouting.
Eleanor stepped back.
“Shoot him.”
Richard froze.
Adrian stared.
“What?”
Eleanor looked at Richard.
“You heard me.”
Richard slowly lowered his weapon.
“I can't.”
Eleanor's face changed.
“Why?”
Richard looked at Adrian.
“Because he is my brother.”
Adrian stared.
Lena looked confused.
Richard whispered:
“Not by blood.”
The room went silent.
“My father died when I was ten.”
Eleanor spoke.
“I took him in.”
Richard continued.
“She raised me beside Adrian.”
Adrian stared.
“You never told me.”
“I was afraid you'd reject me.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“So I became your friend instead.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I protected you.”
“By helping kill Michael?”
Richard's eyes filled.
“I didn't know they would kill him.”
Lena stepped forward.
“You knew enough.”
Richard looked at her.
“I tried to warn him.”
“Too late.”
Eleanor's voice cut through them.
“Enough.”
She pulled a detonator from her coat.
“Put your weapons down.”
Adrian stared.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing dramatic.”
She pressed the button.
The warehouse doors locked.
A warning light began flashing.
Lena whispered.
“What is that?”
Adrian looked at the ceiling.
Explosives.
“They're going to kill us all.”
Richard stared at Eleanor.
“You promised.”
“I promised you a place in the family.”
She smiled.
“Not survival.”
Adrian grabbed Lena.
“Move.”
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The timer started.
05:00.
