Julian remained standing.
"Explain the Meridian archive."
Arthur folded his hands.
"Your father established it as a secure repository for the original corporate agreements, medical records, and financial transactions of the Meridian Group."
"Where is it?"
"Underground."
"Where?"
Arthur looked toward the windows.
"Beneath the original Vance estate."
Julian's expression hardened.
"The estate was demolished."
"Not the foundations."
Vivienne spoke.
"The archive is beneath the old chapel."
Julian looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"My mother told me."
Arthur closed his eyes.
"Then Eleanor is alive."
Vivienne nodded.
"Yes."
Arthur stood.
"That's impossible."
Julian looked at him.
"Apparently, impossible is the only thing this family does well."
Arthur approached the table.
"Henry must have taken her."
"Henry says he signed my birth certificate," Julian replied.
Arthur went pale.
"Then he has already begun."
"Begun what?"
"The succession process."
Julian looked at the bracelets.
"How does it work?"
Arthur explained slowly.
"The Meridian trust was created around three bloodlines. The Vance line, the Cross line, and the original trustee line represented by Margaret."
Julian frowned.
"Three?"
"Yes. The trust was never meant to belong to one family. Its purpose was to prevent any single heir from controlling the entire fortune."
"And the twins?"
"They were born from the union of two branches of the original bloodline."
Vivienne looked at Julian.
"Which means Charlotte and Emma can activate the archive."
Arthur nodded.
"But only if both bracelets are present."
Julian studied the objects.
"Then why does Henry need me?"
Arthur's voice dropped.
"Because the archive contains a secondary authorization."
"What kind?"
"The final transfer of control requires the biological heir of the original Vance founder."
Julian stared.
"Me."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Julian looked toward Vivienne.
"And if I refuse?"
Arthur did not answer immediately.
Then he said:
"Henry will take the twins."
The conference room became silent.
Julian turned toward the window.
Below him, the city continued moving.
Cars flowed through intersections.
People crossed streets.
Thousands of ordinary lives continued without knowing that a hidden financial empire was preparing to change hands.
He thought of Charlotte.
Her drawing.
Her question about Emma.
Her belief that her father would come when she needed him.
He could not allow Henry Cross to use his daughters as keys to a fortune.
"Marcus."
The security chief entered.
"Sir."
"Prepare a team. We're going to the old estate."
Marcus nodded.
"Understood."
Arthur stood.
"Julian, wait."
Julian turned.
"What now?"
Arthur reached into his briefcase.
He removed a small photograph.
It showed Margaret Vance standing beside a younger man.
The man had Julian's eyes.
His jaw.
His exact expression.
On the back was a handwritten note.
MY SON, IF YOU EVER FIND THIS, KNOW THAT I NEVER ABANDONED YOU.
Julian stared.
"Who is he?"
Arthur's voice was barely audible.
"Your biological father."
"His name?"
Arthur looked directly at him.
"Thomas Cross."
Julian slowly lowered the photograph.
"Who is Thomas Cross?"
Arthur hesitated.
Then answered:
"Henry's younger brother."
Vivienne covered her mouth.
Julian looked between them.
"Why have I never heard of him?"
Arthur's expression darkened.
"Because he was murdered on the night you were born."
Chapter 14: The Estate Beneath the Earth
The original Vance estate stood outside the city, surrounded by thick woodland and an iron fence that had not been maintained in decades.
The mansion itself was gone.
Only fragments of its foundations remained.
A stone fountain stood in the center of the overgrown courtyard.
Its basin was cracked.
Its marble statues had lost their faces.
The private chapel, however, remained intact.
It stood at the far end of the property, its dark stone walls covered with climbing ivy.
Julian stepped out of the vehicle.
Marcus approached.
"Perimeter secured."
"Any movement?"
"Negative."
"That doesn't mean we're alone."
Marcus nodded.
The team moved toward the chapel.
Inside, the air was cold.
Dust covered the pews.
A faded painting of an angel hung above the altar.
Julian approached it.
"Where's the entrance?"
Arthur pointed toward the floor.
"Under the altar."
Marcus examined the stonework.
"There's a concealed mechanism."
Julian removed the two bracelets.
He placed them on a small circular panel.
Nothing happened.
Arthur looked confused.
"That should activate it."
Vivienne approached.
"Maybe it needs both sequences."
She turned one bracelet.
A faint blue light appeared.
Julian adjusted the second.
The floor trembled.
A section of the altar moved backward, revealing a narrow staircase.
Cold air rose from the darkness.
Marcus raised his weapon.
"Stay behind us."
They descended.
The staircase ended at a massive steel door.
Three symbols were engraved across its surface.
A crescent moon.
A star.
And a crown.
Arthur examined the final symbol.
"The crown represents the founding trustee."
Julian looked at him.
"Margaret."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
A small screen illuminated.
INSERT BIOLOGICAL AUTHORIZATION.
Julian stepped forward.
The screen scanned his face.
Then his palm.
A second message appeared.
AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.
The door unlocked.
Inside was an enormous underground chamber.
Rows of secure cabinets lined the walls.
At the center stood a circular table surrounded by six leather chairs.
A large digital display covered the far wall.
Julian walked toward it.
A message appeared.
WELCOME HOME, THOMAS.
He stopped.
The screen changed.
A video began playing.
A man appeared.
He was approximately thirty years old, with dark hair and pale blue eyes.
Julian stared.
The resemblance was undeniable.
The man smiled.
"If you're watching this, my son, then the people who tried to erase our family have failed."
Julian felt his throat tighten.
"My name is Thomas Cross. I am your father."
The video continued.
"I don't know how old you'll be when you see this. I don't know whether Margaret will have been able to protect you. But I need you to understand something."
Thomas leaned closer to the camera.
"Your life was never supposed to be a transaction."
Julian stood motionless.
"You were born into a family that believed blood was more valuable than love. They believed names could determine ownership, that money could purchase loyalty, and that fear could keep people obedient."
Thomas smiled sadly.
"I hope you grew into a better man than the people who raised us."
The image changed.
A photograph appeared.
Thomas holding a newborn baby.
Julian.
Beside him stood Margaret.
And another woman.
Eleanor Cross.
Thomas continued.
"Henry will come for the Meridian trust. He believes the family belongs to him because he controls the records, the money, and the people who enforce his orders."
His expression hardened.
"But the trust was never designed to reward the strongest person."
He paused.
"It was designed to protect the weakest."
The display changed again.
A list of names appeared.
Margaret Vance.
Elena Cross.
Charlotte Cross.
Emma Cross.
Julian Thomas Cross.
Julian stared at the final name.
His full name.
Not Julian Vance.
Julian Thomas Cross.
The video continued.
"There's one more thing you need to know."
Thomas looked directly into the camera.
"Your mother is alive."
Julian stepped forward.
"Which mother?"
Thomas answered as if he could hear him.
"Margaret never died."
The screen went black.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then the chamber's emergency lights turned red.
A warning appeared.
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED.
Marcus immediately raised his weapon.
"Sir, we have company."
A metallic impact echoed from the staircase.
Then another.
Someone was forcing the entrance.
Arthur looked at Julian.
"Henry."
Julian removed the two bracelets from the table.
"Secure the archive."
Marcus nodded.
"Team, defensive positions!"
The first gunshot shattered the silence.
Chapter 15: The Man Who Owned the Silence
The underground chamber erupted into chaos.
Marcus and two security operatives moved toward the entrance.
Julian pulled Vivienne behind the central table.
Arthur hurried toward the control console.
"Can you seal the door?" Julian shouted.
Arthur pressed several keys.
"Trying!"
Another gunshot echoed.
A security operative stumbled backward.
Marcus returned fire.
"Contact at the upper staircase!"
Julian looked toward the display.
A countdown had appeared.
00:04:59.
"What is that?"
Arthur stared.
"The archive's emergency purge."
"Stop it."
"I can't. Someone has activated the destruction sequence remotely."
Julian approached the console.
"How do we cancel it?"
"Two biological authorizations."
"Mine and whose?"
Arthur looked toward Vivienne.
"Elena."
Julian's expression changed.
"She's in the hospital."
"Then we need to find another way."
The countdown continued.
00:04:32.
Vivienne looked at the screen.
"There's a manual override."
"Where?"
She pointed toward a narrow panel behind the display.
Julian moved toward it.
A sudden explosion shook the chamber.
The steel door buckled.
Marcus shouted.
"Fall back!"
Julian pulled the panel open.
Inside were several wires and a biometric scanner.
The screen displayed another instruction.
ENTER ORIGINAL TRUSTEE CODE.
Arthur approached.
"That's Margaret's authorization."
"Can you access it?"
"No."
Vivienne stared at the scanner.
Then she slowly removed a small ring from her finger.
It was a simple gold band.
Julian recognized the engraving.
M.V.
"Where did you get that?"
Vivienne placed it against the scanner.
"My mother gave it to me."
The screen illuminated.
AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED.
Arthur stared.
"That's impossible."
Vivienne looked at him.
"My mother was Margaret's closest friend. She gave me the ring before the fire."
Julian watched the countdown.
00:03:41.
The display changed.
MANUAL OVERRIDE ENABLED.
Arthur began entering commands.
The countdown stopped.
The chamber fell silent.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
"Excellent."
Everyone froze.
The voice was old.
Calm.
Almost amused.
"Very impressive, Julian."
Julian looked toward the display.
A video appeared.
Henry Cross.
He was seated in a luxurious office, holding a glass of whiskey.
"You're beginning to understand the architecture of your family."