Julian approached the screen.
"Where are you?"
Henry smiled.
"Somewhere you can't reach."
"Where is my mother?"
Henry's expression changed.
"Which one?"
Julian said nothing.
Henry continued.
"Margaret is alive. Eleanor is alive. Elena is alive. Your little daughters are alive."
He leaned forward.
"At least for now."
Julian's eyes became cold.
"If you touch them—"
Henry laughed.
"Still making threats. You really are Thomas's son."
Julian stepped closer.
"Why did you kill him?"
Henry's smile disappeared.
"Because he was weak."
"Why did you take me?"
"Because you were valuable."
"Why did you destroy my family?"
Henry sighed.
"Because your family was standing in my way."
Julian looked at Arthur.
The attorney was staring at the screen with undisguised horror.
Henry noticed.
"Hello, Arthur."
Arthur stepped forward.
"Henry."
"Still working for the wrong people, I see."
Arthur's jaw tightened.
"I should have stopped you."
"Yes. You should have."
Henry raised his glass.
"Now, Julian, I have a proposition."
"I don't negotiate with kidnappers."
"Then perhaps you'll negotiate with a father."
Julian went still.
Henry smiled.
"Your biological father left you a final gift."
The screen changed.
A live camera feed appeared.
A woman was sitting in a white room.
Her silver hair fell over her shoulders.
Her face was older, but unmistakable.
Margaret Vance.
Julian stared.
"Mother..."
The woman looked up.
"Julian?"
He stepped toward the screen.
"Where are you?"
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"Don't come here."
Henry appeared beside her.
He placed one hand on her shoulder.
"Your mother has been very cooperative."
Julian's expression became murderous.
"Let her go."
Henry smiled.
"Bring me the two bracelets, the original trust agreement, and your signature."
"And if I refuse?"
Henry looked toward Margaret.
Then he raised a small remote control.
"Then we discover how much a mother can endure."
Julian's voice dropped.
"Henry."
"Yes?"
"You have made a serious mistake."
Henry tilted his head.
"Which one?"
Julian looked directly into the camera.
"You've assumed I came here to protect the empire."
He paused.
"I came here to end it."
Henry's smile faded.
The screen went black.
Chapter 16: A Promise to the Dead
The archive chamber was silent except for the faint hum of the emergency generator.
Julian stood before the dark display.
His hands were clenched.
Marcus approached.
"Sir, we need to leave. The building is compromised."
Julian nodded.
"Get the team out."
"What about the archive?"
"Copy everything."
Arthur moved toward the console.
"That will take time."
"Then start."
Vivienne looked at Julian.
"What are you going to do?"
He turned.
"Find Henry."
"That's not enough."
Julian's expression hardened.
"Then tell me what is."
Vivienne hesitated.
"Henry has a private estate on the coast. He uses it as a temporary residence when he needs to disappear from the financial network."
"Where?"
"Blackwater Point."
Arthur immediately shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Julian looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because Blackwater Point was destroyed in the fire."
Vivienne nodded.
"Officially."
Julian stared at her.
"How many places in this family are supposedly destroyed but still operational?"
Vivienne gave a faint, exhausted smile.
"More than you want to know."
Marcus approached with a tablet.
"Sir, we have another problem."
Julian looked at him.
"What?"
"The hospital has reported that Elena's room was accessed again."
Julian's expression changed.
"Is she safe?"
"Unknown."
"Charlotte?"
"She's with the secondary security team at Apex Tower."
Julian nodded.
"Good."
Marcus continued.
"But the nurse assigned to Elena has disappeared."
Julian turned toward Arthur.
"Who authorized her medication?"
Arthur looked down.
"Dr. Bennett."
"Find him."
Marcus made a call.
A moment later, he lowered the phone.
"Dr. Bennett is dead."
Vivienne covered her mouth.
"How?"
"His vehicle was found near the river."
Julian stared.
"Someone is cleaning up."
Arthur nodded.
"Henry doesn't leave witnesses."
Julian looked toward the archive.
On the main display, a final file had appeared.
A folder titled THE LAST WILL OF THOMAS CROSS.
He opened it.
Inside was a single audio recording.
Thomas's voice emerged.
"Julian, if you have reached this point, then I know the truth has finally found you."
A pause.
"I need you to forgive Margaret."
Julian closed his eyes.
"She loved you as her own son. She knew the truth from the beginning, but she never told you because she was afraid that Henry would take you away."
The recording continued.
"Your biological mother is Eleanor. Your biological father is me. But the woman who raised you, who taught you to walk, who stayed beside your bed when you were sick, and who held you after your first heartbreak..."
Thomas's voice softened.
"That woman is your mother too."
Julian looked away.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
He wiped it quickly.
Then the recording changed tone.
"There's something else."
Thomas took a breath.
"Henry didn't kill me."
Julian turned back toward the screen.
"What?"
Thomas continued.
"Margaret did."
The room went completely silent.
"She believed she was protecting you. Henry had threatened to take you. Thomas—"
The recording crackled.
Then Thomas's voice returned.
"Julian, the truth is complicated. Margaret never intended to kill me. She was trying to stop Henry from using the original trust documents."
A long pause.
"She pulled the trigger."
The recording ended.
Julian stood motionless.
Arthur looked at him.
"Julian..."
He raised one hand.
"Not another word."
He walked toward the exit.
Marcus followed.
Vivienne remained beside the console.
She looked at the final image on the screen.
Thomas Cross.
A man she had never known.
A man whose son had just discovered that his entire life was built on a tragedy nobody had been willing to explain.
And somewhere beyond the city, Henry Cross was waiting.
Chapter 17: The Daughter of the Enemy
At Apex Tower, Charlotte was sitting beside a large window.
The city looked beautiful from the eightieth floor.
She had been given a soft pink blanket, a bowl of strawberries, and a small box of colored pencils.
But she had not touched the food.
Instead, she was drawing.
Marcus's deputy, Rachel Moore, sat nearby.
"Would you like to watch a movie?"
Charlotte shook her head.
"Would you like to call your daddy?"
She looked up immediately.
"Can I?"
Rachel smiled.
"Of course."
She handed her a secure tablet.
Charlotte pressed the video-call button.
Julian answered almost immediately.
"Hello, sweetheart."
"Daddy!"
His expression softened.
"Are you okay?"
Charlotte nodded.
"Where are you?"
"Working."
"Are you coming home?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Soon."
Charlotte looked down.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Do I have to live with you now?"
Julian paused.
"Only if you want to."
Charlotte looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"What if I want to live with Mommy?"
"Then we'll make sure you can."
"What if I want to live with my sister?"
Julian's throat tightened.
"Then we'll find her."
Charlotte smiled faintly.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She held up her drawing.
It showed three people standing beneath a large tree.
One man.
One woman.
One little girl.
And a second little girl standing slightly apart.
Julian studied it.
"Who's the second girl?"
"Emma."
"Why is she standing over there?"
"Because I don't know what she looks like."
Julian felt something break inside him.
"That's okay."
Charlotte nodded.
"Mommy says she has the same eyes as me."
Julian smiled.
"Then she must be beautiful."
Charlotte looked at him carefully.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Are you sad?"
He looked toward the darkened window behind him.
"Sometimes."
"Why?"
"Because I made mistakes."
Charlotte considered that.
Then she said:
"Mommy says it's never too late to fix something."
Julian closed his eyes.
"Your mommy is a very wise woman."
Charlotte smiled.
"She says you were always stubborn."
Julian laughed softly.
"She was right."
A sudden sound interrupted the call.
Rachel looked toward the corridor.
A security alarm began ringing.
Julian immediately sat upright.
"What happened?"
Rachel stood.
"Stay with me, Charlotte."
The camera shook.
Someone shouted in the hallway.
Then the call disconnected.
Julian stared at the blank screen.
"Marcus!"
The security chief appeared beside him.
"Sir?"
"Get me the tower cameras."
Marcus began working.
A red warning appeared on the display.
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS — PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
Julian's face hardened.
"How?"
Marcus stared at the screen.
"Someone used your biometric credentials."
Julian went still.
"Impossible."
Marcus looked up.
"Sir, the system recognizes you as the person who entered the building."
Julian stared at the screen.
Then a second camera feed appeared.
A man was walking through the private corridor.
He wore a black suit.
His face was hidden by a medical mask.
But the way he moved was familiar.
Julian leaned closer.
The man stopped outside the residence.
He turned toward the camera.
Then slowly removed the mask.
Julian felt the blood drain from his face.
It was Richard Vance.
His adoptive father.
The man who had been dead for seven years.
Chapter 18: The Dead Man's Return
For several seconds, Julian couldn't move.
Richard Vance looked older than he remembered.
His hair had turned completely white.
Deep lines crossed his face.
But his eyes were unchanged.
Cold.
Intelligent.
And utterly devoid of remorse.
Julian stared at the monitor.
"That's impossible."
Marcus said nothing.
The camera feed showed Richard entering the private residence.
Rachel was no longer visible.
Charlotte's room appeared empty.
Julian grabbed his phone.
"Lock down the tower."
Marcus activated the security protocol.
"All exits sealed."
"Get every available operative to the eightieth floor."
"Yes, sir."
Julian moved toward the elevator.
Marcus followed.
"Sir, wait."
Julian turned.
"What?"
"Look at the second camera."
The display changed.
Another man appeared in the corridor.