Chapter 12 - The Man Behind the FamilyVictor didn't deny anything.

He was almost proud.

For thirty years, he had built a system that could erase people.

He controlled lawyers.

Doctors.

Banks.

Police contacts.

Judges.

The Mercer family had been wealthy.

Victor made them untouchable.

But my mother had discovered the truth.

She tried to expose him.

My grandfather refused.

So Victor manipulated the family against itself.

He convinced Juliette that I was a threat.

He convinced Richard that Evelyn was betraying him.

He convinced Adrian that the only way to survive was to fake his death.

Everyone had received a different lie.

And Victor had profited from all of them.

"Why me?"

Victor looked at me.

"Because your mother chose you."

"For what?"

"The inheritance wasn't money."

He pointed to the final page.

"It was evidence."

The Mercer trust contained records proving Victor's crimes.

My mother had hidden those records inside the inheritance structure.

If I died, they would remain locked.

If I survived and claimed the trust, the files would become accessible.

Victor had spent twelve years trying to prevent that.

I looked at Juliette.

"Did you know?"

She looked away.

"Some of it."

"How much?"

"Enough to hate myself."

I almost believed her.

Then she stepped forward.

"I can fix this."

Victor laughed.

"You've already failed."

Juliette suddenly pulled a knife.

She stabbed Victor.

He collapsed.

Everyone froze.

Juliette stared at the blood on her hands.

"I had to."

Victor smiled from the floor.

"No."

He coughed.

"You wanted her to trust you."

Juliette looked at me.

I couldn't move.

Victor reached into his coat.

Pulled out a remote.

Pressed a button.

The mansion doors locked.

Gas began filling the room.

Victor smiled.

"If I die, the vault burns."

My mother screamed.

Marcus tried to break the door.

Nothing.

I looked at Juliette.

She looked at me.

Then whispered:

"There is another exit."

I followed her.

We entered a narrow tunnel.

Behind us, flames erupted.

The entire vault was burning.

But before the door closed, I saw something inside.

A locked metal box.

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