Chapter 6 - The WarehouseThe old Grant warehouse stood abandoned near the river.
I arrived at eleven fifty-seven.
The place was dark.
Broken windows rattled in the wind.
I stepped inside.
“Hello?”
No answer.
Then a light flicked on.
A man stepped from behind a pillar.
I recognized him from the old photographs.
My father’s former security chief.
Marcus Reed.
I stared.
“You’re alive.”
He smiled sadly.
“Barely.”
“Why did you disappear?”
“Because your father told me to.”
I stepped closer.
“Tell me everything.”
Marcus looked toward the doors.
“Before I do, you need to understand one thing.”
“What?”
“Julian was never supposed to marry you.”
My blood chilled.
“Then what was he supposed to do?”
“Take control of Grant Meridian.”
“How?”
“Through you.”
He handed me a folder.
Inside were documents spanning eight years.
Julian’s career.
His financial records.
His communications.
Then I saw it.
He had been transferring money between companies connected to Victoria.
Millions.
“Why?”
“Because Victoria isn’t the mastermind.”
I looked up.
“Who is?”
Marcus’s expression changed.
“Your mother.”
My fingers went numb.
“My mother died when I was six.”
“I know.”
He opened another folder.
Photographs.
A woman who looked exactly like my mother.
Older.
Alive.
Standing beside Victoria.
I stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
He pointed to the date.
Six months ago.
My mother had been alive.
I shook my head.
“She died.”
“That’s what everyone was told.”
“By whom?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Your father.”
The words punched the air from my lungs.
“Why would Dad pretend Mom was dead?”
“Because she was involved.”
“In what?”
“Blackstone.”
I stared at him.
Marcus continued.
“Your mother helped build the original network.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Your father discovered it.”
“And they divorced?”
“No.”
He lowered his voice.
“He tried to expose her.”
I shook my head.
“This makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Marcus opened the final file.
A photograph.
My mother, Victoria, and Julian.
All standing together.
The date was three weeks before my wedding.
I felt sick.
“They know you found out,” Marcus said.
“Julian?”
“All of them.”
“How?”
“Because someone inside the Whitmore house is working for your mother.”
I looked at him.
“Who?”
Before he could answer, headlights appeared outside.
Marcus cursed.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
He grabbed my arm.
“Run.”
We sprinted toward the back exit.
A car crashed through the warehouse doors.
Men jumped out.
I heard shouting.
Marcus shoved me through a side door.
“Keep going!”
“What about you?”
“I’ll slow them down.”
I ran.
Behind me, a gunshot echoed.
Then another.
I stumbled into the darkness.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Julian.
I know you’re at the warehouse.
Another arrived immediately.
Come home, Elena.
Then:
Your mother wants to meet you.
I stopped running.
My hand shook.
I stared at the screen.
My mother.
Alive.
May you like
Somewhere.
And apparently waiting for me.
