Chapter 11 - Sarah BlakeAdrian survived.
Barely.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
By morning, he was unconscious in a private hospital room.
Emma sat beside the bed.
Her mind refused to rest.
Sarah Blake.
The name had been written into her mother's legal documents.
But Adrian had warned her not to trust her.
Lily stood by the window.
"Sarah was Adrian's older sister."
Emma turned.
"What?"
"Adrian told you Lily was his only sister."
"I thought so."
"He lied."
Emma looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because Sarah disappeared years ago."
"Where did she go?"
Lily's voice lowered.
"She became the person running Project Eden."
Emma's skin prickled.
"The mastermind?"
Lily nodded.
Emma couldn't believe it.
"Then why would my mother leave something to her?"
"Because your mother didn't trust anyone else."
"What was it?"
Lily handed her a key.
"The final safe."
Emma stared.
"Where?"
"Under Blake Tower."
The tower was Adrian's family's headquarters.
Going there was dangerous.
But Emma no longer cared.
She needed answers.
That evening, Daniel drove her to the building.
The lobby was empty.
They took the underground elevator.
At the lowest level, Emma found a steel door.
The key fit.
Inside was a hidden room.
Boxes lined the walls.
Emma opened one.
Photographs.
Bank accounts.
Names.
Then she saw one photograph that made her stomach drop.
Adrian.
Sarah.
Her father.
And Vivian's father.
All together.
The date was two years before Emma met Adrian.
Daniel stared at the photograph.
"This is impossible."
"Why?"
"Sarah was supposedly dead."
Emma looked closer.
Behind them stood her mother.
Alive.
Smiling.
Emma's hands shook.
"She knew all of them."
Daniel nodded.
"Your mother wasn't exposing Project Eden from outside."
"What?"
"She helped create it."
Emma stepped back.
"No."
Daniel pointed to a document.
Her mother's signature.
Another.
And another.
Emma felt like the room was collapsing.
Her mother had not simply discovered the conspiracy.
She had helped build it.
But why?
Then Emma found a handwritten note.
I created Eden to expose them from within.
Her mother had infiltrated the network.
She had collected evidence.
She had planned to destroy it.
Until William discovered her plan.
Emma understood.
Her mother's greatest mistake had been trusting her husband.
Suddenly the lights went out.
Daniel reached for his weapon.
A voice echoed through the room.
"Emma."
She turned.
A woman stepped from the shadows.
Black dress.
Dark hair.
Cold eyes.
Sarah.
Emma froze.
"You were alive."
Sarah smiled.
"Of course."
Daniel raised his weapon.
Sarah didn't react.
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Then why did you shoot Adrian?"
"I didn't."
Emma stared.
"Then who did?"
Sarah walked closer.
"Vivian."
Emma remembered the chapel.
Vivian had arrived.
Vivian had been holding the document.
But Sarah shook her head.
"Vivian is dangerous."
"You're worse."
Sarah looked at Emma's stomach.
"Maybe."
Then she said something that made Emma's blood freeze.
"But I'm not the one who wants your baby."
Emma stepped back.
"Who does?"
Sarah looked toward Daniel.
"Ask him."
Emma turned.
Daniel's face had gone pale.
Sarah smiled.
"The baby is worth more than forty-two percent."
She walked past Emma.
"There is another inheritance."
"What inheritance?"
Sarah stopped.
Then looked over her shoulder.
"Your mother left you the key to everything."
Emma frowned.
"Where?"
May you like
Sarah whispered:
"Inside your wedding ring."
