Chapter 10 - ROOM 19Arthur's arrival froze everyone.
David stared at the man who had haunted his childhood dreams.
His father looked older.
But his eyes were unchanged.
Cold.
Calculating.
“You're dead.”
Arthur smiled.
“Not quite.”
“You killed Thomas.”
Arthur's smile disappeared.
“Thomas killed himself.”
David stepped forward.
“You lied.”
“Of course I lied.”
The answer was so calm that it terrified him.
Maya tightened her grip on the brass key.
Arthur noticed.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
Arthur smiled again.
“You've always been stubborn.”
He looked at David.
“You chose a weak woman.”
David stood between them.
“You don't know her.”
“I know everything about her.”
Maya's voice was steady.
“You don't know what I know.”
Arthur tilted his head.
“Then tell me.”
“You've lost.”
He laughed.
“No.”
Arthur pointed toward David.
“He's already signed.”
David frowned.
“What?”
Arthur looked delighted.
“Check your phone.”
David pulled it out.
A notification waited.
DIGITAL TRANSFER CONFIRMED.
He opened it.
A legal agreement.
His signature.
His name.
His authorization.
David stared.
“I never signed this.”
Arthur smiled.
“You did.”
“When?”
“On the yacht.”
David's face went white.
Julianne had given him documents.
He had been drinking.
He had signed without reading.
He remembered.
A tablet.
Three screens.
A biometric confirmation.
He had authorized something.
“What did I transfer?”
Arthur answered,
“Control.”
David looked at Maya.
“My shares.”
“All of them.”
“Where?”
Arthur pointed to Maya.
“Her.”
Maya stared.
Arthur continued.
“That's why they killed Lily.”
David's face hardened.
“They wanted her to break.”
“Yes.”
“So she'd sign.”
“She already did.”
Maya froze.
“What?”
Arthur smiled.
“Your daughter died believing her mother was safe.”
Maya's expression collapsed.
“What did you say?”
“Lily signed nothing.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“But you did.”
Maya shook her head.
“No.”
Arthur pulled out a document.
A hospital authorization.
Maya's signature appeared at the bottom.
David looked at her.
“What is that?”
Maya whispered,
“I signed hospital forms.”
Arthur smiled.
“One of them transferred your trust.”
Maya's face went pale.
“No.”
Arthur looked satisfied.
“You lost.”
Then Donovan stepped forward.
“Not exactly.”
She raised a second document.
“The transfer is invalid.”
Arthur turned.
“Why?”
“Because your son was legally declared incapacitated during the transaction.”
David frowned.
“What?”
Donovan smiled.
“You were under the influence.”
Arthur's expression tightened.
“And that changes everything.”
Maya looked at her.
“How?”
“Because the original transfer required informed consent.”
Donovan held up her phone.
“We have video evidence proving Julianne deliberately intoxicated David before every signature.”
Arthur's jaw clenched.
Maya exhaled.
For the first time, hope returned.
Then a gunshot rang through the archive.
Donovan fell.
David screamed.
Maya spun around.
Arthur was gone.
Only one thing remained.
A folded note on the floor.
Maya picked it up.
Three words were written on it.
YOU STILL HAVE HER.
Maya frowned.
“Her?”
David looked terrified.
“What does he mean?”
Then Maya's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered,
“Your daughter is alive.”
Maya stopped breathing.
“What?”
The voice continued.
“Come alone.”
The line disconnected.
David stared at Maya.
“What did they say?”
Maya looked at him.
Her face had gone completely white.
May you like
“Lily is alive.”
And for the first time in fourteen days, Maya allowed herself to believe the impossible.
