Chapter 4 - The old chapel stood twenty miles outside the city, abandoned since my father's death.Rain hammered the windshield as we drove.

Marco insisted on coming.

Claire came too.

I didn't ask.

She simply entered the SUV with a medical bag.

Victor sat beside me.

His wound had been patched temporarily.

Nobody spoke.

I kept seeing the same image.

Elena beneath the security camera.

Alive.

Waiting.

I wanted to believe it.

But fear kept offering alternatives.

A look-alike.

A recording.

A setup.

My brother had spent eight years pretending to be dead.

Who knew what else my family had been hiding?

We reached the chapel at 1:14 AM.

The doors stood open.

No guards.

No vehicles.

No lights.

Just darkness.

“Stay behind me.”

Claire ignored me.

Marco entered first.

Clear.

I followed.

The chapel smelled like wet stone.

At the altar stood a chair.

Harper was sitting in it.

Alive.

Awake.

Untied.

I almost ran to her.

“Dad!”

Then Claire grabbed my arm.

“Wait.”

A red laser appeared across Harper's chest.

Sniper.

Everyone froze.

A voice echoed from the balcony.

“Another step, and she dies.”

Daniel.

He walked into the light.

Older.

Harder.

A scar ran from his temple to his jaw.

But his eyes were the same.

I stared.

“You died.”

Daniel smiled.

“That's what you wanted to believe.”

“My daughter.”

“She's unharmed.”

“Let her go.”

“I will.”

“Now.”

“Not yet.”

Daniel descended the stairs.

He stopped ten feet away.

“You've spent eight years building an empire.”

“You've spent eight years hiding.”

“I was surviving.”

“Why?”

He glanced at Victor.

“Ask him.”

Victor stepped forward.

Daniel's expression turned murderous.

“You still wear that face.”

Victor didn't react.

Daniel looked at me.

“Your wife found out.”

“Found out what?”

“That your father's organization was still alive.”

I felt cold.

“My father retired.”

Daniel laughed.

“He never retired.”

He pointed upward.

“Black Crown was his.”

Silence.

My father had always been a businessman.

Cold.

Demanding.

But legitimate.

At least, that's the story he'd given me.

Daniel continued.

“Black Crown wasn't a criminal organization.”

I frowned.

“It was an intelligence network.”

“For whom?”

“For whoever paid.”

I stared at him.

“Assassinations?”

“Political influence. Corporate blackmail. Asset transfers. Disappearances.”

I looked at Victor.

“And you worked for it.”

Victor lowered his eyes.

“Yes.”

“Did Elena?”

Daniel shook his head.

“She tried to destroy it.”

The sniper's laser moved.

Harper remained still.

My heart pounded.

“Why did my wife disappear?”

Daniel looked toward the altar.

“She discovered there was a mole inside Black Crown.”

“Who?”

He smiled.

“You're not ready.”

I stepped forward.

“Tell me.”

Daniel raised his hand.

The sniper's laser tightened over Harper's heart.

“Not yet.”

I stopped.

Daniel turned toward Claire.

“She was there the night Elena escaped.”

Claire didn't deny it.

I looked at her.

“You helped her.”

“Yes.”

“Then why did Elena leave without me?”

Claire's voice softened.

“Because she thought you'd been compromised.”

I felt as though someone had punched me.

“By whom?”

Claire looked directly at Victor.

Victor closed his eyes.

“Me.”

The word landed like a bullet.

I turned.

“What did you do?”

Victor's voice broke.

“I lied to Elena.”

“About what?”

“That you were working with your father.”

“I wasn't.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

Victor looked at Harper.

“Because Black Crown had your daughters.”

My entire body went rigid.

“They threatened the girls?”

“No.”

He swallowed.

“They didn't threaten them.”

He looked at me.

“They already had access to them.”

The chapel suddenly felt freezing.

Daniel said quietly:

“Your wife made a choice.”

“What choice?”

“She let the world believe she was dead.”

“To protect us?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn't she come back?”

Daniel looked at me.

“Because she couldn't.”

I heard footsteps behind me.

Everyone turned.

A woman appeared in the chapel doorway.

Long dark hair.

Pale face.

A familiar green coat.

Elena.

Ava screamed.

“Mom?”

Elena stopped.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I'm sorry.”

I couldn't breathe.

I didn't move.

She looked at me.

“Marcus.”

My world narrowed to her face.

“You're alive.”

She nodded.

“I am.”

I stepped forward.

“Why?”

Her voice cracked.

“Because they told me you'd die if I came home.”

“Who?”

She looked toward the chapel balcony.

Then toward Victor.

Then toward Daniel.

Finally, she looked at me.

“The person who ordered my death is inside Ashford House.”

My blood turned cold.

“Who?”

Elena whispered:

“Marco.”

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