Chapter 10 - Beneath the FactoryThe old Whitmore factory had been abandoned for eleven years.

Or so the public records claimed.

It sat near the harbor behind rusted gates and empty warehouses.

At midnight, Andrew and I entered through a drainage tunnel.

My father stayed behind with Noah.

Vanessa refused to leave.

"I know Sebastian's system," she said.

"I don't trust you."

"You shouldn't."

She looked me in the eye.

"But I know how he thinks."

That was enough.

We entered the underground facility.

Rows of locked doors stretched beneath the factory.

Some contained boxes.

Others contained computers.

And one room contained photographs.

Hundreds of them.

People.

Children.

Families.

Names.

Dates.

I felt sick.

Andrew walked to a wall covered in files.

"He kept records."

"Why?"

"Because he believed nobody would ever stop him."

Vanessa looked at one folder.

She froze.

I noticed.

"What?"

She didn't answer.

I opened it.

Her name was on the front.

Inside were photographs of Vanessa from age sixteen onward.

There were notes about her father.

Her debts.

Her movements.

Her relationship with Andrew.

And one sentence:

SUBJECT WILL MARRY ALEXANDER WHITMORE.

I looked at her.

"Sebastian planned our entire relationship."

She nodded.

"I told you."

"You loved me."

"I did."

"Did he know?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't he stop it?"

"Because he wanted you emotionally dependent on me."

I closed the folder.

"That's enough."

We continued.

At the end of the corridor, we found a steel door.

Maria was inside.

She was tied to a chair.

Andrew rushed toward her.

"Maria."

She lifted her head.

"Where's Noah?"

"Safe."

She closed her eyes in relief.

Then she looked at me.

"The ledger?"

"Safe."

Her expression changed.

"You shouldn't have brought it."

"Why?"

"Because that's exactly what he wanted."

A voice came from behind us.

"Correct."

Sebastian stepped out of the darkness.

He was older than I expected.

Elegant.

Calm.

Wearing a charcoal suit.

He smiled.

"Alexander."

I raised my gun.

"You killed people."

He shook his head.

"Such a crude word."

"You kidnapped children."

"I acquired assets."

Andrew lunged forward.

I stopped him.

Sebastian smiled.

"You see, this is why your family failed."

"What?"

"Emotion."

He pointed at Maria.

"She betrayed me."

Then at Vanessa.

"She betrayed me."

Then at Andrew.

"He refused to obey."

Finally, he pointed at me.

"And you..."

He smiled.

"You never even realized you were being prepared."

"For what?"

He leaned closer.

"To replace me."

Silence.

"What?"

"I built Whitmore Holdings into what it is today."

"You stole it."

"No."

He smiled.

"Your grandfather gave it to me."

I shook my head.

"Liar."

Sebastian nodded toward the ceiling.

A monitor turned on.

Live footage of Whitmore House.

My father.

My mother.

Noah.

They were surrounded by armed men.

Sebastian looked at me.

"Now we negotiate."

He placed a gun against Maria's head.

"Bring me the ledger."

I stepped forward.

But Sebastian smiled.

"Not that one."

He pointed at me.

"I want the original."

I frowned.

"This is the original."

Sebastian laughed.

"No, Alexander."

He leaned close enough for me to hear his whisper.

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"The original was never in the mirror."

Then he shot out the lights.