Chapter 6 - My FatherI heard his voice once.
And somehow I knew it.
Even after twelve years.
Even after believing he abandoned me.
Even after being told he was a selfish man who chose another life.
It was him.
“Mara.”
I ran toward the hallway.
Nothing.
Only a shattered window.
Cold air.
Footsteps disappearing down the street.
Ethan reached me.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
I grabbed his sleeve.
“That was my father.”
“I know.”
“You heard him.”
“Yes.”
“Then find him.”
Ethan looked toward the dead woman on the floor.
“We need to move.”
“She knew him.”
“And someone just killed her.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“I just met my grandmother.”
“And lost her.”
The words hit me like a punch.
I looked at the body.
My entire life had become a graveyard of secrets.
We returned to Ethan’s apartment.
He showed me the old files.
Daniel had spent years investigating my family.
There were dozens of references to a man known only as The Architect.
“He controls the network,” Ethan said.
“Who is he?”
“We never found out.”
“What does he want with me?”
Ethan was silent.
I stared at him.
“What?”
He hesitated.
“Your identity was created for one reason.”
“Which is?”
“To hold the money.”
“Why couldn’t they use someone else?”
“Because the money belonged to you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if your family created the trust before you were born.”
He opened another file.
“The original trust lists three beneficiaries.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
“My father?”
Ethan shook his head.
“And you.”
I stared at the page.
“Me?”
“You inherited it when your mother died.”
“But I never received anything.”
“Because the trust was frozen.”
“Why?”
Ethan pointed to a clause.
THE BENEFICIARY MUST REMAIN UNAWARE UNTIL THE ARCHITECT IS IDENTIFIED.
My stomach twisted.
“What happens if I become aware?”
Ethan looked at me.
“The trust activates.”
“What does that mean?”
“The money becomes yours.”
“Then why would someone move forty million tomorrow?”
“Because once the trust activates, they lose control.”
I stared at him.
“Then they are trying to steal it before I know.”
“Exactly.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
My father spoke.
“You need to listen carefully.”
“Dad?”
He breathed shakily.
“I don’t have much time.”
“Where are you?”
“Do not trust Ethan.”
I looked at Ethan.
“Why?”
“Because he knows what happened to Daniel.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
My father continued.
“He knows who killed my wife.”
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Silence.
Then my father said:
“The Architect.”
“Who is he?”
My father whispered:
“Gregory.”
The line went dead.
I looked at Ethan.
Then my phone buzzed.
A video arrived.
Gregory was sitting in a dark room.
Behind him was a wall covered in photographs.
My photographs.
Noah’s photographs.
My mother’s.
My father’s.
And Ethan’s.
Gregory looked directly into the camera.
“Mara, if you’re watching this, it means Ethan found the file.”
He smiled.
“And now you know enough to become dangerous.”
The video ended.
Then another notification appeared.
A bank alert.
ACCOUNT TRANSFER SCHEDULED: $40,000,000.
Recipient:
GREGORY HALE.
Scheduled time:
May you like
MIDNIGHT.
End of Chapter 6.
