Chapter 10 - We searched the vault for twenty minutes.Nothing.

No hidden door.

No broken window.

No sign of Evan.

Only the monitor.

And one message.

ELI IS COMING.

Marcus stared at it.

“Who is Eli?”

Daniel didn't answer.

I grabbed him.

“Who is Eli?”

He looked at me.

“The man who recruited me.”

“Into what?”

“The network.”

“Why?”

“He knew your father.”

“How?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

“I swear.”

Patricia suddenly spoke.

“I know.”

We all turned.

She was sitting against the wall.

Exhausted.

Terrified.

“Eli was the reason Daniel was selected.”

I frowned.

“Selected for what?”

“To marry you.”

The words cut deeper than they should have.

Daniel looked away.

Patricia continued.

“Eli needed someone inside your life.”

“Why?”

“Because you inherited your mother's access.”

“My mother?”

“Yes.”

Patricia pointed at the vault.

“She knew the original encryption.”

Marcus frowned.

“Then why was Emily the only one able to activate the trust?”

“Because your father changed the system after your mother disappeared.”

I stared.

“Why?”

Patricia whispered:

“Because your mother betrayed him.”

I froze.

“My mother?”

“Yes.”

“Betrayed him how?”

Patricia looked down.

“She gave Evelyn access to the archive.”

Daniel interrupted.

“That's not what happened.”

“You weren't there.”

“I know what she told me.”

“What did she tell you?”

Daniel hesitated.

“She said your mother wasn't working for Evelyn.”

“Then who was she working for?”

Daniel didn't answer.

A door at the far end of the vault opened.

Everyone turned.

Victoria walked in.

She was carrying a gun.

I stared.

“You.”

She looked at Daniel.

Then at Patricia.

Then at me.

“I know where Eli is.”

Daniel moved toward her.

“Where?”

Victoria pointed the weapon at him.

“Don't.”

He stopped.

“You helped me escape.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted him to come out.”

“Who?”

“Eli.”

Victoria looked at me.

“You need to understand something.”

“What?”

“Your family has been fighting itself for twenty years.”

I stared.

“Why?”

“Because everyone believed someone else was responsible for the deaths.”

My father appeared on the monitor again.

A new recording.

This time he looked frightened.

“Emily,” he said.

“If you see Victoria, trust her.”

I looked at Victoria.

Then the recording continued.

“There was a shooting at the original warehouse.”

He paused.

“Someone opened fire.”

The screen showed old security footage.

People running.

Smoke.

A child being carried away.

My mother.

Evelyn.

Patricia.

And a younger Daniel.

Then the footage froze.

My father whispered:

“I thought my sister ordered it.”

Evelyn's face appeared.

“She thought I ordered it.”

Another face.

A young Eli.

Then my father again.

“But the person who actually gave the order was neither of us.”

The screen went black.

A name appeared.

MARTIN HARPER.

Marcus stared.

“Who is Martin?”

Patricia whispered:

“Your grandfather.”

I felt sick.

“He's been dead for fifteen years.”

“Yes.”

“So?”

Patricia looked at me.

“That's the problem.”

“What problem?”

“Martin Harper is alive.”

The vault doors suddenly opened.

A man stood outside.

An elderly man with a cane.

White hair.

Cold eyes.

He looked directly at me.

Then smiled.

“Hello, Emily.”

I couldn't move.

My grandfather was supposed to have died before I met Daniel.

But there he stood.

Alive.

And beside him was a man I knew instantly.

Eli.

My brother.

Eli looked at me.

Then said:

“You really shouldn't have opened the vault.”

My grandfather stepped forward.

“You were never meant to know the truth.”

I stared at both of them.

“Which truth?”

Martin smiled.

“Your father didn't build this network.”

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“Then who did?”

“Your family did.”