Chapter 9 - THE FIRST HEIRDiane kidnapped Lily that afternoon.
There were no ransom demands.
No phone calls.
No negotiation.
Only one photograph.
Lily tied to a chair.
Alive.
And beneath the photograph was a message:
“Bring Claire.”
I wanted to go alone.
Ethan refused.
Jonathan refused.
Mother refused.
Detective Hale refused.
Everyone argued.
Then my phone rang.
Ryan.
“Claire.”
I nearly cried.
“Where are you?”
“Don't ask.”
“Are you alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where is Lily?”
“Diane has her.”
“I know.”
“Listen carefully.”
His voice was weak.
“The person running everything isn't Diane.”
I froze.
“Then who?”
“Robert.”
“What does he want?”
“The trust.”
“Why?”
“He's bankrupt.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“Vale Meridian is collapsing.”
I had never heard that name connected with failure.
Ryan continued.
“Your grandfather hid it. Billions in liabilities. Secret debts. Robert discovered the trust was the only thing keeping the company alive.”
“So he needs us.”
“Yes.”
“Then why kill Lily?”
“Because the trust requires two signatures.”
I looked at the pendant.
“Can he use mine?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because one of the keys is biological.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“The trust recognizes DNA.”
My stomach turned.
“Then why doesn't he just take blood?”
“He needs both heirs.”
Ryan paused.
“Claire.”
“What?”
“If Diane asks you to choose between you and Lily…”
He stopped.
“Ryan?”
“Don't choose.”
The call ended.
We tracked Lily to an abandoned Vale warehouse.
Hale assembled a team.
We entered quietly.
Inside, Diane stood beside Lily.
Robert sat behind them.
And Ryan stood in chains.
He had blood on his face.
I stepped forward.
“Let them go.”
Robert smiled.
“You're very brave.”
“No.”
I looked at Ryan.
“I'm angry.”
Robert laughed.
“Anger makes people careless.”
He held up a document.
“The trust.”
“Take it.”
“It's not that easy.”
He looked at Lily.
“Both signatures.”
Diane stepped toward me.
“Claire, you can walk away.”
“No.”
“Then your sister dies.”
Lily screamed.
“Don't do it!”
I looked at her.
She shook her head.
“Whatever they want, don't give it to them.”
Robert raised a gun.
“Choose.”
I looked at Lily.
Then Ryan.
Then my mother.
Mother suddenly said:
“Claire, look at the floor.”
I looked down.
A faint reflection came from beneath the warehouse platform.
Metal.
A hidden camera.
Someone else was watching.
Mother whispered:
“Wait.”
Then the warehouse doors exploded open.
Police stormed inside.
Gunfire erupted.
Robert ran.
Diane grabbed Lily.
Ryan broke free.
Ethan tackled a guard.
I chased Diane.
We reached the loading dock.
Diane turned.
She aimed a gun at me.
“You should have stayed at the table.”
I stopped.
She smiled.
“You think this is revenge?”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
May you like
“This is the beginning.”
Then she shot me.
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