Chapter 8 - The Mother in the PhotographElena had been told her mother died when she was eleven.
Elena had been told her mother died when she was eleven.
Cancer.
Private clinic.
Funeral.
Grave.
She had spent nineteen years believing that story.
Now there was a photograph showing her mother alive.
And standing beside Vanessa.
Adrian stared at it.
"This changes everything."
Elena felt numb.
"My mother is dead."
"No."
"My father said..."
Adrian looked at her.
"Our father lied."
Elena called Richard.
He answered immediately.
"Elena?"
"Where is Mom?"
Silence.
"Dad."
"Elena, listen."
"You told me she died."
"I protected you."
"From what?"
Her father finally broke.
"From her."
Elena stopped breathing.
"What?"
"Your mother was involved with Adrian."
"She was involved with her own son?"
"No."
Richard's voice shook.
"With the people who wanted control of Aurelia."
Elena sat down.
"Explain."
"Your mother believed the family business was worth more than the family."
"Then why fake her death?"
"Because we discovered she was preparing to betray us."
Elena closed her eyes.
"And now she's back."
"Apparently."
Adrian took the phone.
"Richard."
Silence.
Adrian's voice became cold.
"You lied to both of us."
Richard answered quietly.
"I was trying to keep you alive."
"You failed."
Adrian hung up.
Elena stared at him.
"What do we do now?"
"Find her."
They returned to the hotel.
Martin had gathered everything his team could locate.
Flights.
Financial records.
Vehicle registrations.
Surveillance footage.
They traced Vanessa.
She had disappeared.
Then they traced the woman from the photograph.
A private apartment in Singapore.
Empty.
But someone had left behind a laptop.
The laptop contained hundreds of files.
Elena opened the first.
A recording.
Her mother was sitting at a desk.
She looked older.
But alive.
"My daughter will believe I abandoned her."
Elena's hands shook.
The recording continued.
"She must."
Then her mother looked directly into the camera.
"Because if Elena ever learns who her father really is..."
The screen went black.
Elena stared.
"Play it again."
They did.
Same ending.
A final file remained.
It was encrypted.
Martin frowned.
"This is military-grade."
Adrian looked at Elena.
"Try your grandfather's birthday."
Wrong.
Her mother's.
Wrong.
Julian's.
The computer unlocked.
Everyone froze.
Elena stared at the screen.
Julian's birthday was the password.
Inside was one file.
PROJECT VESPER
Elena opened it.
A list of names appeared.
Politicians.
Bankers.
Judges.
Investors.
Executives.
And one final name.
ELENA VALE
Beside it was a note.
PRIMARY TARGET.
Elena's blood chilled.
Then a second line appeared.
Objective: Gain her trust, marry her, isolate her from the family, obtain signature authority, destroy succession structure.
She stared.
The document continued.
Under Operative, one name appeared.
JULIAN CROSS.
For nine years, she had believed she had married a man.
She had actually married an assignment.
Elena looked up.
"How long?"
Adrian answered.
"Probably from the beginning."
Her phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
You finally know the truth.
Another message followed.
Now ask yourself why Julian never killed you.
May you like
Then a third.
Because he still needs your blood.
