Chapter 14 - Phase Two EndsClara returned to the city.
The entire Sterling empire was collapsing.
Banks were freezing accounts.
Government investigators were raiding offices.
Stock prices were falling.
Victoria disappeared.
Evelyn was arrested.
Adrian was missing.
Daniel had vanished.
Marcus was still captive.
And Clara stood inside the original Bennett bank beneath the city.
The key opened a steel door.
Inside was a vault.
She inserted the activation token.
The entire wall lit up.
Thousands of accounts.
Names.
Companies.
Governments.
Officials.
Everything.
Black Meridian was exposed.
But the system asked for one final authorization.
BENEFICIARY CONFIRMATION.
Clara placed her hand against the scanner.
Then stopped.
The second name returned to her.
The name beneath her birth date.
She typed it.
The system unlocked.
And Clara saw it.
Her real birth record.
Her father wasn't her biological father.
Neither was her mother her biological mother.
The Bennett family had adopted her.
Why?
Because her biological parents had been the founders of Black Meridian.
Clara stared at the screen.
The network's original DNA authorization belonged to her.
Her entire life...
had been built around a lie.
The door behind her opened.
Adrian stood there.
Alive.
Clara turned.
"You knew."
He nodded.
"Since the beginning."
"Who were my parents?"
Adrian looked at the screen.
"People your father killed."
Clara's face went pale.
"And you?"
"I was ordered to marry you."
"By whom?"
Adrian stepped closer.
"Your father."
She stared.
"Why?"
"Because he knew eventually you'd uncover everything."
Adrian's voice softened.
"He wanted one person close enough to stop you from becoming like him."
"That was you?"
"Yes."
Clara laughed bitterly.
"And did it work?"
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
Clara looked back at the vault.
The system waited.
ACTIVATE.
OR DESTROY.
Two choices.
One would give her control over the largest hidden financial network on Earth.
The other would destroy it forever.
Adrian whispered.
"Clara."
She pressed the button.
The entire system went dark.
Adrian stared.
"What did you do?"
Clara smiled.
"Neither."
"What?"
"I transferred ownership."
"To whom?"
The lights came back on.
Every account had been reassigned.
To the public.
Governments.
Victims.
Investigators.
People who had lost their homes.
Businesses destroyed by Black Meridian.
Thousands of names.
Then one final message appeared.
PHASE TWO COMPLETE.
Clara turned toward Adrian.
"And Phase Three?"
He stared at her.
A phone began ringing.
Victoria.
Clara answered.
Victoria's voice was furious.
"You think you've won?"
Clara smiled.
"No."
She looked at the vault.
"I think I've just started."
Victoria whispered:
"Then come find me."
The call ended.
Clara looked at Adrian.
"Where is she?"
He answered:
"At the Sterling estate."
Clara walked toward the exit.
"No."
She stopped.
"She's not waiting for me there."
Adrian frowned.
"Then where?"
Clara looked at the final hidden file.
A location appeared.
The White House?
No.
A private island.
Owned by one person.
Victoria Sterling.
May you like
Clara smiled.
"She's waiting where the real money is."
