Chapter 16 - THE NAME ON THE SCREENVictor stared at the screen.
His own name.
VICTOR BLACKWOOD.
He looked at Amelia.
“No.”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
“It's not what you think.”
The room erupted.
News cameras captured everything.
The world watched.
Victor shook his head.
“I never authorized any of this.”
Amelia nodded.
“I know.”
“Then why is my name there?”
“Because your father used it.”
Edward closed his eyes.
Victor turned toward him.
“You used my identity.”
Edward nodded.
“Years ago.”
“For what?”
“To build the system.”
Victor felt sick.
“You turned me into a criminal without my knowledge.”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Edward looked broken.
“Your mother had control.”
Victor turned away.
The system generated another document.
A signed authorization.
Victor's signature.
But the date was twenty-one years ago.
Victor remembered exactly where he had been.
At his mother's house.
He had signed a pile of papers.
He hadn't read them.
His father had told him they were property documents.
They weren't.
They were corporate authorizations.
Victor whispered:
“I signed.”
Amelia nodded.
“You did.”
“I didn't know.”
“That is why they used you.”
Suddenly Evelyn walked into the room.
No guards.
No weapon visible.
She raised both hands.
“Congratulations.”
Victor stared.
“You're finished.”
Evelyn smiled.
“No.”
She pointed at the system.
“This was the plan.”
Victor frowned.
“What?”
“You finally exposed everything.”
Evelyn looked at Chloe.
“Which means the world now knows who controls the empire.”
Chloe froze.
“You.”
“No.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Her.”
Every camera turned toward Chloe.
Evelyn continued:
“The system has transferred ownership.”
Victor realized.
“She's the legal owner.”
“Yes.”
“And the government will seize everything.”
“Yes.”
“So why do this?”
Evelyn smiled wider.
“Because I don't want the money.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“What do you want?”
Evelyn looked at Amelia.
“I want the last key.”
Amelia went pale.
“What key?”
Evelyn whispered:
“The one your father hid.”
Victor frowned.
“Where?”
Evelyn laughed.
“Ask your daughter.”
Victor looked at Amelia.
Amelia shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“You do.”
“No.”
“You've known for twenty years.”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
Victor stared.
“What key?”
Amelia whispered:
“My brother.”
Victor froze.
“Your brother?”
“Yes.”
“I don't understand.”
Amelia looked toward the doorway.
A man walked inside.
Victor knew him.
Everyone knew him.
He was the chairman of the Blackwood Foundation.
The public face of the family.
He smiled.
“I believe I've kept everyone waiting.”
Victor's blood ran cold.
Because he recognized the face.
May you like
It belonged to his mother's younger brother.
A man who had supposedly died before Victor was born.
