Chapter 2 - The Letter Written Before She Was Born“Ask No Questions About the Girl”The room had lost all sense of time.
No one laughed anymore.
No one checked their phone.
The photograph lay between Alexander and Elena like a loaded weapon.
Richard Blake stood near the conference table, his face drained of color.
Alexander noticed every detail.
The way Richard's thumb rubbed against his wedding ring.
The way his eyes kept moving toward the door.
The way he avoided looking directly at Elena.
Alexander knew those signs.
Richard was afraid.
Not surprised.
Afraid.
“Everyone out,” Alexander said.
Nobody moved.
Alexander raised his voice.
“Now.”
Chairs scraped.
Executives gathered papers.
Security opened the doors.
But Richard stayed.
Alexander looked at him.
“I said everyone.”
Richard hesitated.
Then he left.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Alexander turned toward Elena.
“How long have you known?”
Elena looked down.
“I don't understand.”
“My father.”
She shook her head.
“I knew him.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Elena wiped her face.
“He told me never to tell you.”
Alexander stared.
“What exactly did he tell you?”
“That one day, you would ask.”
“And?”
“And I was supposed to tell you everything.”
Alexander's jaw tightened.
“Then tell me.”
Elena's hands trembled.
Before she could answer, Sofie wandered toward the safe again.
Alexander immediately stepped in front of her.
“No.”
Sofie frowned.
“Why?”
“Because it could be dangerous.”
She pointed at the hidden compartment.
“There's something else.”
Alexander stared at her.
“How do you know?”
Sofie pointed toward the floor.
“Because it's humming.”
Alexander looked down.
He heard nothing.
He called security.
Within seconds, the chief security engineer entered.
Alexander pointed.
“Scan this section.”
The engineer looked uncertain.
“Sir?”
“Do it.”
A portable scanner was brought in.
The technician passed it over the floor.
Then stopped.
His face changed.
“There’s a cavity.”
Alexander’s stomach tightened.
“Where?”
“About two feet below the base.”
Richard wasn't supposed to be in the office.
But suddenly the door opened.
He stood there.
“You can't dismantle that vault.”
Alexander turned.
“Get out.”
Richard's voice cracked.
“You don't understand what you're dealing with.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“You're right. I don't.”
Richard swallowed.
“The vault belongs to the Carter estate.”
“It belongs to me.”
“No.”
Richard glanced at Elena.
“It belongs to people who died protecting it.”
Elena whispered, “Richard…”
He flinched at her voice.
Alexander noticed.
“You know her.”
Richard didn't answer.
“You know exactly who she is.”
Still nothing.
Alexander looked at the security team.
“Take Richard downstairs.”
Two guards stepped forward.
Richard suddenly shouted.
“Don't open the second compartment!”
Everyone stopped.
Alexander slowly turned.
Richard realized his mistake.
“Why?”
“I was warning you.”
“Why?”
Richard shook his head.
“You have no idea what your father left in that vault.”
Alexander's voice became very quiet.
“Then I'll find out.”
Richard looked at Sofie.
The little girl was staring at him.
Richard whispered something.
“She's supposed to be dead.”
Elena screamed.
“Don't!”
Security grabbed Richard.
Alexander's face went cold.
“What did you just say?”
Richard fought the guards.
“Ask Elena!”
He was dragged away.
The elevator doors closed.
Alexander turned toward Elena.
“What does he mean?”
Elena couldn't answer.
Sofie walked toward her mother and held her leg.
Alexander looked at them.
“What happened to your daughter?”
Elena finally spoke.
“When Sofie was born, your father helped us.”
“Us?”
“My daughter and me.”
Alexander's expression hardened.
“Who is Sofie's father?”
Elena looked at the floor.
“I don't know.”
Alexander stared.
“You don't know?”
“He disappeared before she was born.”
“Did my father know him?”
“Yes.”
The answer was barely audible.
Alexander felt an icy sensation move through him.
He looked at the photograph again.
William Carter had known Elena.
He had known about Sofie.
And he had hidden something in a vault nobody could open.
Alexander turned toward the black envelope.
There was one more piece of paper inside.
He unfolded it.
His father's handwriting appeared.
Alexander,
If you are reading this, then someone has finally found the seam.
Do not trust Richard Blake.
Alexander's eyes lifted.
Elena's breath caught.
He continued.
He will tell you the vault contains money. That is a lie.
The money is only bait.
Alexander read the next line.
Then he stopped.
The real secret is the identity of the man who tried to kill Elena twenty-three years ago.
The room went silent.
Elena covered her mouth.
Alexander looked at her.
“You were attacked?”
Elena nodded.
“Before you worked here?”
Another nod.
“Who did it?”
She whispered:
“I never saw his face.”
Alexander looked back at the letter.
His father's final line was written darker than the others.
But Sofie saw him.
Alexander looked at the child.
Sofie was playing with the loose strap of her sneaker.
Three years old.
Barely old enough to remember yesterday.
Yet somehow, according to a dead man, she had witnessed something that could destroy the Carter empire.
Then the lights in the office went out.
The emergency alarms started screaming.
And from inside the wall beneath the safe came three slow knocks.
Knock.
Knock.
May you like
Knock.
Someone was trapped inside.
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