Chapter 14 - Julian raised his gun.Victor dragged Elena backward.

The blade touched her skin.

“Drop it,” Victor ordered.

Julian stared at him.

“You're not taking her.”

Victor laughed.

“That's adorable.”

Elena met Julian's eyes.

She didn't speak.

She didn't have to.

He understood.

Distract him.

Julian lowered the gun.

Victor smiled.

“Good boy.”

Then Elena slammed her head backward into Victor's face.

He stumbled.

Julian fired.

The bullet struck Victor's shoulder.

Elena escaped.

Security swarmed.

Daniel tackled Victor.

They crashed against the wall.

Victor fought like a man who had nothing left to lose.

“You think this changes anything?” he shouted.

Daniel punched him.

“You killed people.”

Victor laughed.

“You all benefited.”

Victoria stepped forward.

“No.”

Victor looked at her.

“You built the company.”

“You built the machine.”

“You knew.”

Victoria's voice shook.

“I knew enough.”

Victor smiled.

“And still married me.”

Daniel froze.

Julian looked at Victoria.

“You married him?”

Victoria closed her eyes.

“Yes.”

Elena stared.

Her entire family tree seemed built on lies.

Victor laughed.

“That was the real betrayal.”

Victoria looked at him.

“I loved you once.”

“I know.”

“Then you became a monster.”

Victor shook his head.

“No.”

He pointed at the computers.

“I became what this family always was.”

The countdown continued.

00:17:42.

Isabella shouted:

“We have seventeen minutes!”

Julian looked at her.

“Can we stop it?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“All three.”

Elena grabbed Ava's hand.

Ava placed her palm against the scanner.

Isabella did the same.

Elena stepped forward.

The system scanned them.

A message appeared.

TRIPLE AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.

They placed their hands together.

The scanner flashed.

Then:

GENETIC MATCH CONFIRMED.

The countdown stopped.

00:16:59.

Everyone exhaled.

But another message appeared.

FINAL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.

Julian frowned.

“Who?”

The answer appeared.

HEIR.

Everyone looked at Julian.

Victor smiled through bloodied teeth.

“Your blood.”

Julian stepped forward.

“No.”

Victor laughed.

“Do it.”

“Why?”

“Because if you don't, the system releases everything.”

Julian looked at Elena.

She nodded.

“Do it.”

He placed his hand on the scanner.

The system processed.

HEIR CONFIRMED.

The countdown disappeared.

Silence.

Then the vault door opened.

Inside was a final room.

A single chair.

A table.

A laptop.

And a handwritten letter.

Julian picked it up.

The letter was from Daniel.

But dated eighteen years earlier.

He read aloud.

If you are reading this, then Victor has failed.

The truth about Julian must remain hidden until the vault is safe.

My son was never intended to inherit Black Meridian.

He was created to destroy it.

Julian stopped.

“What?”

Elena took the letter.

The next page explained everything.

Julian's genetic profile had been altered.

Daniel had secretly changed his DNA markers.

Victor believed Julian was the perfect heir.

But Daniel had implanted a genetic flaw into the system.

When Julian activated the vault, it would permanently lock Victor out of every Black Meridian account.

Not only that.

It would transfer control to one person.

The person who had survived the original biometric experiment.

Ava.

Ava stared at the screen.

“No.”

The system flashed.

NEW ADMINISTRATOR: AVA STERLING.

Victor screamed.

“No!”

All the data transferred.

Bank accounts froze.

Shell companies collapsed.

Encrypted servers opened.

Black Meridian's entire network became visible to law enforcement around the world.

Victor lunged toward Ava.

Julian stopped him.

The two men fought.

Victor was stronger.

But Julian was desperate.

They crashed through a glass partition.

Victor slipped.

Julian grabbed his wrist.

For one second, they stared at each other.

Victor whispered:

“You're my son.”

Julian answered:

“No.”

He pulled him back.

“You're the man who destroyed my family.”

Security arrested Victor.

The vault fell silent.

Outside, sirens approached.

Then Ava looked at Elena.

“There is one problem.”

Elena frowned.

“What?”

Ava pointed at the final screen.

A hidden account remained.

One account.

Untouched.

Its owner was listed simply as:

THE FOURTH.

Elena felt her blood run cold.

“The fourth what?”

Ava whispered:

“The fourth Sterling child.”

Everyone turned toward Victoria.

Her face went pale.

“You don't understand.”

Julian asked:

“Mom?”

Victoria stared at the screen.

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