Chapter 3 - THE MAN ADRIAN CALLED BROTHER

Backup power returned forty-six seconds later.

The attacker was gone.

So was one of Adrian’s security guards.

Ronan found the missing man unconscious behind a storage chamber.

His access badge had been stolen.

A hidden passage had been opened behind the eastern wall.

It led deeper beneath the estate.

Adrian stood beside Anna’s hospital bed while the private physician examined her.

The mansion’s medical suite was more advanced than many emergency rooms.

She had severe dehydration.

Bruised ribs.

Cuts on both wrists.

A mild concussion.

But she was alive.

Lily sat beside her holding her hand.

Neither had stopped touching the other since they were reunited.

Adrian stood near the window.

Outside, rain covered the estate.

Nobody had been allowed to leave.

Every gate remained locked.

Phones were being monitored.

Security footage was being copied.

Staff were being questioned individually.

And Julian Mercer was missing.

Ronan entered the room.

Adrian immediately knew.

“You can’t find him.”

“No.”

“Car?”

“Still here.”

“Phone?”

“In his bedroom.”

“Watch?”

“Also there.”

Adrian turned.

“He knew we’d track him.”

“Yes.”

“Security footage?”

Ronan hesitated.

“Deleted.”

Adrian stared.

“How much?”

“Seventy-two hours.”

Exactly the time Anna had been missing.

Adrian looked toward her bed.

She was awake now.

Weak.

But alert.

“Anna.”

Lily looked up.

Adrian softened his tone.

“Sweetheart, Maria has hot chocolate downstairs.”

“I don’t want it.”

“There are marshmallows.”

Lily considered this.

Then looked at her mother.

Anna managed a tired smile.

“Go.”

“Only if you stay.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Lily kissed her cheek.

Then followed Maria out.

The moment the door closed, Adrian approached the bed.

“Tell me everything.”

Anna stared at her hands.

“It started two months ago.”

“With what?”

“Boxes.”

Adrian frowned.

“What boxes?”

“Julian started receiving shipments after midnight.”

“Where?”

“West service entrance.”

“What was inside?”

“I didn’t know at first.”

Anna looked toward Ronan.

“They always arrived on nights when most of the regular guards had been reassigned.”

Ronan’s jaw tightened.

“I never authorized that.”

“Someone used your credentials.”

Adrian looked at him.

Ronan said nothing.

Anna continued.

“One night I found blood on the floor.”

Adrian’s gaze sharpened.

“Human?”

“I think so.”

“What did you do?”

“I followed them.”

“Julian?”

“And Victoria.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

Anna nodded.

“They went through the library.”

“I waited.”

“Then I found the hidden door.”

She swallowed.

“There are tunnels everywhere.”

“Under the manor?”

“Under the entire property.”

Ronan looked stunned.

“That’s impossible.”

“No.”

Anna shook her head.

“Your grandfather built them.”

Adrian remembered stories from childhood.

Rumors.

His grandfather had been paranoid.

A powerful banking magnate who feared kidnapping.

There had always been stories of escape tunnels.

Adrian had assumed they were exaggerated.

“What were Julian and Victoria doing down there?”

Anna looked directly at him.

“Moving money.”

Adrian gave a cold smile.

“They can move money without tunnels.”

“Not banknotes.”

She paused.

“Gold.”

Ronan cursed under his breath.

Adrian did not react.

“How much?”

“I don’t know.”

“Millions.”

“Maybe more.”

“From where?”

Anna’s voice dropped.

“From you.”

Silence.

Adrian moved closer.

“Explain.”

“They’ve been stealing from Blackwood Holdings.”

“How?”

“I don’t know all of it.”

“But I heard them arguing.”

“Victoria said they had six weeks left.”

“Until the wedding?”

Anna nodded.

“She said once the marriage documents were signed, everything would be easier.”

Adrian stared through the window.

Pieces began connecting.

Victoria’s sudden interest in corporate trusts.

Julian pressuring him to reorganize overseas holdings.

Unusual insurance changes.

Requests involving voting rights.

He had approved many things because he trusted them.

One as the woman he loved.

The other as the brother he chose.

“What happened the night you disappeared?”

Anna closed her eyes.

“I found something.”

“What?”

“A room.”

She looked at Adrian.

“There were photographs.”

“Of what?”

“You.”

His expression changed.

“Me?”

“You.”

“Your meetings.”

“Your cars.”

“Your routes.”

“Your private schedule.”

Anna’s voice trembled.

“They weren’t stealing from you, Mr. Blackwood.”

“They were preparing for something.”

Adrian felt cold settle through his body.

“What?”

Anna whispered.

“Your death.”

Ronan immediately reached for his phone.

Adrian stopped him.

“Wait.”

He looked back at Anna.

“What else?”

“There was a file.”

“Your name was on it.”

“BLACKWOOD SUCCESSION.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

Anna continued.

“The final page had a date.”

“What date?”

She stared at him.

“Your wedding day.”

Nobody spoke.

Then Adrian’s phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

He answered.

A familiar voice filled the line.

“Dom.”

Julian.

Adrian slowly turned toward the window.

“Where are you?”

Julian laughed softly.

“You really shouldn’t have come home early.”

Adrian’s grip tightened around the phone.

“You hurt Anna.”

“I made a mistake.”

“You chained a woman underground.”

“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Then explain it.”

Silence.

Julian sighed.

“You always thought you were the smartest man in the room.”

“Maybe that was your problem.”

Adrian’s voice became dangerously quiet.

“Come back.”

“No.”

“I want to hear you explain it to my face.”

“You’ll get your chance.”

Julian paused.

May you like

THE MAID’S DAUGHTER

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE,” HIS FIANCÉE TOLD THE MAID—THEN THE MAFIA BOSS LOOKED AT HER LITTLE GIRL“Get out of my house. And take that...

**MY HUSBAND CALLED ME A “BARREN LEECH”—HE DIDN’T KNOW MY MONEY WAS KEEP...

My husband threw his wedding ring at my feet and told security to remove the “barren leech” from the ballroom.He had no idea he wa...

MY DAUGHTER’S NOTE STOPPED MY WEDDING—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE

MY DAUGHTER SLIPPED ME A NOTE BEFORE “I DO”—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE’S PLANPART 1 — TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VOWS“Daddy, if you marry he...

“If you live until the wedding.”

The line went dead.