Chapter 5 - LILY’S REAL NAME

The explosion shook the entire estate.

Windows shattered in the east wing.

Flames erupted from the garden.

Adrian and Ronan were thrown against the tunnel wall.

Dust swallowed everything.

For several seconds, Adrian could hear nothing except ringing.

Then Ronan grabbed him.

“You alive?”

Adrian coughed.

“Unfortunately.”

Ronan laughed once.

“That’s the spirit.”

They made it back to the manor ten minutes later.

Half the household was awake.

Security teams flooded the grounds.

Fire suppression systems had activated automatically.

Adrian ignored everyone.

He carried the folder marked LILY MONROE directly into his study.

Anna was already there.

She saw the name.

Her face drained of color.

“Where did you get that?”

“Room 317.”

Anna stepped backward.

“No.”

Adrian watched her.

“You know what this is.”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m protecting my daughter.”

“From what?”

Anna’s eyes filled with fear.

“From your family.”

Adrian went still.

Ronan quietly closed the door.

Adrian placed the folder on the desk.

“Sit.”

Anna remained standing.

“Tell me.”

She shook her head.

“You’ll hate me.”

“I’ve had an unusually bad evening.”

“Take your chances.”

Anna looked toward the windows.

Then finally sat.

“Lily’s father wasn’t the man I told everyone.”

Adrian waited.

“I said he died before Lily was born.”

“Yes.”

“That was a lie.”

“Who was he?”

Anna looked at him.

“Daniel Blackwood.”

Adrian stopped breathing.

Ronan whispered.

“Jesus.”

Daniel Blackwood.

Adrian’s younger brother.

Dead six years.

Adrian had been twenty-eight when Daniel disappeared during a boating accident off the coast of Maine.

His body was never recovered.

The official investigation concluded he drowned.

Adrian had never believed it completely.

“Daniel?”

Anna nodded.

“We were together for almost a year.”

“Why didn’t I know?”

“He made me promise.”

“Why?”

“Because someone was threatening him.”

Adrian stared.

“Who?”

“I never knew.”

“He said people inside the family were watching him.”

“He wanted to leave.”

“He wanted to take me with him.”

Anna’s voice broke.

“I found out I was pregnant two weeks before he disappeared.”

Adrian leaned back slowly.

Lily.

His niece.

The child who had been living under his roof for years.

His brother’s daughter.

“You never told me.”

“I was afraid.”

“Of me?”

“Of what followed you.”

Adrian looked down.

Fair.

Anna continued.

“Daniel left me documents.”

“What documents?”

“Proof.”

“Proof of what?”

“That someone had been stealing from the Blackwood companies for years.”

“Before Julian was CFO.”

“Before Victoria appeared.”

Adrian frowned.

“Who?”

Anna looked toward the hallway.

Then said something that changed everything.

“Your father.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

“My father is dead.”

“I know.”

“He died twelve years ago.”

“I know.”

“Then what does he have to do with this?”

Anna swallowed.

“Daniel believed your father built a hidden network inside the company.”

“Shell corporations.”

“Secret accounts.”

“Politicians.”

“Judges.”

“Police officers.”

“People who could make problems disappear.”

Adrian gave a humorless laugh.

“My father had enemies.”

“Your father had something worse.”

“What?”

“Partners.”

Anna touched the folder.

“Daniel discovered the network didn’t die with him.”

“Someone inherited it.”

“Julian?”

“I don’t know.”

“Victoria?”

“I don’t know.”

“Evelyn?”

Anna’s silence was enough.

Adrian stared at her.

“What did Daniel leave you?”

“A ledger.”

“Where?”

“I hid it.”

“Where?”

Anna looked toward the ceiling.

“In Lily’s room.”

Adrian moved immediately.

They crossed the mansion.

Lily was asleep under heavy blankets.

Maria sat beside the bed.

Anna carefully reached toward a wooden music box on the shelf.

She removed the bottom panel.

Inside was a small leather notebook.

Adrian recognized the handwriting immediately.

Daniel.

His brother.

His fingers tightened around the book.

He opened it.

Names.

Dates.

Account numbers.

Payments.

Photographs.

At the very back was a message.

Adrian read it silently.

If you are reading this, I am probably dead.

Trust Anna.

Protect my daughter.

And whatever you do—

Do not trust Julian Mercer.

Adrian stared at the sentence.

His pulse slowed.

Daniel had written this six years ago.

Six years before Julian supposedly began betraying him.

Which meant this conspiracy was far older than Adrian realized.

He turned the page.

There was one final note.

The person running everything uses the name “The Widow.”

Adrian frowned.

Ronan leaned closer.

“The Widow?”

Anna whispered.

“I’ve heard that name.”

Adrian looked at her.

“Where?”

“Three nights ago.”

“When Julian and Victoria were arguing underground.”

“What did they say?”

Anna closed her eyes, remembering.

“Julian said the plan was moving too quickly.”

“Victoria told him it wasn’t his decision.”

“Then she said—”

Anna stopped.

“What?”

“She said The Widow had waited twelve years for the Blackwood empire.”

A floorboard creaked behind them.

Everyone turned.

Evelyn Shaw stood in the doorway.

She wore a white robe.

Her silver hair fell loose around her shoulders.

She looked at the ledger in Adrian’s hand.

Then smiled.

Not nervously.

Not politely.

Coldly.

“So.”

She said.

“You finally found Daniel’s little book.”

Adrian stared at her.

Ronan reached for his gun.

Evelyn’s smile widened.

Then she looked at sleeping Lily.

And whispered:

“She has her father’s eyes.”

That was the moment Adrian understood.

Evelyn had known.

About Daniel.

About Lily.

About the tunnels.

About everything.

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