The gunshot echoed through the darkness.
“RUN!”
Victoria’s voice cut through the room.
Damien grabbed my hand.
We ran.
I couldn’t see anything.
The archives had gone completely black, and every sound seemed amplified—the pounding of my heart, our footsteps, Damien’s breathing.
Another gunshot.
Something struck the wall beside us.
“Down!”
Damien pulled me to the floor.
A bullet tore through the door.
I covered my mouth.
“Who’s shooting?”
“Someone who doesn’t want us leaving.”
Victoria appeared beside us.
She grabbed my arm.
“This way.”
Damien immediately raised his gun.
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because if I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”
She turned and disappeared through a narrow doorway.
Damien looked at me.
“Stay behind me.”
We followed.
The passage was barely wide enough for two people.
Victoria moved quickly, as though she’d memorized every inch of it.
“Where are we going?” I whispered.
“Out.”
“Out where?”
“Anywhere but here.”
Damien glanced at her.
“You knew about this passage.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I helped build it.”
He stopped.
“What?”
Victoria didn’t slow down.
“The Vale family has been hiding secrets for generations.”
I hurried after her.
“And my mother?”
Victoria’s steps faltered.
“She was part of it.”
“Part of what?”
Victoria turned around.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
“The Order.”
Damien frowned.
“What Order?”
Victoria looked at him.
“The Crimson Circle.”
Silence.
“What is that?” I asked.
“A group of powerful families who control businesses, politics, banks…”
She paused.
“…and people.”
My stomach twisted.
“Was my father part of it?”
“No.”
“Then why did they kill him?”
“Because he found out they existed.”
“And Richard?”
“Richard wanted to expose them.”
Damien stared at her.
“Then why did you let everyone believe Jonathan killed him?”
Victoria’s expression broke.
“Because I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me?”
“Yes.”
“You let my father go to prison!”
“I know.”
“You let him die!”
“I know!”
Her voice cracked.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I had no choice.”
Damien looked at her with disgust.
“There is always a choice.”
Victoria looked away.
“I made the wrong one.”
We reached a metal door.
Victoria entered a code.
The door opened.
We stepped into an underground parking garage.
A black car waited nearby.
Victoria threw the keys to Damien.
“Drive.”
Damien caught them.
“No.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You want answers?”
“Yes.”
“Then drive.”
He hesitated.
I touched his arm.
“Let’s go.”
He nodded.
We got into the car.
Victoria sat in the back.
I sat beside Damien.
The engine roared.
We sped away.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Damien broke the silence.
“Tell us everything.”
Victoria stared out the window.
“You’re not ready.”
“We’re past ready.”
He looked at her through the mirror.
“My father died because of this.”
“Yes.”
“Jonathan Bell died because of this.”
“Yes.”
“Sebastian died because of this.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“And now Amara’s mother is dead.”
Victoria looked at me.
“I am sorry.”
I clenched my fists.
“Don’t apologize.”
“Amara—”
“Tell me the truth.”
She went quiet.
Then said:
“Your mother was my sister.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“We were three sisters.”
I remembered the photograph.
Victoria.
My mother.
The third woman.
“Who was the third?”
Victoria looked at Damien.
Then at me.
“Her name was Evelyn.”
My heart stopped.
“Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“She is the woman who started all of this.”
I couldn’t speak.
“Evelyn was the eldest,” Victoria continued.
“She was brilliant.
Ambitious.
She believed our family deserved more power.”
“And the Order?”
“She founded it.”
Damien’s hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“You’re saying my mother founded a secret organization?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Power.”
I looked at Victoria.
“And my mother?”
“She wanted out.”
“Why?”
“Because she fell in love.”
I froze.
“With my father?”
Victoria nodded.
“Your mother wanted to leave the Order with Jonathan.”
“Then why didn’t they?”
“Because Evelyn threatened them.”
My heart pounded.
“What did she threaten?”
Victoria looked at me.
“You.”
I went still.
“You weren’t even born yet.”
“I know.”
“She told your mother that if she left, her child would pay the price.”
I looked away.
My hands were shaking.
“My mother stayed to protect me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she eventually leave?”
Victoria swallowed.
“Because Jonathan discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That the Order had been using your mother’s identity.”
I frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
“Your mother wasn’t just a member.”
Victoria looked at me.
“She was the heir.”
“To what?”
“The Crimson Circle.”
Silence.
Damien suddenly slammed on the brakes.
The car stopped.
He turned around.
“What?”
Victoria stared at him.
“Your mother inherited control after Evelyn disappeared.”
I looked at her.
“My mother was the leader?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“She spent years trying to destroy the organization from within.”
I remembered my mother.
Quiet.
Gentle.
Always afraid.
It didn’t fit.
Nothing fit.
“What happened to her?”
Victoria’s expression darkened.
“Evelyn came back.”
“And?”
“She killed her.”
My breath caught.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
I stared at her.
“The woman who died…”
“Was your mother.”
My world shattered.
I couldn’t breathe.
Damien reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“She was alive yesterday.”
“I know.”
“She called me this morning.”
Victoria looked at me.
“Did she say anything strange?”
I thought.
My mother’s voice.
Be careful.
Don’t trust anyone.
Come home soon.
My blood turned cold.
“She knew.”
Victoria nodded.
“She knew Evelyn was coming.”
“Then why didn’t she run?”
“Because she wanted to protect you.”
Tears filled my eyes.
I turned toward the window.
My mother.
My real mother.
Dead.
And I hadn’t even said goodbye.
The car remained silent.
Then Damien spoke.
“Where is Evelyn?”
Victoria looked at him.
“I don’t know.”
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I haven’t seen her in five years.”
“Then why is she killing people now?”
“Because the ledger has resurfaced.”
I looked at her.
“The ledger.”
Victoria nodded.
“Whoever controls the ledger controls the Order.”
Damien looked at me.
“And the key?”
Victoria’s eyes moved to my hand.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
“Then Evelyn knows.”
My stomach dropped.
“She knows we have it?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Victoria’s face went pale.
“Because the key isn’t just a key.”
I looked down at it.
“What is it?”
Victoria leaned forward.
“It’s a tracker.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
“Evelyn can find you wherever you go.”
Damien immediately grabbed the key.
He examined it.
Then looked at me.
“We need to get rid of it.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s the only thing that can open the vault.”
Damien froze.
“Then what do we do?”
Victoria looked at me.
“You keep it.”
“Why me?”
“Because Evelyn doesn’t want you dead.”
I frowned.
“Then what does she want?”
Victoria’s expression was full of sorrow.
“She wants what your mother left inside the vault.”
“What?”
Victoria whispered:
“Your inheritance.”
I stared at her.
“My mother left me an inheritance?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
Victoria looked directly into my eyes.
“The kind that can bring down the most powerful people in the country.”
Before I could respond, Damien’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice came through.
I couldn’t hear the words.
But Damien’s face changed.
“Where?”
He listened.
Then said:
“Send me the location.”
He hung up.
“What happened?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“The hospital.”
My stomach tightened.
“What about it?”
“Someone broke into Sebastian’s room.”
“But Sebastian is dead.”
“I know.”
He looked at Victoria.
“The body is gone.”
Silence.
Victoria’s face went white.
“No.”
Damien frowned.
“What?”
She whispered:
“Sebastian isn’t dead.”
I stared at her.
“What are you talking about?”
Victoria looked at me.
“The man you saw die…”
She swallowed.
“Wasn’t Sebastian.”
My heart stopped.
“Then who was it?”
Victoria’s eyes filled with fear.
“Evelyn.”
The car fell silent.
And somewhere behind us, a black SUV appeared.
Following.
Watching.
Waiting.
For the first time, I understood.
The woman we’d been running from wasn’t hiding anymore.
She was hunting us.
And she already knew exactly where we were.