“CLARA!”
Ethan’s scream tore through the underground chamber.
He lunged toward the place where she had been standing.
Nothing.
Only the overturned chair.
A strand of her hair caught on the edge of the doorway.
And the fading sound of footsteps somewhere beyond the walls.
Ethan ran.
“Clara!”
He reached the corridor and looked left.
Nothing.
Right.
Nothing.
He turned back.
Richard was still standing inside the chamber, gun raised.
Edmund remained beside the table.
Margaret was frozen against the wall.
And Ethan suddenly understood.
Someone had deliberately created the darkness.
Someone had known exactly where Clara would be standing.
Someone had planned this.
He turned toward Richard.
“You took her.”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Richard didn’t answer.
Ethan grabbed him by the collar.
“WHERE IS SHE?”
Richard shoved him away.
“If I had taken her, you’d already know where she was.”
Ethan raised his fist.
Edmund spoke calmly.
“Don’t.”
Ethan turned.
“Stay out of this.”
Edmund looked almost amused.
“You’re angry.”
“My fiancée just disappeared.”
“She isn’t your fiancée.”
Ethan’s eyes burned.
“She will be.”
“Assuming she survives.”
Ethan went still.
“What did you say?”
Edmund looked toward the dark corridor.
“They didn’t take her to kill her.”
“Then where?”
“To make you follow.”
Richard’s face changed.
“Edmund.”
For the first time, genuine fear appeared in his voice.
Edmund looked at him.
“You know exactly where they are taking her.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t do this.”
Ethan stepped between them.
“Tell me.”
Richard looked at him.
“You cannot go there.”
“Where?”
“The old factory.”
Ethan’s heart slammed against his ribs.
The place Edmund had just mentioned.
The place where Daniel supposedly died.
“Why would they take Clara there?”
Richard stared at him.
“Because that’s where this family began.”
Ethan’s voice dropped.
“And where it ends?”
Richard said nothing.
Ethan turned toward the corridor.
“I’ll find her.”
Richard grabbed his arm.
“You won’t come back.”
Ethan looked down at his hand.
Then slowly removed it.
“You’re going to help me.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“You still think you can order me around?”
“No.”
Ethan looked into his eyes.
“I think you’re terrified of whoever took her.”
Richard’s expression went cold.
“I am.”
That answer stopped Ethan.
Richard lowered his gun.
“You don’t understand what you’ve awakened.”
“Then explain.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
Richard glanced toward Edmund.
“Because he’s listening.”
Ethan turned.
Edmund was gone.
The Old Factory
Clara woke to the sound of machinery.
Her head throbbed.
Her hands were tied behind a metal chair.
She opened her eyes slowly.
A single fluorescent light hung above her.
The room was enormous.
Abandoned machinery filled the shadows.
Rusty conveyor belts.
Broken presses.
Stacks of old wooden crates.
The air smelled of oil and dust.
Clara tested the ropes.
Tight.
Very tight.
She looked around.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
She remembered the darkness.
The hand over her mouth.
The struggle.
Then nothing.
She pulled against the ropes again.
“Help!”
A voice answered from somewhere behind her.
“You shouldn’t waste your strength.”
Clara froze.
The voice was female.
Familiar.
A figure stepped into the light.
Clara’s eyes widened.
“Victoria.”
Victoria looked exhausted.
Her shoulder was bandaged.
Her clothes were stained with blood.
She walked toward Clara slowly.
“I didn’t want this.”
Clara stared at her.
“You shot yourself?”
Victoria shook her head.
“Richard did.”
“Because I knew too much.”
Clara’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why am I here?”
Victoria pulled up a chair.
“Because you’re the only person Ethan will follow into hell.”
Clara’s stomach tightened.
“You’re using me to control him.”
“Yes.”
“Who is behind this?”
Victoria looked toward the darkness.
“You already met him.”
“Edmund?”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“Richard?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Victoria hesitated.
“The man who called Ethan on the telephone.”
Clara remembered the voice.
Stop trusting everyone.
Her heart raced.
“Who is he?”
Victoria leaned closer.
“He’s the reason Ethan’s entire identity was erased.”
Clara stared.
“You know him.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Victoria whispered:
“Gabriel.”
Clara’s eyes widened.
“Gabriel?”
Victoria nodded.
“Gabriel Shaw is alive.”
“But Alexander—”
“Alexander never disappeared.”
Clara felt a chill.
“What are you saying?”
Victoria looked toward the factory entrance.
“Alexander and Gabriel have been working together.”
“Against Richard?”
“No.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“Against Edmund.”
Clara stared.
“Why?”
“Because Edmund isn’t trying to control Calloway Holdings.”
“Then what does he want?”
Victoria’s face became pale.
“He wants Ethan.”
“Why?”
“Because Ethan is the last surviving heir to the Vale bloodline.”
Clara frowned.
“But Edmund is his grandfather.”
“Exactly.”
Victoria looked at her.
“And that’s the problem.”
The Road to the Factory
Ethan sat in the passenger seat of Richard’s black sedan.
Neither man spoke.
Rain hammered the windshield.
The city lights blurred across the glass.
Richard drove with both hands on the steering wheel.
Ethan watched him.
“You know where we’re going.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve been here before.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Richard didn’t answer.
“Did you bring my mother here?”
Richard’s grip tightened.
“Yes.”
Ethan looked at him.
“And Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me what really happened.”
Richard stared at the road.
“Your mother found Daniel after he had been poisoned.”
“By Edmund.”
“Yes.”
“She shot him.”
“Yes.”
“But he wasn’t my father.”
“No.”
Ethan swallowed.
“Then who was?”
Richard remained silent.
Ethan’s patience snapped.
“Who?”
Richard finally looked at him.
“His name was Adrian Vale.”
Ethan frowned.
“Another Vale?”
“Your mother’s younger brother.”
Ethan stared.
“My uncle?”
Richard nodded.
“Adrian was your biological father.”
The words landed like a physical blow.
Ethan looked away.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because Edmund killed him.”
“When?”
“Two months before you were born.”
Ethan’s voice became hollow.
“And Margaret knew.”
“Yes.”
“And she never told me.”
“She was trying to keep you alive.”
Ethan looked out the window.
“How many people died because of me?”
Richard didn’t answer.
“How many?”
“Too many.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
He had spent years believing he was the center of his father’s empire because he was loved.
Now he realized he had been the center of a war.
A war that began before he was born.
A war fought over blood, money, inheritance, and secrets.
And Clara had been dragged into it simply because she loved him.
His phone vibrated.
He pulled it out.
Unknown number.
A message.
COME ALONE.
A second message arrived.
A photograph.
Clara.
Bound to a chair.
Alive.
Ethan’s blood ran cold.
Richard’s face changed.
“Who sent this?”
“I don’t know.”
Richard stared at the image.
“Then we’re already too late.”
Inside the Factory
Clara stared at Victoria.
“Why bring me here?”
Victoria looked at her.
“Because seven years ago, you were supposed to die.”
Clara’s breath caught.
“What?”
Victoria looked away.
“Richard ordered it.”
“Why?”
“You had discovered something.”
“What?”
“Ethan’s real identity.”
Clara remembered.
Seven years ago, she’d found strange financial documents in Ethan’s apartment.
She’d asked him about them.
He’d become unusually defensive.
Then, suddenly, he disappeared.
She had assumed he’d chosen his family.
But perhaps…
He had been protecting her.
Clara whispered:
“You knew.”
Victoria nodded.
“I knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Richard?”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
Victoria looked at the floor.
“Now I’m more afraid of Edmund.”
Clara heard something.
A metallic click.
She looked behind Victoria.
Someone was standing in the shadows.
A man stepped forward.
Tall.
Dark coat.
Older than Ethan.
His face was partially hidden.
Clara recognized him immediately.
“Alexander.”
He nodded.
“Hello, Clara.”
She stared.
“You’re alive.”
“Barely.”
“Where is Ethan?”
“Coming.”
“Why am I here?”
Alexander walked toward her.
“Because you’re the only thing Edmund cannot control.”
Clara frowned.
“You’re wrong.”
“No.”
Alexander crouched in front of her.
“You’re Ethan’s weakness.”
Clara’s expression hardened.
“No.”
Alexander smiled faintly.
“That’s what I thought too.”
He stood.
“But after watching him for seven years…”
He looked toward the factory entrance.
“…I realized something.”
“What?”
“You’re not his weakness.”
Clara waited.
Alexander’s eyes softened.
“You’re his reason.”
A distant engine approached.
Everyone in the factory became still.
Alexander looked toward Victoria.
“He’s here.”
Clara’s heart began racing.
The factory doors opened.
Ethan walked inside.
Richard followed.
Ethan’s eyes immediately found Clara.
“Clara.”
She smiled despite the fear.
“I’m okay.”
Ethan started toward her.
Alexander stepped into his path.
“Not yet.”
Ethan stopped.
“Move.”
Alexander shook his head.
“You need to hear the truth first.”
“I’ve had enough truth.”
“No.”
Alexander looked toward the darkness behind Ethan.
“You’ve heard pieces.”
A slow clap echoed through the factory.
Everyone turned.
Edmund stepped out of the shadows.
Behind him stood Gabriel.
Alive.
And beside Gabriel— a man Ethan had never seen before.
The stranger looked almost exactly like him.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Same height.
Ethan stared.
“Who is that?”
Gabriel’s expression broke.
The stranger looked at Ethan.
And whispered:
“Your father.”
Ethan couldn’t breathe.
The man took one step forward.
“My name is Adrian Vale.”
Richard raised his gun.
Margaret’s voice echoed from the entrance behind them.
“Adrian died twenty-seven years ago.”
The stranger smiled.
“No.”
He looked at Ethan.
“Your mother thought I did.”
Then Edmund slowly closed the factory doors.
And the locks clicked.
One.
Two.
Three.
Ethan realized they were trapped.
Again.
But this time, Clara was trapped with him.
And every person in the room appeared to have a different version of the truth.