Ethan read the sentence again.
WHEN THEY MARRY, ROOM ZERO OPENS.
His fingers tightened around the tiny photograph.
“No.”
Alexander watched him carefully.
“You understand what that means.”
“It means someone planned our marriage.”
“Yes.”
“Before Clara and I even met.”
“Yes.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.
That’s impossible.”
Alexander didn’t argue.
Instead, he pointed toward the photograph.
“Look at the dates.”
Ethan turned it over.
Written beneath the names were two dates.
NATHANIEL JAMES VALE — OCTOBER 13, 1992
CLARA ELIZABETH HART — MAY 4, 1994
Ethan stared.
Clara was born eighteen months after him.
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
“Look again.”
Ethan examined the photograph.
There was another line.
FIRST CONTACT — JUNE 17, 2011.
His breath caught.
That was the day he first met Clara.
He remembered it.
A university library.
A spilled coffee.
A girl arguing with a professor about a book.
He had thought it was coincidence.
Alexander’s voice was quiet.
“It wasn’t.”
Ethan looked at him.
“How?”
“Your mother arranged it.”
“She couldn’t have.”
“She was already planning your future.”
Ethan stared at the photograph.
“Why would she arrange for me to fall in love with someone?”
“Because she needed the Vale and Hart bloodlines united.”
“Why?”
Alexander’s expression darkened.
“Because Room Zero doesn’t open for money.”
“Then what?”
“For inheritance.”
Ethan’s mind raced.
“What inheritance?”
“The original Vale inheritance.”
“Calloway Holdings?”
“No.”
Alexander shook his head.
“Something much bigger.”
Before Ethan could ask another question, the factory lights flickered.
Alexander looked toward the entrance.
“We need to move.”
Ethan didn’t.
“Where is Clara?”
“Below us.”
“Room Zero?”
“Not yet.”
“Then where?”
Alexander hesitated.
“The old vault.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Take me there.”
“You can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because the vault is designed to open only when both heirs are present.”
Ethan looked at the photograph.
“Me and Clara.”
Alexander nodded.
“And that’s exactly what they want.”
The Old Vault
Clara sat alone in the darkness.
Her hands were no longer tied.
But the door was locked.
She had been brought into a small stone room beneath the factory.
A single table stood in the center.
On it was a glass of water.
She didn’t touch it.
The door opened.
Nathan stepped inside.
He carried the wedding ring.
Clara’s eyes immediately went to it.
“Where did you get that?”
“From your friend.”
“Victoria?”
Nathan smiled.
“She was surprisingly cooperative.”
Clara stood.
“What do you want?”
Nathan placed the ring on the table.
“You.”
She stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because you’re one of the two keys.”
Clara frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Nathan sat.
“Do you know why your family has always been connected to the Vales?”
“No.”
“Your father knew.”
“My father never mentioned them.”
“He couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he was sworn to secrecy.”
Clara stared.
“By whom?”
Nathan leaned forward.
“Margaret.”
Clara’s eyes widened.
“My father’s connection to Margaret…”
“Was much deeper than friendship.”
“What was it?”
Nathan smiled.
“An alliance.”
“For what?”
“To protect the heirs.”
Clara’s heart began racing.
“Which heirs?”
“You and Ethan.”
She shook her head.
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Nathan slid a document across the table.
Clara picked it up.
It was an old legal agreement.
Two family seals appeared at the bottom.
VALE.
HART.
THE HEIRS SHALL REMAIN SEPARATE UNTIL THE CONDITIONS OF THE TRUST ARE SATISFIED.
Clara looked up.
“What conditions?”
Nathan smiled.
“Love.”
She stared.
“What?”
“The trust requires the two heirs to willingly choose each other.”
Clara’s expression changed.
“That’s insane.”
“Perhaps.”
Nathan stood.
“But Margaret understood something Edmund never did.”
“What?”
“You can’t force people to love each other.”
Clara looked at the document.
“So she arranged for Ethan and me to meet.”
“Yes.”
“She manipulated us.”
“No.”
Nathan shook his head.
“She created an opportunity.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“Not quite.”
Clara’s eyes hardened.
“She lied.”
“Yes.”
“She hid the truth.”
“Yes.”
“She destroyed our lives.”
Nathan looked at her.
“No.”
His expression became strangely serious.
“Richard did that.”
Clara fell silent.
Nathan continued.
“Your separation wasn’t part of Margaret’s plan.”
“Then what happened?”
“Richard discovered the trust.”
Clara’s heart sank.
“He wanted to stop us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if you married Ethan…”
Nathan pointed toward the document.
“…the trust would activate.”
Clara swallowed.
“And Richard would lose everything.”
“Exactly.”
She looked at the wedding ring.
“Then why does everyone want it?”
“Because it contains the final access code.”
“To Room Zero.”
Nathan nodded.
Clara stared at him.
“What is actually inside Room Zero?”
Nathan’s smile disappeared.
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That Richard Calloway isn’t the worst man in this story.”
Clara’s stomach tightened.
“Who is?”
Nathan looked toward the door.
“Your father.”
Clara froze.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“My father was murdered.”
“I know.”
“By Richard?”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Nathan looked directly at her.
“Your father killed himself.”
Clara stared.
“What?”
“He discovered what Margaret had done.”
“What did she do?”
“She chose you.”
Clara’s voice trembled.
“Over what?”
“Over the entire Vale fortune.”
Above the Vault
Ethan and Alexander reached the lower corridor.
A steel elevator waited at the end.
Ethan pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
Alexander removed the old photograph.
“Both heirs.”
“What?”
“We need Clara.”
Ethan looked around.
“Then let’s find her.”
A voice came through the intercom.
“Too late.”
Ethan froze.
The distorted voice.
The same voice from the telephone.
“Who are you?”
A pause.
Then:
“You already know.”
Ethan looked at Alexander.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
The elevator doors opened.
Inside stood Gabriel.
Blood stained his shirt.
Ethan stepped forward.
“Where is Clara?”
Gabriel didn’t answer.
“Where is she?”
Gabriel looked at Alexander.
Then Ethan.
“Your mother told me never to bring you here.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Where is Clara?”
“Below.”
“Take me to her.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“You don’t understand what happens when you enter the vault.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
“Why?”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Because once you open Room Zero, you can’t undo what you learn.”
Ethan stepped into the elevator.
“I’ve already lost seven years.”
He looked directly at Gabriel.
“I don’t have anything left to lose.”
Alexander followed.
Gabriel sighed.
The elevator doors closed.
As they descended, Gabriel finally spoke.
“Your mother didn’t arrange your marriage.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
“She arranged your meeting.”
“That isn’t what the document says.”
“Because the document was altered.”
Alexander looked at Gabriel.
“By whom?”
Gabriel stared at the elevator doors.
“Edmund.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“To make you believe Margaret betrayed you.”
The elevator descended deeper.
Floor one.
Floor two.
Floor three.
The numbers disappeared.
Then a symbol appeared.
A circle split by a vertical line.
The same symbol on Ethan’s watch.
Gabriel looked at it.
“We’re here.”
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened.
Ethan stepped out.
He immediately saw Clara.
She was standing behind a glass wall.
Alive.
Unhurt.
Their eyes met.
“Ethan!”
He ran toward her.
Nathan appeared between them.
Gun raised.
“Stop.”
Ethan froze.
Clara shouted:
“Don’t listen to him!”
Nathan smiled.
“You have exactly five minutes.”
“For what?”
“To decide.”
“Decide what?”
Nathan pointed toward the wall behind Ethan.
A massive circular door stood there.
At its center were two handprints.
One marked VALE.
The other marked HART.
Ethan stared.
Nathan spoke quietly.
“Put your hand there.”
Ethan didn’t move.
“Why?”
“Because that’s the only way to open Room Zero.”
Clara shook her head.
“Ethan, don’t.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Nathan wants you to.”
Nathan smiled.
“She’s right.”
Ethan frowned.
“Then why?”
“Because there’s something inside that belongs to both of you.”
“What?”
Nathan’s expression became unreadable.
“Your inheritance.”
Ethan looked at Clara.
She shook her head.
“We don’t know what’s behind that door.”
Ethan looked back at Nathan.
“You said five minutes.”
“Yes.”
“What happens after five minutes?”
Nathan glanced at his watch.
“Someone dies.”
Clara’s face went pale.
“Who?”
Nathan looked at Ethan.
“That depends on what you choose.”
The countdown began.
4:59.
Ethan stared at the two handprints.
4:58.
Clara whispered:
“Ethan, don’t open it.”
4:57.
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I think that’s exactly what they want.”
4:56.
A voice suddenly came through the speakers.
Margaret.
“Ethan.”
He froze.
Her voice was terrified.
“Whatever happens…”
A pause.
“Do not open Room Zero.”
Ethan stared at the door.
Then came another voice.
Edmund.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Open it, Nathaniel.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
The countdown continued.
4:32.
Then the speaker crackled.
And Margaret screamed.
“ETHAN, RUN!”
The lights went out.
A gunshot exploded.
And when the emergency lights came back—
Nathan was gone.
Clara was gone.
Gabriel was gone.
Only Ethan and Alexander remained.
And the two handprints on Room Zero were glowing red.
VALE.
HART.
Alexander stared at the door.
“Ethan…”
“What?”
His brother pointed at the second handprint.
A bloody hand was already pressed against it.
Alexander’s face went pale.
“That isn’t Clara’s.”
Ethan stepped closer.
The blood slowly began dripping down the metal.
Then a message appeared across the door.
THE HART HEIR HAS ALREADY OPENED IT.