The steel door wouldn’t open.

Adrian slammed his shoulder against it.

Nothing.

Above them, Walter Mercer’s voice echoed through the hidden speakers.

“You always were stubborn, Adrian.”

Adrian stepped back.

“Open the door.”

Walter chuckled.

“That’s the trouble with you. You inherited your father’s temper but none of his patience.”

Claire grabbed Adrian’s arm.

“Don’t waste your strength.”

Adrian turned toward her.

“How do we get out?”

“There should be an emergency passage behind the old generator.”

“Should?”

“I’ve only seen the plans.”

A low mechanical hum began beneath the floor.

Claire’s face changed.

“Adrian.”

“What?”

“That’s the ventilation system.”

The hum grew louder.

A sharp chemical smell entered the room.

Adrian immediately pulled his jacket over Claire’s mouth.

“Stay low.”

Walter spoke again.

“I offered you a simple life, Claire. A new name. A new country. Enough money to raise your daughter comfortably.”

Claire stared at the speaker.

“You tried to kill me.”

“I tried to remove a complication.”

Adrian’s hands curled into fists.

“You’re going to answer for everything.”

Walter sighed.

“Your father said the same thing.”

Adrian went still.

“What did you do to him?”

“Your father discovered that I was moving money through his companies. He wanted to involve federal investigators.”

“And you killed him.”

“He suffered a fatal cardiac event.”

“Because of you.”

Walter paused.

“Let’s say I helped events along.”

Claire squeezed Adrian’s hand.

The room was becoming harder to breathe in.

Adrian moved toward the generator.

A rusted panel covered the wall behind it.

He pulled.

It didn’t move.

He struck the hinges with a loose iron bar.

Once.

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Twice.

On the third blow, the metal shifted.

A narrow opening appeared.

“Go,” he told Claire.

She hesitated.

“Adrian—”

“Now.”

Claire crawled through.

Adrian followed.

Behind them, the room filled with thick vapor.

They emerged into an old maintenance corridor.

Claire leaned against the wall, coughing.

Adrian caught her.

For a moment, their faces were inches apart.

He had imagined this reunion a thousand times.

He had imagined begging her forgiveness.

Holding her.

Promising never to let her go.

Instead, he could barely find the words.

“I’m sorry.”

Claire looked at him.

“Adrian—”

“I should have believed you.”

Tears gathered in her eyes.

“Yes.”

The answer hurt.

But he deserved it.

“I was your husband. You came to me frightened, and I made you face everything alone.”

Claire’s voice trembled.

“I waited for you to come after me.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“I know.”

“No. You don’t.”

She stepped away.

“I stood outside the gates of this house the night you threw me out. I stayed in my car until sunrise, hoping you’d call.”

Adrian couldn’t speak.

“I was pregnant. I was terrified. And I kept telling myself you would realize the documents were false.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“But you never came.”

Adrian lowered his head.

“I can’t change that.”

“No.”

“But I can spend the rest of my life making sure you never feel abandoned again.”

Claire looked at him for a long moment.

Then she whispered, “First, we have to survive tonight.”

They continued through the corridor.

At the far end, Adrian found an old service elevator.

The emergency power was still running.

He pressed the button.

The doors opened.

Inside stood Cole Mercer.

Holding a gun.

Adrian stopped.

Cole’s expression was unreadable.

“Boss.”

Adrian looked at the weapon.

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“Tell me that’s not pointed at us.”

Cole didn’t answer.

Claire moved behind Adrian.

“Cole?”

The security chief swallowed.

“Walter has Nora and Maisie.”

Adrian felt something cold settle inside him.

“Where?”

“The east ballroom.”

“Then move.”

Cole didn’t lower the gun.

“I can’t.”

Adrian stared.

“Why?”

“Walter has my younger brother.”

Silence.

Cole’s hand trembled.

“He took him two days ago. Said if I didn’t cooperate, I’d never see him again.”

Adrian looked at the man who had protected him for eleven years.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cole’s eyes filled.

“Because Walter said you’d kill me if you knew.”

Adrian took one slow step forward.

“Have I ever given you a reason to believe that?”

Cole looked away.

“No.”

“Then listen carefully.”

Adrian lowered his voice.

“You’re going to put that gun down. We’re going to find your brother. And then we’re going to end this together.”

Cole’s face twisted.

“I don’t know if I can.”

Adrian held out his hand.

“You can.”

For several seconds, Cole didn’t move.

Then he lowered the weapon.

“I’m sorry, boss.”

Adrian took the gun.

“Save it for later.”

They rode the elevator to the main floor.

The east ballroom was brightly lit.

Walter stood beneath a crystal chandelier.

Nora sat in a chair near the windows.

Maisie was beside her, clutching her rabbit.

Two armed men stood near the doors.

Walter smiled when Adrian entered.

“There he is.”

Adrian’s gaze went straight to Maisie.

She saw him.

“Mister Adrian!”

“Hey, princess.”

“Mommy says we’re playing a quiet game.”

Adrian forced himself to smile.

“That’s right.”

Walter glanced at Claire.

“Hello again.”

Claire said nothing.

Walter turned to Adrian.

“Now, we can discuss the future of Blackwood House.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Let them go.”

Walter shook his head.

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible yet.”

“What do you want?”

“Your signature.”

Walter gestured toward a folder on the table.

Inside were documents transferring control of the Vale family’s legitimate businesses, investment holdings, and private properties to a trust controlled by Walter.

Adrian stared at the pages.

“You planned this.”

“For years.”

“You killed my father for this?”

Walter’s smile faded.

“Your father was going to destroy everything we built.”

“You mean everything you stole.”

Walter shrugged.

“History is written by the people who survive.”

Adrian looked at Maisie.

Then at Claire.

Then at Nora.

He picked up the pen.

Claire shook her head.

“Adrian, don’t.”

Walter smiled.

“Listen to your wife, Adrian. She was always the intelligent one.”

Adrian signed the first page.

Then the second.

Then the third.

Walter watched with satisfaction.

“Very good.”

Adrian placed the pen down.

“Now release them.”

Walter picked up the folder.

He examined the signatures.

Then his expression changed.

Adrian had written the same three words across every signature line.

I choose them.

Walter looked up.

“What is this?”

Adrian smiled faintly.

“My final answer.”

Walter’s face hardened.

He raised his hand toward the guards.

But before he could speak, the ballroom doors burst open.

A dozen federal agents entered.

“Federal agents! Hands where we can see them!”

Walter froze.

Cole stepped aside.

Adrian looked directly at the old man.

“You taught me to trust the people closest to me.”

Walter stared.

“And tonight,” Adrian continued, “I finally learned to trust the right ones.”

Walter was handcuffed.

His guards surrendered.

Nora ran to Claire.

Maisie ran to Adrian.

He lifted his daughter into his arms.

She wrapped both hands around his neck.

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“Did we win?”

Adrian pressed his forehead against hers.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

Maisie smiled.

“Can I have ice cream?”

Adrian laughed through tears.

“As much as you want.”

But the night was not over.

As Walter was escorted toward the doors, he suddenly stopped.

He looked back at Claire.

Then at Nora.

And began to laugh.

Adrian frowned.

“What?”

Walter shook his head.

“You still don’t know, do you?”

Claire went pale.

Walter smiled.

“Ask Nora who really brought Maisie into this house.”

Adrian turned.

Nora was crying.

And Claire whispered one terrible sentence.

“Adrian, there’s something we never told you.”