CHAPTER 14: The Woman Who Started the War

The name on the screen burned into everyone’s mind.

CLAIRE BLACKWOOD.

For several seconds…

Nobody spoke.

Because everyone had already decided who Claire was.

A liar.

A manipulator.

A woman who helped Margaret destroy Emma.

A woman who tried to remove Emma from the Blackwood family.

But now…

There was another possibility.

A more dangerous one.

Ethan stared at the photograph.

His childhood memories came flooding back.

Claire standing beside him at family events.

Claire bringing him gifts when his father was “away.”

Claire telling him:

“No matter what happens, I’ll always protect you.”

His expression changed.

“No.”

Emma looked at him.

“Ethan…”

He shook his head.

“Claire wouldn’t do this.”

Noah looked at him.

“You said the same thing about Victor.”

The words hit hard.

Ethan looked away.

Because Noah was right.

The people he trusted most…

Had been hiding the biggest secrets.

Victor watched him carefully.

“This is why the Blackwood family was easy to control.”

Ethan looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

Victor answered:

“You trusted emotions more than evidence.”

Emma stepped closer to the screen.

“Daniel said the person who ordered his disappearance had access to every Blackwood decision.”

Ryan nodded.

“That means Claire had to be involved.”

Sophia looked confused.

“But Claire isn’t powerful enough.”

Everyone looked at her.

She continued:

“She’s not a CEO.”

“She doesn’t control the company.”

“She doesn’t control the money.”

Victor smiled slightly.

“Exactly.”

A pause.

“Which means someone was using her.”

The room became silent.

Emma looked at the photograph.

“Then we need to find Claire.”

But before they could leave…

Victor stopped them.

“You can’t.”

Ethan turned.

“Why?”

Victor looked serious.

“Because Claire is not hiding.”

A pause.

“She wants you to find her.”

Meanwhile…

At an abandoned Blackwood estate…

Claire sat alone.

No luxury.

No expensive clothes.

No perfect smile.

For the first time…

She looked terrified.

A phone rang.

She answered.

“You promised me.”

The voice on the other end was cold.

“I promised you protection.”

Claire’s hands shook.

“And now?”

The voice replied:

“Now you are useful.”

Claire closed her eyes.

“I never wanted this.”

The person laughed.

“Nobody ever wants power.”

A pause.

“But everyone wants what comes with it.”

Claire whispered:

“I did what you asked.”

“Yes.”

“You made Emma look guilty.”

“Yes.”

“You helped remove her from the family.”

“Yes.”

A tear rolled down Claire’s face.

“But I never wanted anyone hurt.”

Silence.

Then the voice said:

“That is where you made your mistake.”

The call ended.

Claire looked at the mirror.

And for the first time…

She hated the person staring back.

Back at the secret tunnel

The group continued moving.

Emma noticed Ethan was unusually quiet.

“You believe she did it.”

It wasn’t a question.

Ethan looked at her.

“I don’t know.”

A pause.

“But I know something.”

“What?”

“I spent my whole life believing family meant safety.”

His voice lowered.

“Now I’m not sure I know what family means.”

Emma took his hand.

“You do.”

He looked at her.

“Family isn’t blood.”

A pause.

“It’s who chooses you when everything falls apart.”

Those words stayed with him.

Because Emma had done exactly that.

Suddenly, Ryan stopped.

Everyone turned.

“What?”

He looked at the wall.

“There’s something here.”

He touched a hidden symbol.

The same symbol from Emma’s necklace.

A secret door opened.

Inside was a small room.

An old archive.

Sophia whispered:

“This place…”

Victor nodded.

“The original Blackwood records.”

They entered.

Hundreds of documents.

Old photographs.

Letters.

Evidence.

Ryan immediately began searching.

Then he found something.

“Wait.”

Everyone gathered.

A file.

Marked:

PROJECT PHOENIX — SUBJECT CLAIRE BLACKWOOD

Ethan froze.

“Claire?”

Ryan opened it.

The first page changed everything.

CLAIRE BLACKWOOD WAS NOT BORN INTO THE BLACKWOOD FAMILY.

Silence.

Ethan stared.

“What?”

Ryan continued reading.

“She was adopted.”

Noah looked shocked.

“By Margaret?”

Ryan nodded.

Emma understood.

“Margaret created her.”

Victor’s expression darkened.

“Not exactly.”

Everyone looked at him.

Victor explained:

“Margaret found Claire when she was a child.”

“She raised her.”

“She trained her.”

Ethan’s face changed.

“She trained her?”

Victor nodded.

“To become the perfect weapon.”

The room became cold.

Ryan continued reading.

“Claire was placed close to Ethan because Margaret needed someone she could control.”

Emma whispered:

“She wasn’t his sister.”

“No.”

Victor said.

“She was a tool.”

Ethan stepped back.

The memories hurt differently now.

Because every kind moment Claire showed him…

Was it real?

Or was it part of a plan?

Then another document fell from the file.

A photograph.

A young Claire.

Standing with Margaret.

And another person.

William recognized the third person immediately.

His face turned pale.

“No…”

Everyone looked at him.

“Who is that?”

William slowly answered:

“The person who created the Inner Circle.”

Ryan picked up the photo.

The name was written below.

ALEXANDER BLACKWOOD.

Everyone froze.

“The founder?”

William nodded.

“My grandfather.”

Emma looked confused.

“But he died decades ago.”

Victor stared at the photo.

“That’s what everyone was told.”

A terrible silence followed.

Because once again…

A person who was supposed to be dead…

Was alive.

Suddenly, every screen in the archive turned on.

A man appeared.

Older.

Cold eyes.

A powerful presence.

Alexander Blackwood.

“I see you finally found the truth.”

Nobody moved.

The man smiled.

“My family spent generations building an empire.”

A pause.

“Not with money.”

“Not with businesses.”

His eyes narrowed.

“With control.”

Ethan stepped forward.

“You’re behind everything?”

Alexander smiled.

“No.”

A pause.

“I am the reason everything exists.”

Emma stared at the screen.

“Why?”

Alexander answered:

“Because the Blackwood family was never supposed to be a family.”

Silence.

“It was supposed to be an empire.”

The screen went dark.

Then one final message appeared.

“THE FINAL HEIR WILL CHOOSE WHO LIVES AND WHO FALLS.”

Everyone looked at Emma.

Because they finally understood.

She wasn’t just holding the key.

She was the final decision.

But somewhere in the city…

Claire watched the same message.

And she whispered:

“I’m sorry, Ethan.”

Because she knew something they didn’t.

May you like

Three Men Came to Take Nora Away—She Grabbed a Stranger and Whispered, “...

THEY THOUGHT MR. HENRY WAS JUST THE JANITOR—UNTIL HE STEPPED INTO THE RI...

I CAME HOME EARLY AND FOUND MY SEVEN-MONTH-PREGNANT WIFE BLEEDING ON THE...

Alexander Blackwood was not returning to reclaim the empire.

He was returning to destroy it.