Chapter 13 - The Countdown Begins
The next morning, Ethan received an envelope.
This time, he knew exactly what it meant.
Someone was watching.
Someone wanted him to find the truth.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
No letter.
No explanation.
Only a date.
Three days from now.
And one sentence.
“The Vale empire will fall when the original heir returns.”
Ethan stared.
The original heir.
Noah.
But why would someone warn him?
Why give him time?
Unless…
They wanted him to make a mistake.
Ethan called Daniel Cross.
His lawyer.
The man he had suspected.
The man who had been beside him for years.
Daniel answered immediately.
“Ethan.”
The tone was normal.
Too normal.
“We need to talk.”
A pause.
“About what?”
“Claire.”
Silence.
Only for a second.
But Ethan noticed.
“Why?”
Ethan looked at the evidence on his desk.
“Because I found out she was investigating Vale Holdings.”
Daniel became quiet.
Then:
“Ethan, some things are better left buried.”
The sentence confirmed everything.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“You knew something.”
Daniel sighed.
“Your wife was putting you in danger.”
“She was protecting me.”
“She was destroying everything.”
Ethan stood.
“Whose side are you on?”
Daniel did not answer.
Then he said:
“Meet me tonight.”
“Where?”
“The place where Claire died.”
The call ended.
The warehouse by the river looked exactly the same.
The same broken windows.
The same empty space.
The same place where Claire had spent her final moments.
Ethan arrived alone.
But this time, he was prepared.
A small recording device was hidden inside his jacket.
If Daniel was involved…
Ethan would finally have proof.
Daniel arrived ten minutes later.
His expression was exhausted.
Not guilty.
Not innocent.
Just tired.
“You look like Claire.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“When you’re angry.”
Daniel looked around.
“She always had that look.”
“Tell me what happened here.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Your wife discovered the ledger.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You don’t.”
He stepped closer.
“The ledger wasn’t a record of crimes.”
“Then what was it?”
Daniel looked at him.
“It was a list of everyone who had been bought.”
Ethan waited.
“Judges.”
“Police officers.”
“Politicians.”
“Business leaders.”
“All controlled by the Vale family.”
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“Who created it?”
Daniel answered:
“Your father.”
“Richard?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Claire die?”
Daniel looked at the ground.
“Because she found the final name.”
Ethan’s voice lowered.
“Whose?”
Daniel looked directly at him.
“Yours.”
The words hit him again.
“My name was on the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel whispered:
“Because someone had been preparing you for years.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Preparing me for what?”
Daniel’s face turned pale.
“To replace Richard.”
A sound came from behind them.
A gunshot.
Daniel fell.
Ethan turned.
A shadow disappeared into the darkness.
He ran toward Daniel.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Who was it?”
Daniel grabbed Ethan’s arm.
His final words were barely audible.
“Not Richard…”
A breath.
“Not Noah…”
Another breath.
“The person who ordered Claire’s death…”
Daniel looked into Ethan’s eyes.
“…is the person you call family.”
Then he closed his eyes.
Ethan stood in the abandoned warehouse.
Alone.
The recording device still running.
The truth finally coming together.
May you like
But the killer was still inside his family.
And now they knew Ethan was getting close.
