Chapter 4 - THE SPY WHO RETURNED FROM THE DEAD
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Adrian didn't speak.
His eyes stayed fixed on me.
“Where is he?”
I smiled.
“You first.”
He reached for his weapon.
Marcus's gun appeared instantly.
“Don't.”
Adrian slowly lowered his hand.
“You don't understand what you've unleashed.”
“Then explain.”
“My father built a system.”
“What system?”
“A succession system.”
I frowned.
“You keep saying the trust.”
“Because the trust controls everything.”
“Lily.”
“Yes.”
“She inherits the empire.”
Adrian nodded.
“And Isabelle.”
My heart tightened.
“My missing sister?”
“She doesn't exist.”
“Then why are you afraid of her?”
He said nothing.
I realized.
Because Isabelle wasn't dead.
She had the original trust.
And if she appeared—
the family structure changed.
“Where is she?”
Adrian laughed.
“You'll never find her.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't even know her.”
The lights flickered.
Then a phone rang.
Adrian's.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
A voice spoke.
Adrian listened.
Then looked at me.
“She's here.”
I stared.
“Who?”
He whispered:
“Isabelle.”
The phone dropped from his hand.
A door opened behind us.
A woman stepped into the room.
Tall.
Dark hair.
Gray-green eyes.
A silver locket around her neck.
She looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Hi, little brother.”
My breath stopped.
I knew those eyes.
My mother had them.
My own reflection lived in them.
“Isabelle.”
She nodded.
Adrian backed away.
“No.”
Isabelle looked at him.
“You've had your turn.”
He reached for his weapon.
Marcus moved.
Adrian froze.
Isabelle walked toward me.
She touched the locket.
“Daniel told you?”
I nodded.
“He said I was supposed to bring this back.”
She smiled.
“He saved Lily.”
I stared.
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
My chest almost broke.
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“Tell me.”
She looked at Chloe.
Then at Hannah.
“She hasn't been with Daniel for years.”
“Who has her?”
Isabelle smiled.
“I do.”
I couldn't breathe.
My daughter was alive.
My sister had protected her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Adrian was watching you.”
She explained.
The explosion had been staged.
Daniel had extracted Lily.
Isabelle had moved her between safe houses.
Hannah had been part of the network.
The funeral had been fake.
The body in the coffin had belonged to a stranger.
Every witness had been bribed.
My family had been manipulated.
But one question remained.
“Why?”
Isabelle looked at me.
“Because our father knew Adrian would kill Lily if he knew she survived.”
“And you?”
“I promised Dad.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
“He told me to protect the child until you were ready.”
I looked at Chloe.
“What does Chloe have to do with any of this?”
Isabelle smiled.
“She has your daughter's eyes.”
I frowned.
“No.”
“She isn't just Hannah's daughter.”
Hannah froze.
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
Isabelle turned toward Chloe.
“Tell him.”
Chloe stared at me.
“Daddy said Lily wanted me to have the teddy bear.”
My heart stopped.
“Daddy?”
“Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Why would Daniel give a toddler a message?”
“Because he knew Chloe would eventually meet you.”
I looked at Hannah.
“Who is Chloe?”
Hannah's face filled with tears.
“Daniel's daughter.”
I froze.
“Daniel had a child?”
“Yes.”
“And her father?”
She whispered:
“Your father.”
My entire world stopped.
“What?”
Hannah shook her head.
“Daniel was your father's biological son.”
I stared.
My father had another child.
Another heir.
And Daniel had been raised outside the family.
He had spent his life protecting me.
Protecting Lily.
Protecting Chloe.
Protecting a family that had abandoned him.
Then Isabelle said the final sentence.
“Chloe is the last Sterling heir.”
I looked at the three-year-old girl.
The worn teddy bear.
The mismatched socks.
The curious hazel eyes.
She had been sitting at my dinner table asking if she could eat with me.
She had been carrying the final piece of my family's inheritance.
Adrian stepped backward.
“No.”
Isabelle smiled.
“Yes.”
May you like
She looked at me.
“And that's why Adrian tried to kill her too.”
