Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO WALKED INTO THE ICU
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Sophie was standing outside Elena's room when I arrived.
She looked nothing like the woman in the photograph.
Older.
Paler.
Exhausted.
She held both hands up.
“I'm not here to hurt her.”
Security surrounded her.
I looked at her.
“Then why are you here?”
“To save her.”
“From whom?”
“Everyone.”
She glanced toward the ICU.
“Especially Daniel.”
I motioned for everyone to lower their weapons.
“Talk.”
Sophie swallowed.
“Daniel isn't planning to take the trust.”
“Then what?”
“He wants the child.”
I already knew that.
“Why?”
“Because the baby is the first legitimate heir born from both families in three generations.”
I looked at Elena through the glass.
Sophie continued.
“Daniel believes the child can legally unite the two empires.”
“And then?”
“He controls both.”
I frowned.
“He wants the empire.”
“He wants the bloodline.”
I looked at her.
“You're helping him.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I've been trying to stop him.”
“Then why work for him?”
“Because I was raised by him.”
Silence.
Sophie explained.
Daniel had taken her from her mother.
Raised her inside a hidden household.
Taught her that family loyalty mattered more than morality.
For years, she believed him.
Then she discovered what he had done to Elena's mother.
She turned against him.
She secretly contacted Victor.
Victor used her information.
Now Daniel knew.
“He'll kill me.”
I looked at her.
“Not if we protect you.”
She smiled sadly.
“You can't protect everyone.”
I glanced toward Elena.
“I intend to try.”
Sophie gave me a location.
An underground facility beneath an old shipping warehouse.
Daniel's headquarters.
We moved before dawn.
Federal teams surrounded the building.
Marcus led the entry.
Inside we found documents.
Financial records.
Photographs.
A nursery.
I stopped.
There were photographs of children.
Elena.
Sophie.
Myself.
And our unborn child.
Daniel had been tracking us for decades.
Then we found the main room.
Daniel stood at the center.
Older.
Tall.
Calm.
He looked like the kind of man who never expected to lose.
“You finally came.”
I stared.
“You attacked my wife.”
“No.”
“I saw the records.”
“You saw what Victor wanted you to see.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel smiled.
“Victor has been playing both sides.”
I looked at him.
“Explain.”
“Your father's trust was never designed to protect Elena.”
He pointed toward Sophie.
“It was designed to protect me.”
Sophie flinched.
“No.”
Daniel continued.
“Your father stole the trust from my family.”
“What?”
“Your grandfather owed me everything.”
“You're lying.”
Daniel smiled.
“Ask Sophie.”
She shook her head.
“It's true.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then why did you attack Elena?”
Daniel looked at me.
“I didn't.”
Silence.
“The men who attacked her were Richard's sons.”
“They worked for you.”
“No.”
“They were hired by someone else.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked directly at Victor.
“Your legal adviser.”
I froze.
Victor.
Again.
I turned.
He was not in the room.
Daniel smiled.
“You've been chasing the wrong man.”
I suddenly realized.
Victor had manipulated everyone.
He had triggered ZERO.
He had used the investigation.
He had turned Daniel into a monster.
He had convinced me to trust him.
And he had wanted me to eliminate the Thorne family while he quietly took control of the trust.
He was the real architect.
I pulled out my phone.
One message.
From Victor.
Look behind you.
I turned.
A federal officer stood there.
Then pulled off his badge.
Victor.
He raised a weapon.
Sophie shouted.
“DOWN!”
A gunshot.
The lights exploded.
Chaos.
Daniel tackled Victor.
Marcus rushed forward.
And in the darkness, I heard one voice.
Elena.
“Get our baby out.”
I froze.
She was standing in the doorway.
She had left the ICU.
She was weak.
Barely able to stand.
But she was there.
I ran toward her.
“What are you doing?”
May you like
She smiled.
“Ending this.”
