Chapter 15 - THE AIRPORT
The boarding pass was bait.
Nathan knew it the moment they reached the airport.
Victoria was nowhere on the passenger manifest. Lily’s ticket had been created with a fake passport number.
“She wants us looking here,” Grace said.
Nathan’s phone rang.
Claire.
Her voice was shaking.
“Nathan, someone broke into Dad’s old house.”
“What did they take?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why break in?”
Claire swallowed.
“They opened the basement vault.”
Nathan’s blood went cold.
Charles’s private residence contained one thing the electronic archive did not: original paper share certificates from the family trust.
If Victoria destroyed or replaced them, she could create enough confusion to freeze Lily’s voting rights for years.
Nathan, Grace, and Ramos rushed to the estate.
The basement door hung open.
Inside, file drawers were scattered across the floor.
A smell of gasoline filled the room.
“Back up,” Ramos ordered.
A spark flashed near the far wall.
Flames climbed instantly.
Nathan saw a shadow moving through the smoke.
“Victoria!”
She ran toward a service tunnel behind the vault.
Nathan followed despite Ramos shouting at him.
He caught her near the garden exit.
Victoria spun and slapped him.
“You ruined everything!”
“You tried to abduct my daughter.”
“She ruined everything!” Victoria screamed. “That child wasn’t supposed to exist.”
Grace emerged behind him, coughing from the smoke.
Victoria saw her and lunged.
Ramos grabbed Victoria before she reached Grace and forced her against the wall.
“You’re under arrest.”
Victoria laughed wildly.
“You think this ends with me?”
Nathan stepped closer. “Who else?”
Victoria looked directly at Grace.
“Ask her why Charles knew she was pregnant before Nathan did.”
Grace froze.
Victoria smiled.
“Go ahead, Grace. Tell him who called Charles first.”
May you like
Nathan turned toward Grace.
Her face had gone completely white.
