CHAPTER 5 — The Billion-Dollar Secret
"Kill everyone else."
The words echoed through the park like a death sentence.
Within seconds, Adrian's men raised their weapons.
People screamed and scattered in every direction.
Ethan grabbed Lily and dove behind a stone fountain just as bullets shattered the marble where they had been standing only moments before.
"Daddy..."
"I'm scared."
Ethan held her tighter than ever.
"I won't let anyone hurt you."
Across the park, Benjamin struggled to his feet despite the blood soaking his shirt.
He snatched a fallen security officer's radio.
"They're trying to eliminate every witness!"
But no one answered.
Adrian had already jammed every communication channel.
Meanwhile, the old veteran calmly slipped a tiny brass key from inside his boot.
It was old...
Scratched...
Barely larger than a house key.
Benjamin's eyes widened.
"You still have it..."
The old man nodded.
"I never trusted the Carters."
He pressed the key into Ethan's hand.
"Listen carefully."
"Everything they've stolen..."
"Every illegal account..."
"Every fake inheritance..."
"It's all hidden in one place."
Ethan stared at the tiny key.
"What does it open?"
The veteran leaned closer.
"A safety deposit box."
"Vault 117."
"First National Trust."
"Inside is enough evidence to destroy the Carter empire forever."
Adrian heard every word.
His face twisted with rage.
"So that's where you hid it..."
He turned to his bodyguards.
"Forget shooting them."
"I want that key."
"No matter how many people die."
The armed men charged toward Ethan.
Benjamin stepped into their path.
Despite losing blood, he refused to move.
"You'll have to kill me first."
Adrian smiled cruelly.
"I already planned to."
Just as another gun was raised...
The sound of helicopter blades thundered overhead.
Everyone looked up.
A massive black helicopter hovered over the park.
Its doors slid open.
Dozens of heavily armed tactical officers descended on ropes.
Their uniforms carried no company logo.
No police insignia.
Only one silver eagle stitched onto each shoulder.
Even Adrian's men froze.
The old veteran whispered with a faint smile,
"They finally came..."
The lead officer landed only a few feet from Ethan.
He removed his helmet.
Looked directly at Lily.
Then, to everyone's disbelief...
He saluted the little girl.
"Miss Lily Walker."
"We've been protecting your family... since the day you were born."
Ethan felt the world stop spinning.
"What are you talking about?"
The officer slowly reached into his pocket and handed Ethan a sealed envelope.
Across the front, written in his late wife's handwriting, were just six heartbreaking words:
May you like
"Open only if they find us."
TO BE CONTINUED...
