CHAPTER 5 – The Daughter's Betrayal
Ethan's world shattered.
Lily lowered the phone, her expression colder than he had ever seen.
"I'm sorry, Dad," she repeated. "It was never supposed to happen like this."
Emily lunged toward her daughter.
"Lily, don't! They're manipulating you!"
Before Emily could reach her, two armed men stormed through the back door and forced her to her knees.
The hooded stranger stepped forward and slowly removed his hood.
He wasn't some homeless hitchhiker.
He wore an expensive tailored suit beneath the soaked sweatshirt.
"My name is Adrian Voss."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"The Voss family?"
Adrian nodded.
"The richest family in the country."
He tossed another folder onto the kitchen table.
"Your wife didn't disappear."
"She was imprisoned."
"For twenty years."
Ethan stared at Emily in disbelief.
"They locked you away?"
Emily nodded through tears.
"Because I refused to hand over Lily."
Adrian continued.
"The Voss empire was built on stolen fortunes, fake identities, and murder."
"Lily is the only surviving blood heir."
"The moment she turns twenty-one..."
"...she legally inherits everything."
Ethan finally understood.
The police.
The photograph.
The locker.
The chase.
None of it had been random.
Someone had been trying to protect Lily.
Someone else had been preparing to eliminate her.
Just then Lily quietly whispered,
"I already signed the papers."
Silence filled the room.
"What papers?" Ethan asked.
Lily couldn't meet his eyes.
"I sold my inheritance."
Emily screamed.
"No!"
Lily burst into tears.
"They said if I refused..."
"...they would kill you."
The room froze.
Adrian's face lost all color.
"Who made you sign?"
Lily slowly pointed toward the television.
The screen suddenly switched on by itself.
A live video appeared.
Inside an enormous office sat an elderly man with silver hair.
He smiled directly into the camera.
"Good evening, family."
May you like
"My name is Victor Voss."
"And I'm supposed to have been dead for fifteen years."
