CHAPTER 2 — "THE SECRET BURIED FOR TEN YEARS"
The celebration ended instantly.
Ethan stared at the ring.
His fiancée, Victoria, noticed too late.
She quickly lowered her hand beneath the table.
"What?"
She forced a smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ethan's voice became frighteningly calm.
"Where did you get that ring?"
Victoria hesitated.
Only for one second.
"It was... a family gift."
Lily spoke before Ethan could answer.
"No."
"My daddy said that ring belongs to him."
The room went silent again.
Victoria's face stiffened.
Security approached, assuming the child was causing trouble.
But Ethan raised his hand.
"No one touches her."
Lily reached into her worn backpack.
She removed an old leather notebook.
Its edges were burned.
Its pages stained by water.
She handed it to Ethan.
"My daddy said you'll know."
Ethan opened the first page.
His heartbeat nearly stopped.
It was Daniel's handwriting.
Every page described a revolutionary spinal nerve regeneration project.
The project the government had canceled.
The project only two people had ever seen.
Daniel.
And Ethan.
The final page read:
If you're reading this, someone betrayed us. Don't trust Victoria. She wasn't sent to love you. She was sent to watch you.
Ethan slowly looked up.
Victoria was gone.
She had disappeared.
Outside...
Black SUVs suddenly surrounded the building.
Masked men rushed toward the entrance.
The rooftop erupted into panic.
Glass shattered.
People screamed.
One bullet struck the piano.
Another shattered the restaurant windows.
Lily remained strangely calm.
"They're late."
Ethan looked down.
"What?"
"My daddy knew they'd come."
She pointed toward the emergency staircase.
"He said if they arrive...
don't run upstairs."
"Run down."
Without another word, Lily grabbed Ethan's hand.
The man who hadn't walked in seven years...
Was suddenly running.
Behind them...
The restaurant exploded.
The entire rooftop disappeared in fire.
May you like
And everyone believed Ethan had died.
Exactly as someone had planned.
