CHAPTER 6 – The Billionaire Everyone Feared
The helicopter disappeared into the storm.
No one spoke.
The only sound inside the mansion was Richard's ragged breathing as paramedics rushed to stop the bleeding.
Ethan refused to leave his father's side.
"Please don't die..."
Richard weakly grabbed his son's hand.
"I already lost your mother..."
"I won't leave you too."
Amelia closed her eyes.
For years, she had prepared for this night.
Yet the sniper's appearance meant only one thing.
Everything she believed...
Had been wrong.
Harrison slowly removed his glasses.
His hands were shaking.
"I never thought he'd come back."
Amelia turned toward him.
"You know who he is."
Harrison nodded.
"I've feared him for twenty-five years."
The guests exchanged confused looks.
Vanessa, now handcuffed, suddenly began laughing.
Not crying.
Not begging.
Laughing.
"You still don't understand, do you?"
Richard glared at her.
"What are you talking about?"
Vanessa smiled through bloody lips.
"You thought I was the mastermind."
"I was just... an employee."
The ballroom fell silent again.
She looked directly at Amelia.
"You stole something that never belonged to your family."
Amelia's face instantly changed.
"No..."
Vanessa grinned wider.
"Oh yes."
"It was never about Whitmore Global."
"It was never about your fortune."
"It was always about Project Phoenix."
Harrison whispered,
"She knows."
Vanessa leaned closer.
"The man in that helicopter doesn't want your company."
"He wants the files your father hid before he died."
Ethan looked confused.
"What files?"
Harrison slowly reached into his coat.
Instead of answering...
He pulled out another key.
Unlike the silver key from the music box...
This one was solid black.
Etched into its surface was a single symbol.
A phoenix rising from flames.
Amelia's breathing became uneven.
"You kept it..."
"I promised your father I would."
Richard stared at them.
"What is Project Phoenix?"
Harrison looked around the room to make sure every door was locked.
Then he said the sentence that froze everyone's blood.
"Thirty years ago..."
"...your father didn't build the world's largest technology empire."
"He built the world's most dangerous secret."
Before anyone could ask another question...
Every phone inside the mansion buzzed at exactly the same time.
One message.
One sender.
UNKNOWN
May you like
The message contained only eight terrifying words:
"Return the Phoenix Key... or Ethan dies next."
