Chapter 3 - The Face in the MirrorI spun around, squinting against the harsh white light.
Standing at the threshold was Arthur Montgomery. He was in his late sixties, impeccably tailored in a charcoal suit despite the late hour, holding a silver-headed walking stick. Behind him stood two massive men in dark suits, their hands tucked neatly inside their jackets.
"Get away from her," I growled, stepping between Camila and the old man.
Arthur chuckled, a sound devoid of warmth. "Ah, the righteous father returns. Tell me, Ethan, did you really think a disgraced construction worker could break into my home without my consent? You walked right through my front door because I wanted you to."
My blood ran cold. "You set a trap."
"I laid a trail," Arthur corrected, taking a slow step into the room. "I’ve known about you since the day Camila returned from Seattle carrying three unplanned heirs. Do you have any idea the scandal it would have caused if the press found out the Montgomery heiress was pregnant by a ruined bankrupt's son?"
"So you locked her away?" I shouted, my fists clenching. "You drugged your own daughter and hid my children from me?!"
"I protected my bloodline!" Arthur’s voice cracked like a whip. "Camila was unstable. She wanted to abandon her legacy for a life of poverty with you! I simply did what was necessary to preserve the family empire. I raised those girls to be proper Montgomerys."
"They don't belong to you!" Camila cried from behind me, trying to push herself up from the armchair, but the drugs in her system made her stumble.
"They belong to whoever controls their trust fund," Arthur snapped coldly. He looked back at me with a smirk that chilled me to the bone. "You see, Ethan, tomorrow morning, Montgomery Enterprises completes a twelve-billion-dollar merger with Vance-Dominion Logistics."
Vance-Dominion. My jaw dropped. That was my family’s former company—the one my uncle had stolen from my father before driving my father to suicide.
"Your uncle sold me his controlling shares," Arthur continued smoothly. "But there was a clause in the original corporate charter. To complete the takeover, I need a blood heir of the Vance family to sign off on the asset transfer. I searched for you for years, Ethan. But you were off the grid... until today."
The pieces clicked together in a sickening flash of realization.
"You used the children," I whispered. "You ordered the nanny to bring the triplets to Central Park... to my regular coffee spot. You wanted them to find me!"
"You're smarter than you look," Arthur said with a faint nod. "I knew if the girls dropped a hint about the tattoo, your sentimental fool of a heart would lead you straight to my door. And now that you're here... trespasser... burglar... intruder..."
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The two security guards drew silenced pistols from their jackets.
"...you are going to sign the release of your family’s remaining corporate rights. Or you will die right here in this room, and I will tell the police I shot a madman trying to kidnap my daughter."
