Chapter 2 - SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The ballroom burst into chaos as Victoria abruptly canceled the reception, ordering her personal security detail to sweep Leo away to her private penthouse under maximum protection. Julian was furious, pacing the grand marble foyer of their estate, trying to convince her that she was being manipulated.
“He’s an orphan coached by our business rivals!” Julian demanded, his voice echoing in the vast room. “They want to destroy the Sterling-Vance merger! Victoria, think rationally!”
“He knew about the fire, Julian,” Victoria said coldly, standing at the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city skyline. “He knew details that were never released to the press.”
While Julian tried to regain control, Victoria instructed her most trusted private investigator, Marcus Vance—her estranged cousin—to secretly test Leo’s DNA against her own.
Three hours later, Marcus arrived at the penthouse. His expression was somber. He handed Victoria a sealed white envelope.
“It’s a 99.9% maternal match to Eleanor,” Marcus reported quietly. “He is your nephew, Victoria. But that’s not all. I ran his medical history through an underground database.”
“And?” Victoria gasped, pulling the documents out.
“Leo wasn't just living on the streets. He escaped three days ago from an unregistered psychiatric facility on the outskirts of the state. A facility secretly funded by Sterling Global Enterprise.”
Victoria felt the world tilt on its axis. Julian’s family company had been paying to keep her nephew locked away in a secret asylum.
Suddenly, the lights in the penthouse flickered and died, plunging the room into total darkness.
A loud shatter echoed from Leo’s bedroom.
Victoria sprinted through the dark hallway, pulling a hidden firearm from her desk drawer. She kicked open Leo’s door. The window was shattered. Marcus rushed in behind her, flipping on his tactical flashlight.
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The bed was empty. On the wall, written in fresh black spray paint, was a single message:
“CURIOUSITY KILLED THE TWIN.”
