Chapter 6: The Mastermind Was the One Nobody Suspected
Emma's voice was barely audible.
"Victoria... wasn't the mastermind."
The room went completely silent.
Victor leaned closer.
"Who are you talking about?"
Emma closed her eyes.
"My father."
Daniel frowned.
"But your father died years ago."
Emma slowly shook her head.
"That's what everyone was supposed to believe."
Victor felt a chill run through his body.
Twenty-five years earlier, billionaire Richard Harrison's closest business partner, Edward Sinclair, had vanished after a mysterious private jet crash over the Atlantic.
No body had ever been found.
The world declared him dead.
His fortune disappeared.
His company was absorbed by the Harrison family.
Case closed.
Or so everyone believed.
Emma struggled to breathe.
"Edward Sinclair..."
"...is my father."
Daniel stared at her in disbelief.
"What?"
Emma nodded weakly.
"He survived."
"He spent twenty-five years building an empire in secret."
"He told Victoria that if she destroyed our family... he'd return everything she lost."
Victor couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"My mother worked for him?"
Emma whispered,
"She thought she was protecting the Harrison empire."
"But she was really helping the man who wanted revenge."
Just then—
Every light in the hospital suddenly went out.
Darkness.
Screams echoed through the hallway.
Emergency alarms began flashing red.
Hospital generators failed.
Victor immediately pulled Lily behind him.
"Everyone stay together!"
Seconds later...
A giant screen in the intensive care unit suddenly flickered to life.
A man wearing a black suit appeared.
His silver hair was neatly combed.
His smile was calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
"Good evening, Victor."
Victor's face turned ghost white.
"No..."
"It can't be..."
The man smiled.
"You've grown into exactly the man I hoped you would become."
Daniel whispered,
"Who is he?"
Victor answered without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Edward Sinclair."
"The man who died twenty-five years ago."
Edward slowly stood from his leather chair.
Behind him was an office overlooking an entire city skyline.
"You've taken back Emma."
"You've exposed Victoria."
"You recovered the donor heart."
He gave a slow applause.
"Excellent."
"Every move you've made was exactly what I wanted."
Daniel's heart pounded.
"What do you mean?"
Edward's smile widened.
"People are easiest to control..."
"...when they think they're finally winning."
Victor clenched his fists.
"What do you want?"
Edward leaned toward the camera.
"I don't want your company."
"I already own most of it."
Victor's eyes widened.
"What?"
Edward pressed a button.
Screens across the hospital switched to financial reports.
Harrison Corporation.
Ownership Structure.
51%...
Owned by Sinclair Global Holdings.
The board members had secretly sold their shares months ago.
Victor had been fighting to save a company...
That no longer belonged to him.
Then Edward delivered one final blow.
"Oh... and one more thing."
He looked directly at Lily.
"The little girl..."
"...is not the only child Emma gave birth to."
Emma burst into tears.
"NO!"
Edward smiled coldly.
"Ask her where your son is."
The screen went black.
The room fell into stunned silence.
Daniel slowly turned toward Emma.
His voice shook.
May you like
"Emma..."
"...what son?"
