Chapter 31 - The Blackout Protocol
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When we arrived at my father's estate, the sky had turned dark with heavy storm clouds. I pushed past the armed security guards in the foyer and marched straight into my father's private study.
He was standing near the fireplace, holding an old framed photograph of my mother holding me when I was a toddler.
"Audrey," he said gently, looking up. "Is Chloe resting?"
"Who was Marcus Sterling?" I demanded, stepping into the middle of the room.
My father's hand froze. The gentle warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by a profound, haunting sadness.
"Arthur Vance talked to you," my father said softly, setting the photograph down on the mantelpiece.
"Tell me the truth, Dad!" I shouted, tears finally spilling over my eyes. "Did you found the Iron Vanguard with Marcus Sterling? Did my mother die because of your greed?"
My father walked over to his desk, picked up a small silver key, and tossed it onto the desk between us.
"I built a financial network thirty years ago to protect private assets from corrupt governments," my father admitted, his voice cracking with old grief. "Marcus Sterling was my friend. But Marcus turned that network into a criminal enterprise. He brought in drug lords, human traffickers, and corrupt politicians. When I tried to pull out, he threatened to destroy our family."
"And my mother?" I choked out.
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"Your mother found out what Marcus was doing," my father revealed, tears shining in his eyes. "She tried to steal the master ledger to bring it to the authorities. Marcus tampered with her brakes. I arrived at the crash site five minutes too late, Audrey. I swore on her grave that I would devote the rest of my life to burning down every single thing Marcus built."
Before I could speak, the estate's lights flickered and died. Emergency sirens blared across the grounds as the heavy security shutters began automatically slamming shut over the windows.
