Chapter 3: The Hidden Heir
I drove to Vance Holdings myself.
Thomas tried to stop me.
I ignored him.
The city blurred past the windshield as I tore through downtown, my mind replaying Meline's words.
*Your father didn't leave the company to you.*
That couldn't be true.
I'd been told my entire life that Vance Holdings would eventually become mine.
My father had said it himself.
"You'll take over when you're ready, Damen.""
I'd believed him.
But apparently, my father had kept one secret from me.
And Elena knew about it.
I reached the underground entrance to the corporate tower at 12:37 a.m.
The security guard stood when he saw me.
"Mr. Vance.""
"Where's Bernard?""
"Top floor.""
"Did he come alone?""
The guard hesitated.
"Sir?""
"Did Bernard come alone?""
"No.""
My hand tightened around the steering wheel.
"Who came with him?""
The guard looked nervous.
"Ms. Courtland.""
Of course.
I parked and ran for the elevator.
The top floor was almost completely dark.
Only the emergency lights were on.
The doors opened.
Bernard was standing at the end of the hallway.
His suit jacket was torn.
There was blood on his collar.
"Bernard.""
He turned.
"You're alive.""
I stopped.
"What happened?""
He looked over his shoulder.
"Keep your voice down.""
I approached him.
"Where's Elena?""
"Inside.""
"Where?""
"The vault.""
I grabbed his arm.
"Take me there.""
Bernard shook his head.
"She's not alone.""
"Who is with her?""
"I don't know.""
"Bernard.""
"I swear, I don't know.""
He pulled a keycard from his pocket.
"Your father gave me this three days before he died.""
I stared at it.
"Why?""
"He told me never to use it unless you were in danger.""
I took the card.
"What does it open?""
"The private archive.""
I frowned.
"That's beneath the vault.""
Bernard nodded.
"I didn't even know it existed.""
We moved silently through the executive corridor.
At the end stood a wall of black marble.
Bernard pressed the keycard against a small reader.
A section of the wall clicked.
Then slid sideways.
A narrow staircase descended into darkness.
I stared down.
"You've got to be kidding.""
Bernard whispered, "Your father built it without putting it on any blueprint.""
We descended.
The air became colder.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Bernard entered a code.
The lock released.
Inside was a room lined with filing cabinets, old photographs, legal boxes, and hard drives.
A single desk lamp glowed in the corner.
And on the desk sat a leather folder.
*COURTLAND ACQUISITION — CONFIDENTIAL*
I walked toward it.
"That's what Elena wanted.""
Bernard nodded.
"I found it behind a false panel.""
I opened the folder.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Bank transfers.
Corporate registrations.
Photographs.
And one document bearing my father's signature.
I scanned the first page.
Then stopped.
My heart seemed to forget how to beat.
"Bernard.""
"Yes?""
"This isn't an acquisition.""
He stepped closer.
I turned the document toward him.
"It's an investigation.""
Bernard's face went white.
My father's private notes were clipped to the back.
I read the first line.
*If anything happens to me, the person responsible is not who my son thinks it is.*
I looked at Bernard.
"How long have you known about this?""
"Since tonight.""
"You expect me to believe that?""
"I don't care what you believe.""
His voice cracked.
"I watched you destroy your marriage because of Elena.""
I stared at him.
"You knew?""
"I knew she was lying.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because your father ordered me not to.""
I slammed the folder shut.
"My father is dead.""
"I know.""
"Then his orders don't matter.""
Bernard's eyes hardened.
"You should read the next page.""
I opened it.
A photograph slid onto the desk.
It showed my father standing outside a private clinic.
Beside him was a young woman.
Her face was partially turned away.
But I recognized the coat.
The hair.
The posture.
It was Meline.
I looked at Bernard.
"That's impossible.""
"I thought so too.""
"When was this taken?""
"Eleven years ago.""
I stared at the photograph.
Meline had been nineteen.
I had been twenty-two.
We hadn't even met yet.
"Why was my father meeting her?""
Bernard pointed toward the next document.
"Read the name.""
I looked down.
There was a birth certificate.
The mother's name had been blacked out.
The father's name had not.
*Richard Vance.*
My father.
My hands began shaking again.
"That's not possible.""
Bernard said nothing.
I flipped the page.
There was another photograph.
This one showed a baby.
A newborn wrapped in a pale pink blanket.
On the back, my father's handwriting read:
*My daughter.*
I couldn't breathe.
"Daughter?""
Bernard nodded.
"Your father had another child.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Who?""
Before he could answer, the lights went out.
The door behind us slammed shut.
A woman's voice came from the darkness.
"You're finally starting to understand, Damen.""
Elena.
I spun around.
A light clicked on.
She stood at the far end of the archive.
Still wearing the camel-hair coat.
Still carrying the same Hermès Kelly bag.
But now there was blood on one of her gloves.
She smiled.
"You really should have listened to me.""
I stepped forward.
"What did you do to Meline?""
Elena tilted her head.
"That's what you're worried about?""
"You pushed my wife down those stairs.""
"No.""
Her smile widened.
"I pushed your wife down those stairs because she was about to tell you the truth.""
"What truth?""
Elena reached into her bag.
She pulled out a photograph.
Then she tossed it onto the floor between us.
I looked down.
My blood turned cold.
It was a photograph of Meline holding a newborn baby.
And beside her stood my father.
On the back, in his handwriting, were six words:
*Protect her from Damen at all costs.*
I looked up.
Elena was already walking toward the exit.
"Wait!""
She stopped.
"Who is the baby?""
Elena glanced over her shoulder.
"Your sister.""
May you like
Then the steel door slammed shut.
And somewhere beneath the building, a phone began ringing.
