THE LAWYER WHO LOVED HER ENEMY

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BLACKWOOD ESTATE

The road to Blackwood Estate was almost completely empty.

I drove through the darkness with both hands gripping the steering wheel.

My mother's photograph remained open on my phone.

She was alive.

That was all that mattered.

For now.

I knew I was making a terrible decision.

Adrian had told me not to face this alone.

But the message had been clear.

DON'T TELL ADRIAN.

If I brought him with me and something happened to my mother, I would never forgive myself.

So I left without telling him.

At least, that's what I thought.

I didn't know that another car was following me from a distance.

I didn't know Adrian had already discovered where I was going.

And I certainly didn't know that someone else was waiting for both of us.

---

Blackwood Estate appeared through the trees just after midnight.

The enormous gates stood open.

That frightened me more than if they had been locked.

I slowed down.

There were no guards.

No lights.

No other vehicles.

Just darkness.

I parked outside the main entrance.

For several seconds, I remained inside the car.

My heart was beating violently.

"Be brave," I whispered to myself.

I took the necklace my father had given Adrian and held it tightly.

Then I stepped out.

The front door opened before I reached it.

I froze.

A man stood inside.

He was wearing a black suit.

"Ms. Vale."

I didn't know him.

"Where is my mother?"

"Inside."

"Is she alive?"

"Yes."

"Take me to her."

He stepped aside.

I entered.

The door closed behind me.

---

The interior of Blackwood Estate was beautiful.

And terrifying.

Old paintings covered the walls.

Most of them showed members of the Cross family.

Generations of power.

Generations of secrets.

I walked through the hallway.

Then I saw something that made me stop.

A portrait.

My father.

He was standing beside Alexander Cross.

I stepped closer.

They looked young.

Almost like friends.

I touched the frame.

"You knew him."

The man behind me said nothing.

"How long?"

Still nothing.

I turned.

"Where is Alexander?"

The man pointed toward the staircase.

"Upstairs."

I climbed.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

At the end of the hallway was a large wooden door.

The man opened it.

"He's waiting."

I entered.

The door closed behind me.

---

Alexander Cross stood beside a large window.

His back was toward me.

For several seconds, he didn't move.

Then he turned.

I had seen his face in photographs.

But seeing him in person was different.

His eyes were cold.

Calculating.

Yet there was something strangely familiar about him.

Perhaps it was the shape of his eyes.

Perhaps the way he stood.

Or perhaps it was because I had spent days seeing his face in every piece of evidence.

"So."

His voice was calm.

"You finally came."

"Where is my mother?"

"Safe."

"Bring her here."

He smiled.

"You haven't changed."

I frowned.

"You've never met me."

"Oh, but I have."

My stomach tightened.

"What?"

"I've watched you since you were born."

I felt cold.

"Why?"

"Because you were important."

"To what?"

"To the future."

I stepped closer.

"Stop speaking in riddles."

He smiled.

"You have your father's temper."

"I asked about my mother."

"And you have your mother's stubbornness."

"Where is she?"

He gestured toward a chair.

"Sit."

"No."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You've inherited Daniel's courage."

"My father knew you."

"Very well."

"Were you friends?"

He laughed.

"Once."

"What happened?"

"Your father discovered too much."

"What did he discover?"

Alexander walked toward a cabinet.

He poured himself a drink.

"Project S.V."

My heart stopped.

"So it exists."

"Of course it does."

"What is it?"

He looked at me.

"A mistake."

I frowned.

"A mistake?"

"One we spent years trying to correct."

I clenched my fists.

"What does that have to do with me?"

He looked at the necklace around my neck.

"Everything."

I instinctively touched it.

"Why?"

"Because you are the only surviving subject."

My blood ran cold.

"Subject?"

"Yes."

"What did you do to me?"

"Nothing."

"Then why am I a subject?"

"Because your parents volunteered you."

I shook my head.

"My parents would never."

"They did."

"You're lying."

"Your father agreed."

"No."

"He signed the documents."

"My mother too?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Alexander's expression became serious.

"Because you were dying."

I stopped.

"What?"

"You were born with a condition that threatened your life."

I stared at him.

"That's not possible."

"Your parents were told you wouldn't survive your first year."

My breathing became shallow.

"No."

"Your father refused to accept it."

"What did he do?"

"He came to me."

I stared at him.

"He begged."

"For what?"

"Help."

Alexander walked closer.

"He agreed to Project S.V. because we had developed an experimental treatment."

I shook my head.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"You survived."

"Because of the project?"

"Yes."

I felt dizzy.

"My father saved me."

"Yes."

"Then why did he try to destroy it?"

Alexander's expression darkened.

"Because he discovered what we planned to do after you survived."

"What?"

He didn't answer.

"Tell me."

"We intended to continue the research."

"On me?"

"Yes."

My stomach turned.

"But your father refused."

"What research?"

"Your blood."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"Your genetic profile was unique."

"Unique how?"

"You responded to the treatment differently."

I shook my head.

"I don't understand."

"You weren't simply cured."

He stepped closer.

"You became the proof that the treatment worked."

"And then?"

"We needed to replicate it."

"On other people?"

"Yes."

I felt sick.

"So I was a test subject."

"Initially."

"What does that mean?"

Alexander looked at me.

"You became the key."

I remembered the photograph.

THE KEY.

My heart pounded.

"That's why Adrian's photograph said 'The Key.'"

Alexander smiled.

"Adrian has always been more perceptive than people realize."

I frowned.

"What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything."

"Why?"

"Because his family was responsible for protecting the project."

I stepped backward.

"Adrian knew?"

"No."

"He didn't?"

"Not the whole truth."

"Then why did you call him the key?"

Alexander looked at me.

"Not him."

He pointed toward me.

"You are the key."

---

"Where is my mother?"

Alexander walked toward another door.

He opened it.

My mother was sitting inside.

Her wrists were tied.

"Mom!"

I rushed toward her.

She looked up.

"Serena!"

I knelt beside her.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded through tears.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

I untied the rope.

She immediately pulled me into a hug.

"I'm sorry."

I held her tightly.

"I thought I lost you."

"I tried to warn you."

"You lied to me."

"I know."

"You signed the project."

Her body went still.

She looked at Alexander.

Then at me.

"Who told you?"

"Everyone."

She closed her eyes.

"Your father didn't want you to know."

"He should have told me."

"He wanted you to live."

I pulled away.

"Then tell me everything."

My mother looked at Alexander.

He nodded.

She took a deep breath.

"Your father agreed to the treatment because you were sick."

"I know."

"He believed it would save you."

"It did."

"Yes."

"Then why did he become their enemy?"

"Because the treatment changed something."

"What?"

She hesitated.

"Your blood became valuable."

I stared at her.

"How?"

"Because it could be used to treat other people."

I swallowed.

"And that's why they wanted me."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you take me and run?"

"We tried."

"Then what happened?"

She started crying.

"Your father discovered that the project wasn't just about medicine."

"What was it?"

"Money."

My heart tightened.

"They were selling the treatment."

"To whom?"

"Powerful people."

"Rich people?"

"Governments."

"Companies."

"Anyone willing to pay."

I stared at her.

"And my father wanted to stop them."

"Yes."

"That's why he died."

My mother shook her head.

"He didn't die that night."

I froze.

"I know."

She looked at me.

"How?"

"Adrian told me."

My mother stared.

"Adrian knows?"

"Yes."

She lowered her head.

"He shouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because if Alexander knows how much Adrian remembers..."

She looked toward the door.

"...he'll kill him."

My blood ran cold.

"What?"

"He knows too much."

I stood.

"Where is he?"

My mother looked at me.

"I don't know."

Then we heard footsteps downstairs.

My mother's face changed.

"He's here."

"Who?"

She whispered:

"Adrian."

---

I ran downstairs.

"Adrian!"

Nothing.

The hallway was empty.

Then I heard a crash.

I ran toward the sound.

A door stood open.

Inside was Adrian.

He was fighting with two men.

One grabbed him from behind.

"ADRIAN!"

He turned.

"Serena, run!"

The second man struck him.

He fell.

I screamed.

Then Alexander appeared behind me.

"Don't interfere."

I turned toward him.

"You promised he wasn't involved."

"I said he didn't know everything."

"You said nothing would happen to him."

"I said nothing about protecting him."

I stepped toward Adrian.

"Let him go."

Alexander looked at me.

"Then come with me."

"What?"

"Leave him."

"No."

"Then he dies."

I froze.

Adrian slowly lifted his head.

"Don't listen to him."

Alexander smiled.

"You see?"

He looked at me.

"Even now, he's choosing you over himself."

I stared at Adrian.

His face was bruised.

Blood covered his lip.

But his eyes were still on me.

"Serena."

I moved toward him.

One of the men grabbed my arm.

"Let her go!"

Adrian struggled.

"Don't touch her!"

Alexander watched us.

Then he smiled.

"This is exactly what I wanted."

"What?"

"Love."

I froze.

"Love makes people predictable."

Adrian looked at him with hatred.

"You don't know anything about love."

Alexander laughed.

"Perhaps."

He looked at me.

"But I know what happens when someone has to choose."

I stared at him.

"What do you want?"

"You."

Adrian's face changed.

"Serena, no."

Alexander continued.

"Come with me."

"And Adrian?"

"Alive."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

I looked at Adrian.

He shook his head.

"No."

I whispered:

"I have to."

"Serena."

"I can't watch you die."

"I'd rather die than let you go."

My heart shattered.

Alexander smiled.

"How touching."

I stepped forward.

"I'll go."

Adrian's eyes filled with panic.

"No!"

I looked at him.

"Trust me."

He shook his head.

"Serena, don't."

I smiled through my tears.

"Remember our promise?"

His expression changed.

I promise.

I turned toward Alexander.

"Take me."

Alexander nodded.

The men released Adrian.

I walked toward the staircase.

But before I could reach Alexander—

Adrian grabbed my wrist.

He pulled me into his arms.

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then he whispered against my ear:

"I love you."

Everything stopped.

My heart.

My breath.

The world.

I pulled back.

His eyes were filled with tears.

"I've loved you longer than I knew how to say it."

I couldn't speak.

Then I touched his face.

"I love you too."

Alexander's expression hardened.

"Enough."

The men separated us.

I looked back at Adrian.

He fought against them.

"SERENA!"

I screamed his name.

"ADRIAN!"

The doors closed between us.

And just like that—

I was taken away from the person I loved.

But I didn't know one thing.

Adrian wasn't going to let me disappear.

Because while Alexander believed he had won...

Adrian had secretly taken the flash drive from my pocket.

And on that flash drive was the evidence that could destroy the entire Cross empire.

The game had changed.

And now—

the war had begun.