Episode Thirteen
977 Words
Public Enemy
The next morning, Amara woke to the sound of her phone vibrating relentlessly.
She groaned and reached for it on the bedside table.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Twelve text messages.
Dozens of social media notifications.
Her stomach sank.
For a brief moment, she had forgotten.
Then she remembered.
I am searching for my daughter.
Nikolai's words echoed in her mind.
The interview had aired less than twelve hours ago, and already the world was talking about it.
She opened one of the news articles.
Her face stared back at her from the screen.
The photo had been taken years ago at a charity event.
The headline made her blood boil.
Mysterious Heiress Linked to Volkov Empire
Another article appeared beneath it.
Who Is Nikolai Volkov's Missing Daughter?
And another.
New York's Most Powerful Families at the Center of Growing Scandal
Amara tossed the phone onto the bed.
She felt sick.
For twenty-four years, she had lived a relatively normal life.
Now strangers were discussing her online.
Speculating about her family.
Her past.
Her future.
A knock sounded at the door.
Before she could answer, Adrian stepped inside.
His expression told her everything.
The situation had only gotten worse.
"Please tell me the internet exploded and then magically fixed itself."
Adrian snorted.
"I wish."
She sat up.
"How bad is it?"
"Pretty bad."
He handed her a tablet.
She immediately regretted looking.
News stations.
Blogs.
Social media accounts.
Everyone seemed obsessed with the story.
People were debating whether Nikolai was a loving father searching for his child or a dangerous criminal chasing an obsession.
Unfortunately, a lot of people seemed to believe the first version.
"Unbelievable."
"Most people only see what he wants them to see."
Amara looked up.
"That's the problem."
Nikolai had money.
Influence.
Charm.
To the public, he looked like a successful businessman searching for a lost daughter.
They couldn't see the threatening notes.
The blood stained rose.
The fear.
The obsession.
A second knock interrupted them.
This time, Lucien entered.
His expression was darker than usual.
"What's wrong?"
He handed Adrian a folder.
"I got the financial records."
Adrian's face immediately hardened.
"The estate accounts?"
Lucien nodded.
Amara frowned.
"What does that have to do with the traitor?"
Lucien looked at her.
"Everything."
He opened the folder.
Several pages covered with numbers and transactions appeared.
At first glance, none of it made sense.
Then Lucien pointed to a series of transfers.
Large transfers.
Repeated transfers.
All sent to the same offshore account.
Amara stared.
"That's a lot of money."
"Twenty million dollars."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
Adrian looked equally disturbed.
The amount was enormous.
Lucien turned another page.
"These payments started eighteen months ago."
A cold feeling settled in Amara's stomach.
Someone inside the estate had been receiving money.
A lot of money.
For a very long time.
"Do you know who the account belongs to?"
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"Not yet."
The room fell silent.
Then Adrian suddenly frowned.
"What is it?" Amara asked.
He pointed at one of the dates.
"This payment."
Lucien glanced down.
"What about it?"
Adrian's face went pale.
"It was made the day your father died."
The room froze.
Every ounce of color drained from Lucien's face.
Amara stared at him.
His father?
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Lucien closed the folder.
Very carefully.
Too carefully.
As though he were trying not to break something.
"My father's death was ruled an accident."
Adrian swallowed.
"I know."
"But?"
"But what if it wasn't?"
The words landed like a bomb.
Amara's breath caught.
No one said anything for several seconds.
Because they were all thinking the same thing.
If the payments began around that time...
If someone inside the organization had been secretly receiving money...
Then maybe the betrayal went far deeper than anyone imagined.
Maybe it wasn't just about Amara.
Maybe it had been happening for years.
A sharp knock broke the silence.
One of the guards entered.
His face was tense.
"Boss."
Lucien immediately stood.
"What happened?"
The guard looked uneasy.
"We found another letter."
Amara's stomach dropped.
Another one.
The guard handed over a sealed envelope.
This time, it had Amara's name written across the front.
In elegant handwriting.
Nikolai.
Lucien looked ready to burn it without opening it.
But Amara stepped forward.
"It's for me."
His eyes narrowed.
"It could be dangerous."
"It's a letter."
"With Nikolai, everything is dangerous."
She held out her hand.
After a moment, he reluctantly gave it to her.
The envelope felt heavy.
Amara carefully opened it.
A single sheet of paper slid out.
She unfolded it.
The first line made her heart stop.
Your mother never told you the whole story.
A chill ran through her body.
She continued reading.
Ask Lucien why he kept her letters hidden.
Ask him what happened the night she disappeared.
Ask him what he isn't telling you.
Her hands tightened around the page.
Slowly, she looked up.
Lucien's expression had gone completely still.
Too still.
The letter continued.
Everyone lies, Amara.
Even the people who claim they're protecting you.
The room felt suffocating.
Because for the first time since meeting Lucien, doubt crept into her mind.
Tiny.
Unwanted.
But there.
What if there were still things he hadn't told her?
What if Nikolai wasn't the only one keeping secrets?
The final line waited at the bottom of the page.
Amara read it.
Then felt her blood run cold.
Your mother didn't disappear alone.
Lucien was with her the night she vanished.
The paper slipped from her fingers.
Silence filled the room.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to Lucien.
His face told her everything.
The letter was true.
At least part of it.
And suddenly, she had a brand new question.
One that might change everything.
"What happened that night?"
Lucien didn't answer.
But for the first time since she'd met him...
He looked guilty.
- Writer
