❤︎ 𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 ❤︎

❤︎ 𝓒𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 22: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑶𝒇 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 ❤︎

The night was unusually quiet.

The flames at the abandoned estate had finally been extinguished, but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air.

Inside Knight Mansion...

Adrian sat in his private study, his injured shoulder wrapped in thick white bandages.

Across from him sat Aria, Amelia, Ethan, and Damien.

On the desk between them lay the old leather journal.

No one spoke.

Everyone stared at it.

It felt as though the answers they had been searching for were hidden within its worn pages.

Adrian finally broke the silence.

"My father kept a journal..."

"...and I never knew."

He carefully opened the first page.

Written in elegant handwriting were the words:

If you're reading this, it means I have either disappeared... or someone has finally uncovered the truth.

The room fell silent.

Adrian continued reading.

"The Knight and Cross families were never enemies. We built our businesses together and trusted each other like brothers. But someone within our organization betrayed us, stealing company secrets and blaming the Cross family."

Damien clenched his fists.

"So... my father really was innocent."

Adrian looked at him.

"I told you."

Damien lowered his head, guilt filling his eyes.

"I spent fifteen years hating you..."

"...for nothing."

---

Adrian turned the page.

His expression slowly changed.

"What is it?" Aria asked.

He swallowed hard.

"My father mentioned a name."

Everyone leaned closer.

"Who?"

Adrian read aloud.

"The man behind everything is known only as... The Chairman."

Ethan frowned.

"A chairman?"

"My father never wrote his real name."

Damien stood up.

"I've met him."

Everyone looked at him.

"You have?"

Damien nodded.

"He always hid his face."

"He manipulated me."

"He told me Adrian's family destroyed mine."

"And I believed every word."

His voice was filled with regret.

"I became exactly what he wanted."

---

Suddenly...

A folded piece of paper slipped from between the journal's pages.

Aria picked it up.

It wasn't a letter.

It was a map.

A red circle had been drawn around a location outside the city.

Beneath it was a short message.

"Locker 317. The final proof."

Ethan immediately recognized the place.

"That's Grand Central Railway Station."

Adrian stood.

"We're going."

Ethan looked at his injured shoulder.

"Sir, you should rest."

"I've rested long enough."

Aria stepped forward.

"I'm coming too."

"No."

Adrian's voice was firm.

"It's dangerous."

Aria folded her arms.

"And when has that ever stopped me?"

For a moment...

Adrian couldn't help but smile.

"You really are impossible."

"So I've been told."

---

One hour later...

Three black SUVs pulled into the underground parking garage of Grand Central Railway Station.

The station was nearly empty.

Only a handful of late-night travelers walked through the terminal.

Ethan signaled the security team.

"Spread out."

"Watch every exit."

Adrian, Aria, Damien, and Amelia walked toward the old storage lockers.

The numbers slowly counted down.

320...

319...

318...

Finally...

317.

Adrian inserted the small key that had been hidden inside the journal.

Click.

The locker door slowly opened.

Inside sat a small black metal box.

Adrian carefully lifted it out.

He opened the lid.

Inside were several old documents...

A flash drive...

And a faded family photograph.

Aria picked up the photograph.

It showed the Knight family...

The Cross family...

Mrs. Collins...

And three smiling children.

Young Adrian.

Young Damien.

Young Aria.

On the back of the photograph were five handwritten words.

"Trust no one in power."

Before anyone could speak...

Every light inside the station suddenly went out.

Darkness covered the terminal.

A slow clap echoed through the silence.

Clap... Clap... Clap...

An elderly voice laughed.

"So..."

"...you finally found my little gift."

The emergency lights flickered on.

Standing at the end of the platform was an elderly man dressed in an expensive black suit, surrounded by dozens of armed guards.

His silver hair gleamed beneath the dim lights.

He smiled calmly.

"My name..."

"...is Victor Blackwood."

"...and I am the Chairman you've been searching for."

Adrian's eyes filled with anger.

"You destroyed our families."

Victor smiled.

"I didn't destroy them."

"I simply gave them a reason to destroy each other."

Damien stepped forward.

"You lied to me for fifteen years!"

Victor chuckled.

"And you believed every word."

He raised his hand.

The armed guards aimed their weapons.

Victor's smile widened.

"Now..."

"...shall we finish what started twenty years ago?"

♡︎ 𝑻𝒐 𝑩𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅... ♡︎