THE BILLIONAIRE'S HIDDEN DAUGHTER

Chapter 6:The enemy within

The silence in Adrian Ashford's hospital room became suffocating.

Lucas's words echoed in everyone's mind.

"Someone inside this family told the media."

Ava looked around the room. Every face suddenly seemed suspicious.

Victoria folded her arms.

"Are you accusing me?"

Lucas met her gaze without flinching.

"I didn't mention any names."

"But whoever leaked the news knew Father had found Ava before anyone else."

William stepped toward the window once more. More reporters had arrived, their camera flashes lighting up the hospital entrance.

"The crowd is getting larger," he said. "Security won't be able to hold them off for long."

Adrian let out a tired sigh.

"I wanted my daughter to have at least one peaceful night."

"I'm sorry."

Ava shook her head.

"You don't have to apologize."

"I've already lived twenty-two years without knowing you."

"I can survive one chaotic night."

A faint smile appeared on Adrian's face.

"You truly are your mother's daughter."

Just then, Daniel Brooks's phone rang again.

He answered quickly before covering the receiver.

"It's the head of Ashford Security."

"They've discovered something."

"Put it on speaker," Adrian ordered.

Daniel obeyed.

A man's voice filled the room.

"Sir, we've reviewed the hospital security footage."

"What did you find?" William asked.

"About thirty minutes before the reporters arrived, an unidentified woman wearing a nurse's uniform left the VIP floor."

"She made a phone call outside the hospital."

"Minutes later, news vans began arriving."

Lucas frowned.

"So it wasn't a family member?"

The security chief hesitated.

"We're not sure."

"The woman entered using an employee access card that belongs to one of our staff."

"But when we questioned the real nurse..."

"...she was already unconscious in a storage room."

The room fell silent.

Grace gasped.

"They attacked her?"

"She's alive," the security chief replied, "but someone stole her uniform and identity."

William's expression darkened.

"This wasn't random."

"They planned this."

Adrian slowly sat straighter despite the doctor's protests.

"Increase security around Grace and Ava."

"I don't want either of them left alone for even a minute."

"It has already been arranged, sir," William replied.

Before anyone could speak again, a loud commotion erupted outside the room.

A security guard rushed inside.

"Mr. Ashford!"

"The reporters have broken through the first security line!"

"They're trying to reach Miss Ava."

Lucas immediately stepped in front of Ava.

"They're not getting anywhere near her."

Victoria rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, this is all so dramatic."

Lucas turned sharply.

"Someone endangered Father's life and exposed Ava on her first day."

"If you don't think that's serious, then you're not paying attention."

Victoria looked away without answering.

William spoke into his earpiece.

"Prepare the underground exit."

"We're leaving immediately."

Ava blinked.

"Underground exit?"

William smiled slightly.

"The Ashford family never uses the front door during a crisis."

Within minutes, two bodyguards surrounded Ava while others escorted Grace.

The group moved quickly through a private elevator hidden behind a secure wall.

As the doors closed, Ava glanced back one last time at the hospital corridor.

She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Down in the underground parking garage, a convoy of black SUVs waited with engines already running.

William opened the rear door.

"Welcome to your new life, Miss Ashford."

Ava looked at the grand vehicles, then at her mother.

Everything she had ever known was gone.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

She had no idea that the greatest danger wasn't waiting outside the hospital...

It was already waiting for her at Ashford Estate.