Midnight was less than an hour away.

Lena sat silently in the passenger seat while Adrian drove through the sleeping city.

Neither of them spoke.

The message remained open on Adrian’s phone.

COME TOGETHER OR YOUR MOTHER DIES.

Lena had read those words so many times that they no longer looked real.

Her mother.

The woman who had raised her alone.

The woman who had worked every morning before sunrise.

The woman who had always refused to talk about Lena’s father.

Now Lena knew there was a connection between her mother and the most powerful man in the city.

Victor Ashford.

Adrian’s father.

And somehow, that connection had brought them to this moment.

“Adrian.”

He glanced at her.

“Yes?”

“Do you believe my mother is in danger?”

“Yes.”

Lena’s heart sank.

“Do you believe your father sent that message?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because my father doesn’t threaten people.”

Lena looked at him.

“Then what does he do?”

Adrian’s eyes darkened.

“He makes people disappear.”

Silence filled the car.

Lena looked out the window.

“How do you know?”

Adrian didn’t answer.

She turned toward him.

“Adrian.”

He kept his eyes on the road.

“My brother.”

Lena remembered Julian.

The photograph.

The mysterious note.

The words written on the back.

THEY WILL KILL US BOTH IF WE TELL THE TRUTH.

“What happened to your brother?”

Adrian’s hands tightened around the steering wheel.

“I told you.”

“You told me he died in a car accident.”

“That’s what the police report said.”

“I didn’t ask what the report said.”

Adrian finally looked at her.

“I don’t know what happened to him.”

“But you think your father knows.”

“I know my father knows.”

Lena’s breathing became shallow.

“Then why haven’t you asked him?”

Adrian laughed bitterly.

“Because I did.”

“And?”

“He told me to forget Julian.”

Lena stared at him.

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“How could you accept that?”

Adrian’s voice broke.

“I was twenty-one.”

He looked away.

“I was afraid.”

The honesty in his voice hurt Lena more than anger could have.

She reached for his hand.

Adrian glanced down.

Then he intertwined his fingers with hers.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Their hands remained together as the car moved through the darkness.

Then Adrian whispered:

“I wish I had met you before all of this.”

Lena looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because then I might have loved you without being afraid.”

Her heart ached.

“Would you have loved me anyway?”

Adrian stopped the car at a red light.

He turned toward her.

“I already do.”

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

The light turned green.

But Adrian didn’t move.

A car behind them honked.

He finally drove forward.

Lena smiled through her tears.

“I love you too.”

Adrian’s eyes moved toward her.

The words seemed to shock him.

“Lena.”

“I love you.”

He pulled the car to the side of the road.

Before she could say anything else, he leaned toward her.

Their lips met.

It wasn’t a gentle kiss.

It was desperate.

Terrified.

The kiss of two people who knew that the world was trying to separate them.

When they finally pulled away, Adrian rested his forehead against hers.

“Promise me something.”

“What?”

“If anything happens tonight, you run.”

“No.”

“Lena.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I understand perfectly.”

He stared at her.

“If they come for you,” she whispered, “they’ll have to come for me too.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“You make it impossible to protect you.”

Lena smiled sadly.

“Maybe I don’t want to be protected.”

The old chapel appeared in the distance.

It stood on a hill outside the city.

Abandoned for years.

Its windows were broken.

The stone walls were covered with vines.

There was no one around.

Adrian parked near the entrance.

They stepped out.

The night was cold.

Lena held Adrian’s hand.

They walked toward the chapel.

The huge wooden doors opened before they reached them.

Adrian stopped.

“Stay behind me.”

Lena nodded.

They entered.

The chapel was completely dark.

Then a single light turned on.

A man stood near the altar.

Victor Ashford.

Lena’s heart stopped.

He looked older than the photographs.

His expensive suit was covered with dust.

There was blood on his left sleeve.

Adrian stepped forward.

“Father.”

Victor looked at his son.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Victor said:

“You shouldn’t have come.”

Adrian’s voice was cold.

“You threatened Lena’s mother.”

“I did not.”

“Then who did?”

Victor looked at Lena.

His expression changed.

“Lena Hart.”

She stepped forward.

“You know my mother.”

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

“Your mother saved my life.”

Lena froze.

“What?”

Victor looked at Adrian.

“Your son knows nothing.”

Adrian’s voice became dangerous.

“Tell me everything.”

Victor shook his head.

“Not here.”

“You brought us here.”

“I was brought here too.”

Adrian looked around.

“What do you mean?”

Victor turned toward the darkness.

“We are not alone.”

Suddenly, the chapel doors slammed shut.

Lena jumped.

Adrian immediately moved in front of her.

A voice came from the balcony.

“How touching.”

A man appeared above them.

The same man from the bookstore.

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“You.”

The stranger smiled.

Victor reached inside his coat.

“Don’t.”

The stranger raised a gun.

Lena froze.

Adrian moved closer to her.

“Put it down,” Adrian said.

The stranger laughed.

“Still protecting her.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“Who are you?”

“Someone your family tried to erase.”

Victor’s face went pale.

Adrian looked at him.

“You know him.”

Victor didn’t answer.

“Father.”

The stranger pointed the gun toward Victor.

“Ask him about Daniel Hart.”

Lena’s heart stopped.

“My father?”

The stranger smiled.

“Yes.”

Adrian turned toward his father.

“What did you do to Daniel Hart?”

Victor looked at Lena.

“I didn’t kill him.”

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Then where is he?”

Victor hesitated.

The stranger answered.

“Dead.”

Lena shook her head.

“No.”

The word came out like a whisper.

“No, that’s not true.”

The stranger looked at her.

“Your mother knows.”

Lena turned toward Victor.

“Is that true?”

Victor’s expression was full of regret.

“Your father was involved in something dangerous.”

“What?”

“Money.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Stop hiding the truth.”

Victor looked at him.

“Your father and I were partners.”

Lena stared at him.

“Partners in what?”

Victor didn’t answer.

The stranger did.

“The Ashford Foundation was a cover.”

Adrian’s face changed.

“What?”

The stranger laughed.

“For twenty years, the Ashfords used their charity network to move illegal money across the country.”

Victor shouted:

“That’s a lie!”

The stranger pointed his gun at him.

“Then tell them the truth.”

Victor looked at Lena.

“Your father discovered everything.”

Lena felt dizzy.

“He knew?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did he leave us?”

Victor closed his eyes.

“Because I asked him to.”

Lena stepped backward.

“You destroyed my family.”

“I tried to protect you.”

“By making my father disappear?”

Victor’s voice became desperate.

“I didn’t make him disappear.”

“Then who did?”

Victor looked toward the stranger.

The man smiled.

“Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Adrian stepped toward him.

“What happened to Daniel?”

The stranger lowered his gun slightly.

“Your father ordered him to keep quiet.”

Victor shook his head.

“No.”

“You threatened his wife.”

“No.”

“You threatened his daughter.”

Victor looked at Lena.

“I never wanted that.”

“But someone did.”

The stranger suddenly fired.

The bullet struck the stone wall beside Victor.

Lena screamed.

Adrian pulled her down.

“Stay down!”

Another gunshot echoed through the chapel.

Victor ran toward the side door.

The stranger shouted:

“Don’t let him escape!”

Adrian grabbed Lena’s hand.

They ran after Victor.

The chapel exploded into chaos.

People appeared from the darkness.

Three men.

Armed.

Adrian pushed Lena behind a pillar.

“Stay here.”

“No!”

“Lena!”

“I won’t lose you.”

He looked at her.

Then he kissed her forehead.

“Trust me.”

Adrian stepped away.

Lena watched helplessly.

He fought one of the men.

The sound of a struggle filled the chapel.

Victor disappeared through the side door.

The stranger followed.

Lena realized she had to make a choice.

Stay with Adrian.

Or follow the truth.

She ran after Victor.

“Lena!”

Adrian shouted.

She ignored him.

She followed Victor into the forest behind the chapel.

Branches scratched her arms.

Rain began falling.

“Victor!”

The older man stopped.

He turned around.

Lena stood several feet away.

“Where is my father?”

Victor looked exhausted.

“Lena, you need to go back.”

“No.”

“Your mother is in danger.”

“I know.”

“Then listen to me.”

“Tell me the truth.”

Victor stared at her.

Then he said:

“Your father didn’t leave you.”

Lena’s breath caught.

“He was taken.”

“By whom?”

Victor looked behind her.

His face suddenly changed.

“Run.”

Lena turned.

The stranger stood between the trees.

His gun was pointed directly at her.

Before he could fire, Victor pushed Lena aside.

The gunshot echoed.

Victor fell.

“Victor!”

Lena dropped beside him.

Blood spread across his shirt.

The stranger disappeared into the forest.

Lena pressed her hands against the wound.

“Stay with me.”

Victor looked at her.

His eyes were fading.

“Your father…”

Lena leaned closer.

“What?”

Victor struggled to breathe.

“Your father is alive.”

Lena froze.

“What?”

“Alive…”

“Where?”

Victor’s fingers closed around her wrist.

“Find…”

He coughed.

“Find the woman…”

“Which woman?”

Victor whispered the final words.

“Your mother.”

Then his hand fell.

Lena stared at him.

“No.”

She shook him.

“Victor!”

Footsteps approached.

Adrian.

He appeared through the trees.

“Lena!”

She turned toward him.

Adrian saw his father.

He stopped.

For a moment, the world was silent.

Then Adrian ran forward.

“Father!”

Lena moved aside.

Adrian dropped beside Victor.

“Stay with me.”

Victor opened his eyes.

“Adrian…”

“I’m here.”

“Listen.”

Victor struggled to speak.

“Your brother…”

Adrian froze.

“What about Julian?”

Victor looked at him.

“Julian didn’t die in the accident.”

Adrian’s face went completely white.

Lena covered her mouth.

Victor continued.

“He’s alive.”

Adrian stopped breathing.

“Where?”

Victor’s eyes closed.

“He’s the one…”

His voice disappeared.

Adrian shook him.

“Father!”

No response.

“Father!”

Lena grabbed Adrian’s arm.

“Adrian.”

He looked at her.

His face had broken.

“My brother.”

Lena held his hand.

“We’ll find him.”

Adrian stared at her.

Then something moved behind them.

A figure stood between the trees.

Lena turned.

The stranger was gone.

But a small object lay on the ground.

Adrian picked it up.

A photograph.

He looked at it.

His hands began shaking.

Lena stepped closer.

The photograph showed three people.

Victor Ashford.

Daniel Hart.

And Julian Ashford.

But there was something else.

A fourth person stood behind them.

A woman.

Lena recognized her immediately.

She had seen that face her entire life.

Her heart stopped.

“Adrian.”

He looked at her.

Lena whispered:

“That’s my mother.”

Adrian stared at the photograph.

Then he looked toward Lena.

Neither of them could speak.

The woman who had raised Lena.

The man who had raised Adrian.

Their missing fathers.

Their dead brother.

Everything was connected.

And now they knew the most terrifying truth of all.

Their families had shared a secret long before Lena and Adrian ever met.

A secret powerful enough to destroy them.

Suddenly, Lena’s phone rang.

Her mother’s name appeared on the screen.

MOM.

Lena answered immediately.

“Mom?”

There was no reply.

“Mom, are you okay?”

Silence.

Then a man’s voice whispered:

“She told us where your father is.”

Lena’s blood froze.

“Who are you?”

The voice laughed.

“Now we know where to find him.”

The call ended.

Lena looked at Adrian.

He immediately understood.

“They have your mother.”

Lena nodded.

“And they know my father is alive.”

Adrian looked toward the dark forest.

Somewhere out there, someone was waiting for them.

Someone who had been planning this for years.

He took Lena’s hand.

“We’re going to find them.”

Lena looked at him.

“And if they try to stop us?”

Adrian’s eyes became cold.

“Then we’ll stop them first.”

Neither of them knew that someone was watching from the hill above the chapel.

A man stood beneath an umbrella.

He held a photograph in his hand.

The photograph showed Lena and Adrian holding hands.

He smiled.

Then he called someone.

“They know about Julian.”

A woman’s voice answered.

“Then it’s time.”

The man looked toward the chapel.

“And the girl?”

The woman was silent for a moment.

Then she said:

“Don’t hurt her.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s the only person who can lead us to the truth.”

The man smiled.

“And Adrian?”

The woman’s voice became colder.

“Break his heart.”

The call ended.

And beneath the dark sky, the first step of their plan began.

Because the greatest danger to Lena and Adrian was no longer the difference between their worlds.

It was the secret that had brought their worlds together.