The phone call ended.

But Lena could still hear the man’s voice.

They know where to find him.

Her father.

Daniel Hart.

Alive.

After all these years.

Lena stood beneath the rain, unable to move.

Adrian was beside her, but his attention remained on his father’s body.

Victor Ashford was dead.

The man who had controlled the Ashford empire.

The man who had terrified an entire family.

The man who knew the truth about Daniel Hart.

And the man who had just revealed that Adrian’s brother might still be alive.

Lena looked at Adrian.

“Adrian.”

He didn’t answer.

She touched his arm.

“Adrian.”

He finally looked at her.

His eyes were empty.

“I should have saved him.”

“You couldn’t.”

“I should have known.”

“Known what?”

“That he was telling the truth.”

Lena’s heart broke for him.

“You didn’t know your brother was alive.”

“Because I believed my father.”

His voice was bitter.

“For eight years, I believed him.”

Lena stepped closer.

“Adrian, listen to me.”

He looked at her.

“Your brother is alive.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“That should make me happy.”

“But it doesn’t.”

“No.”

He opened his eyes.

“Because if Julian is alive, then someone has been hiding him for eight years.”

Lena understood.

“And that person may have my mother.”

Adrian nodded.

“We have to find her.”

They left the chapel before the police arrived.

Adrian didn’t call anyone.

Not the police.

Not his security team.

Not even his closest friends.

He trusted no one.

They returned to the car.

Lena sat silently.

Adrian started the engine.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.”

“My mother’s bakery?”

“No.”

Lena looked at him.

“Your house?”

“Not anymore.”

“Then where?”

Adrian glanced at her.

“Somewhere my father never knew about.”

The car moved through the rain.

Lena watched the city disappear behind them.

“How many secrets does your family have?”

“Too many.”

“Do you have any secrets from me?”

Adrian was silent.

Lena looked at him.

“Adrian.”

“Yes.”

Her heart sank.

“What?”

He looked at her.

“One.”

“What is it?”

“I knew your name before you applied for the job.”

Lena stared at him.

“What?”

Adrian’s expression remained serious.

“Three months before I hired you, I saw your photograph.”

“Where?”

“In my father’s office.”

Lena’s stomach tightened.

“Why was my photograph there?”

“I don’t know.”

“You didn’t ask?”

“I did.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me to stay away from you.”

Lena’s eyes widened.

“Then why did you hire me?”

Adrian’s voice became quiet.

“Because I wanted to know why.”

“And?”

“I still don’t know.”

Lena looked away.

She should have been angry.

She should have felt betrayed.

But she couldn’t.

Not after everything that had happened.

“Maybe someone wanted us to meet.”

Adrian glanced at her.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

The car stopped.

Lena looked outside.

They were standing in front of an old building.

It looked nothing like the Ashford estate.

There were no gates.

No guards.

No luxury cars.

Just a small abandoned-looking house surrounded by trees.

“What is this place?”

“My mother’s.”

Lena looked at him.

“Your mother?”

Adrian nodded.

“She died when I was ten.”

“I’m sorry.”

“She left this place to me.”

“Why have I never heard of it?”

“Because no one knows it exists.”

Adrian opened the door.

They stepped inside.

The house was dusty but strangely untouched.

Lena followed him through a narrow hallway.

Adrian stopped at a wooden door.

He unlocked it.

Inside was a small room filled with boxes.

“My father’s records,” he said.

Lena looked around.

“You kept all this?”

“My mother did.”

“Why?”

“Because she didn’t trust my father.”

Lena’s eyes moved toward him.

“What do you mean?”

Adrian opened a box.

“My mother believed Victor was hiding something.”

“What?”

“She never told me.”

He pulled out a folder.

Lena came closer.

The folder contained old documents.

Bank statements.

Photographs.

Letters.

Then Lena saw a familiar name.

Daniel Hart.

She grabbed the document.

“This is my father.”

Adrian nodded.

Lena read the page.

Her hands started shaking.

“Adrian.”

“What?”

“My father wasn’t an employee.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was a shareholder.”

Adrian took the paper from her.

He read it.

His expression changed.

“That’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because only four people owned the company.”

“Who?”

“Victor.”

“Your father.”

“Julian.”

“Your brother?”

“And…”

Adrian stopped.

Lena waited.

“Who?”

Adrian looked at her.

“Daniel Hart.”

Lena couldn’t speak.

Her father had been one of the four people who controlled the Ashford empire.

But he had disappeared.

Why?

She turned another page.

There was a list.

Four names.

Victor Ashford.

Daniel Hart.

Julian Ashford.

And a fourth name.

Lena stared at it.

Her blood ran cold.

Evelyn Hart.

Her mother.

Lena dropped the papers.

“No.”

Adrian picked them up.

“Lena.”

“My mother?”

Adrian looked at her.

“She owned part of the company.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Apparently not.”

“My mother never had money.”

“Maybe she did.”

“Then why did she work in a bakery?”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Why did she raise me alone?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why did she let me believe my father abandoned us?”

“I don’t know.”

Lena screamed:

“Then what do we know?”

Adrian grabbed her shoulders.

“That your parents were involved with my family.”

Lena pushed him away.

“And you knew!”

“I knew your father was involved.”

“You knew my family had secrets!”

“I didn’t know about your mother.”

“But you knew enough!”

Adrian stepped back.

Lena’s anger turned into pain.

“All this time, you were investigating me.”

“At first.”

She froze.

“At first?”

Adrian looked at her.

“Yes.”

“When did that change?”

His eyes softened.

“When I fell in love with you.”

Lena looked away.

She didn’t know what to believe.

Adrian stepped closer.

“I should have told you.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

She remained silent.

“I never meant to hurt you.”

“But you did.”

“I know.”

Lena wiped her tears.

Then she looked at him.

“Why did you really hire me?”

Adrian answered honestly.

“Because my father was afraid of you.”

“Why?”

“Because he knew your family had something that could destroy him.”

Lena stared at him.

“What?”

Adrian held up the document.

“Maybe this.”

Suddenly, something crashed in the hallway.

They both turned.

Adrian immediately pulled Lena behind him.

“Stay here.”

“No.”

“Lena.”

“I am not hiding again.”

He moved silently toward the door.

They heard footsteps.

Someone was inside the house.

Adrian reached for the door.

A shadow passed across the hallway.

Then disappeared.

Adrian ran outside.

“Lena, stay inside!”

But she followed him.

They searched the garden.

Nothing.

Then Lena noticed something.

A black car parked near the trees.

“Adrian.”

He turned.

She pointed.

The car was empty.

Adrian approached it carefully.

The driver’s door was open.

There was blood on the seat.

Lena’s heart raced.

“Someone was here.”

Adrian opened the back door.

Inside was a woman’s handbag.

Lena recognized it immediately.

“My mother.”

She grabbed it.

Adrian stopped her.

“Don’t touch anything.”

“It’s hers.”

“Lena.”

She opened the bag.

Inside was a small photograph.

Lena pulled it out.

It showed her mother.

But this time, she wasn’t standing with Victor.

She was standing with Julian.

Adrian saw it.

His entire body froze.

“That’s Julian.”

Lena looked at him.

“When was this taken?”

Adrian turned the photograph over.

A date was written on the back.

Three months ago.

Lena stared at the date.

“Julian is alive.”

Adrian couldn’t speak.

Three months.

His brother had been alive three months ago.

And Lena’s mother had been with him.

Suddenly, Adrian’s phone rang.

He answered.

“Hello?”

A woman’s voice whispered:

“Adrian.”

His eyes widened.

“Who is this?”

Lena recognized the voice.

Her mother.

“Mom?”

The line went silent.

Adrian looked at Lena.

Then her mother spoke.

“Don’t trust anyone.”

“Mom, where are you?”

“Listen to me.”

“Where are you?”

“Your father didn’t abandon you.”

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Mom, please.”

“I loved him.”

The line crackled.

“Who?”

“Your father.”

Lena couldn’t breathe.

“I never stopped loving him.”

“Where is he?”

Her mother’s voice became faint.

“He’s closer than you think.”

Then the call ended.

Lena stared at the phone.

“Mom!”

She called again.

No answer.

Adrian took the phone.

“She was using a blocked number.”

“Can you trace it?”

“Maybe.”

“Do it.”

Adrian typed rapidly.

A few seconds later, his expression changed.

“What?”

“She wasn’t calling from a phone.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was an internet connection.”

“Can you find the location?”

Adrian looked at the screen.

“Yes.”

Lena moved closer.

“Where?”

Adrian turned the screen toward her.

Lena read the location.

Her heart stopped.

It was an old hotel.

A place she had never heard of.

The Bellgrave Hotel.

Adrian looked at her.

“We’re going.”

“No.”

He stopped.

“What?”

“We’re not going there.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s what they want.”

Adrian stared at her.

Lena pointed toward the photograph.

“They wanted us to find my mother’s bag.”

She pointed toward the phone.

“They wanted us to receive her call.”

Then she looked at him.

“They’re leading us somewhere.”

Adrian was silent.

Lena continued.

“Your father said someone brought him to the chapel.”

“Yes.”

“The stranger knew everything.”

“Yes.”

“Someone is controlling this.”

Adrian nodded slowly.

“And they want us at that hotel.”

Lena looked at the house.

“Then we don’t go through the front door.”

Adrian smiled faintly.

“What are you thinking?”

“We find another way.”

Two hours later, Lena and Adrian stood across the street from the Bellgrave Hotel.

The building was enormous.

It had been closed for years.

No lights.

No guests.

No staff.

Yet one room was glowing.

The seventh floor.

Adrian looked through binoculars.

“Room 714.”

Lena looked at him.

“That’s where my mother is?”

“Maybe.”

“Or it’s a trap.”

“Probably.”

Lena sighed.

“You know, you’re not very comforting.”

“I’ve been told.”

She smiled despite herself.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Then Adrian looked at her.

“Lena.”

“What?”

“If we go inside…”

“Yes?”

“You stay behind me.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“You’re impossible.”

“And you’re reckless.”

“You’re arrogant.”

“You’re stubborn.”

“You’re—”

He kissed her.

Lena immediately forgot what she was going to say.

When they pulled apart, Adrian whispered:

“Stay close to me.”

Lena smiled.

“That’s better.”

They entered the hotel through a broken side door.

The inside was dark.

Dust covered everything.

Adrian used his flashlight.

They climbed the stairs.

One floor.

Two.

Three.

Lena’s heartbeat increased with every step.

They reached the seventh floor.

The hallway was empty.

At the end was Room 714.

The door was slightly open.

Adrian raised his hand.

Lena stopped.

He entered first.

“Lena.”

She followed.

The room was empty.

There was only a table.

On the table was an envelope.

Adrian picked it up.

His name was written on it.

ADRIAN ASHFORD.

He opened it.

Inside was a single piece of paper.

Lena read it over his shoulder.

You want your brother.

She wants her father.

Your parents want each other.

And you two want love.

But love has always been the most expensive thing in this family.

Adrian’s face became cold.

Then the lights came on.

Lena screamed.

A man stood behind them.

Adrian immediately turned.

But the man wasn’t holding a gun.

He was holding a photograph.

Adrian recognized him.

His eyes widened.

“Julian.”

Lena stared.

The man was older than the photograph.

His face was thinner.

His hair longer.

But there was no doubt.

It was him.

Adrian’s brother.

Alive.

Julian looked at Adrian.

For several seconds, the brothers stared at each other.

Then Adrian whispered:

“You’re alive.”

Julian’s eyes filled with tears.

“Yes.”

Adrian took a step forward.

Julian stepped back.

“Don’t.”

“Julian.”

“Don’t come closer.”

“Why?”

Julian looked at Lena.

Then back at Adrian.

“Because if you love her…”

He stopped.

Adrian’s face hardened.

“What does that have to do with you?”

Julian’s voice broke.

“Everything.”

Lena stepped forward.

“Where is my mother?”

Julian looked at her.

“She’s alive.”

“Where?”

“Safe.”

“With my father?”

Julian didn’t answer.

Lena understood.

“They’re together.”

Julian nodded.

Adrian stepped closer.

“Why did you disappear?”

Julian looked at his brother.

“Because Father told me to.”

“Why?”

“To protect you.”

“From what?”

Julian’s eyes moved toward Lena.

“From her.”

The room became silent.

Lena felt as if someone had struck her.

“From me?”

Julian nodded.

“Your family is the reason ours was destroyed.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Don’t blame her.”

“I’m not.”

“Then explain.”

Julian looked at both of them.

“Eight years ago, I discovered the truth.”

“What truth?”

“The money.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

“The foundation?”

Julian nodded.

“It wasn’t just illegal money.”

“Then what?”

Julian looked at Lena.

“Human trafficking.”

Lena covered her mouth.

Adrian went pale.

“That’s impossible.”

“It isn’t.”

“Father was involved?”

“Yes.”

“Daniel?”

“Yes.”

“My mother?”

Julian hesitated.

“Yes.”

Lena felt dizzy.

“No.”

Julian continued.

“But they weren’t the ones running it.”

“Who was?”

Julian looked at the door.

Fear appeared in his eyes.

“Someone more powerful.”

“Who?”

Julian whispered:

“Someone who has been controlling both families for years.”

Suddenly, a gunshot came from outside the room.

The window shattered.

Julian fell.

“JULIAN!”

Adrian rushed toward his brother.

Lena screamed.

Another bullet struck the wall.

Adrian dragged Julian behind the bed.

“Are you hit?”

Julian shook his head.

“No.”

Lena looked toward the broken window.

A shadow moved across the building opposite them.

The sniper.

Adrian grabbed Julian.

“We have to go.”

They ran toward the exit.

As they reached the hallway, Julian suddenly stopped.

He looked at Lena.

“There’s one more thing.”

“What?”

Julian’s face was full of fear.

“Your mother didn’t call you tonight.”

Lena froze.

“What?”

Julian shook his head.

“She couldn’t.”

Adrian stopped.

“Then who called?”

Julian looked at Lena.

“The woman who has been pretending to be your mother.”

Lena’s blood turned cold.

“What are you saying?”

Julian whispered:

“Your mother was kidnapped three days ago.”

Lena couldn’t breathe.

“Then who was on the phone?”

Julian looked toward the darkness.

“The woman who killed my father.”

Adrian’s face changed.

“Victor is not dead.”

Julian stared at him.

“What?”

Adrian shook his head.

“My father was shot.”

Julian stepped backward.

“No.”

“What?”

Julian’s voice trembled.

“If Victor is dead…”

He looked at Lena.

“Then we are all in danger.”

A woman’s voice suddenly echoed through the hotel.

“Hello, children.”

Lena froze.

The voice was familiar.

Her mother’s voice.

But now she knew it wasn’t her.

The woman continued:

“Did you enjoy finding the truth?”

Adrian raised his gun.

“Show yourself.”

A laugh echoed through the hallway.

Then the voice whispered:

“Adrian.”

He froze.

“Yes?”

“You still love her, don’t you?”

Adrian grabbed Lena’s hand.

The woman laughed.

“Good.”

Lena felt a terrible fear rising inside her.

The woman continued:

“Because when you discover who she really is…”

A pause.

“…you will hate her.”

The lights went out.

And somewhere in the darkness, a door slammed shut.

When the emergency lights finally came on, Julian was gone.

Adrian stared at the empty hallway.

“Julian!”

No answer.

Lena stood beside him.

Then she noticed something on the floor.

A small envelope.

She picked it up.

Inside was a photograph.

Lena looked at it.

Her face went completely pale.

It was a photograph of her.

Taken when she was a child.

Beside her stood her father.

And behind them was a young woman.

The woman who had just spoken to them.

The woman who had pretended to be Lena’s mother.

On the back of the photograph were six words:

ASK YOUR FATHER WHO SHE REALLY IS.

Lena looked at Adrian.

For the first time since they had met, she was truly afraid of the answer.

Because if her father was alive…

And if her mother had been kidnapped…

Then the woman who had raised her might not be her mother at all.

And somewhere in the darkness, the real enemy was waiting for them to discover the truth.