Seraphina didn’t reach for the envelope. Instead, she took a slow, deliberate step toward her father, her robe fluttering open as she moved.
She looked at the thick stack of cash as if it were a pile of dead leaves.
"Money, Father? Again? Is that the only way you know how to solve a problem?"
"It’s the only way you survive," Carter snapped. He shoved the envelope against her chest. "Julian isn’t the patient man he used to be. He’s the King of the Underground. Do you understand who you are dealing with now. Do you know which families he command.
Seraphina finally gripped the envelope, but she didn’t tuck it away. She started to pace the room, stepping over a discarded silk rope. She stopped at the window, looking out at the glowing lights of the city.
"You think I’m here because I want your money?" she laughed, a sound that lacked any real joy. "I’m here because I want to see the look on The King of the Underground’s face when his perfect world burns. I want to see Julian realize that he is not untouchable."
Carter froze. "What are you talking about?"
Seraphina turned back to him, her eyes dancing with a manic light. "You really should keep better track of your secrets, Father. You and your cohorts have spent so much ti hiding the truth about Andrew Thorne. Did you think no one would find out?"
Carter’s face went pale. "You stay away from Thorne. That is a different ga entirely. You have no idea what kind of people are involved here."
"Oh, I think I do," Seraphina smirked. She tossed the envelope of money onto floor. "Keep your cash, Father. I don’t need a ticket out of town. I need a front-row seat to the Gala."
"Seraphina, don’t do this," Carter pleaded, his voice losing its iron edge.
She walked to the door and held it open. "Now, get out. I have to get dressed, and I need to make sure it’s... breathtaking."
Carter looked at his daughter, seeing the wreckage of the family he had tried so hard to hide. He knew there was no stopping her.
He took out his phone and pressed a button.
"Now," he said into the phone. "Get in here."
The door flew open and two large n stepped into the room.
"Father? What is this? What are you doing!"
One of the n grabbed her around the waist. He held her arms down easily, as if she were a doll.
"I’m saving my life," Carter whispered. "And yours."
"You can’t do this! I will—"
She didn’t finish her sentence. The second man stepped close and pressed a wet cloth over her nose and mouth.
Seraphina fought for a few seconds. She scratched at the man’s wrists, her eyes wide with terror. Then, her body went soft. Her head fell back, and she went to sleep in the man’s arms.
A woman in maids uniform entered pushing a laundry bin. It was the kind of deep, rolling bin the hotel used for bulky sheets and towels.
"Where are we taking her?" the man asked as he carefully placed her into the bin.
"The safe house in the north," Carter said. "Use the service elevator. If anyone asks, you’re just clearing the room for the next guest."
They wheeled the bin out.
As soon as the door closed, Stephan ca out of the bedroom. He had been hiding there all along.
He laughed and shook his head. He didn’t realize Mr Carter was this ruthless. He must really be scared of Julian. Well he didn’t bla him.
Now the real problem was, how would he get her out. It appears the plan to burn Aurora will have to wait because Carter was capable of simply handing over Seraphina to Julian for revenge.
He took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Are you still at Aurora? Good. Change of plans..."
....
Julian arrived in his penthouse, followed by Marco. It was 6am.
He had just co from Lyvana’s room, leaving her asleep after a long, intense night. He knew she needed rest. He was still thinking of her when Marco spoke.
"I hope you called here for a good reason Marco."
"Lyvana asked to look into Andrew Thorne," Marco began. "Dr Jasmine’s fiance. She had a bad feeling about him, according to her. She was right."
Julian finally looked up. His eyes narrowed. "She asked you to do what? Wait, what do you an she was right?"
He handed him a folder containing so photos and docunts. Julian opened it and saw a grainy, old photo of a teenage boy in a school uniform.
"That is the real Andrew Thorne. He died twenty years ago in a skiing accident in Switzerland. The death certificate is there as well."
Julian saw another photo of Jasmine’s fiancé. "Then who is the man teaching at the university?"
"A ghost," Marco replied. "Soone stole a dead boy’s na and built a perfect life over it. The degrees, the history, the ’genius’ reputation, it’s all fake. Soone spent millions of dollars to turn a stranger into a masterpiece."
Julian shook his head. "Who?"
Marco took a deep breath. This was the part that would hurt.
"We tracked the bank transfers for Andrew’s lab and his luxury apartnt," Marco said quietly. "The money isn’t coming from a stranger, Julian. It’s coming from a shell company called Vesper Holdings."
Julian’s face went pale. He felt a chill go down his spine. "Vesper... that’s a subsidiary of the Blackwood Estate. My uncle used that account for private family business."
"It gets worse," Marco added, pointing to the bottom of the docunt. "The most recent signatures on the funding papers aren’t your uncle’s. They were authorized by Arthur Reed."
Julian Froze. He didn’t speak for a long minute.
Julian began to pace the room, his mind racing. "What else? Tell everything."
"It’s just sothing I noticed," Marco said, watching Julian carefully. "Look at the dates, sir. The funding for ’Andrew Thorne’ increased the mont you started showing interest in Ms. Lyvana."
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