Alyssa did not sleep that night.
\nShe sat alone in the private library of the Vance estate, the investigation folder open on the table in front of her.
\nThe same name stared back at her.
\nA name she had trusted.
\nA name that had been present during some of the most important moments of her life.
\nA name that had been quietly connected to Aaron’s empire from the beginning.
\nShe read the documents again.
\nThen again.
\nAnd every time, the same conclusion became harder to deny.
\nSomeone had been manipulating Vanguard Dynamics long before Alyssa ever stepped onto that private jet.
\nThe humiliation on the airplane had not started the war.
\nIt had simply revealed that the war had already begun.
\nAt 2:18 a.m., Michael walked into the library carrying two cups of coffee.
\n\u201cYou’re still awake.\u201d
\nAlyssa didn’t look up.
\n\u201cI keep hoping the documents will change.\u201d
\n\u201cThey won’t.\u201d
\n\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael placed the coffee beside her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen stop looking at the papers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alyssa finally looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael sat across from her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would someone spend years building Aaron’s company just to destroy it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael thought for a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe they didn’t build it to destroy it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alyssa’s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe they built it to own it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words settled heavily between them.<\/p>\n
Alyssa looked back at the documents.<\/p>\n
The offshore company.<\/p>\n
The transferred patents.<\/p>\n
The secret agreements.<\/p>\n
The hidden investor relationships.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, she understood something.<\/p>\n
The goal had never been to make Aaron successful.<\/p>\n
The goal had been to make Aaron dependent.<\/p>\n
Dependent on investors.<\/p>\n
Dependent on Vance money.<\/p>\n
Dependent on technology.<\/p>\n
Dependent on people he believed were working for him.<\/p>\n
And eventually, dependent on the person behind the curtain.<\/p>\n
Alyssa whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wanted him to believe he was the king.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile someone else owned the kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n
At 6:30 a.m., Aaron received a message.<\/p>\n
WE NEED TO MEET.<\/strong><\/p>\n There was no name.<\/p>\n Only an address.<\/p>\n Aaron stared at it for almost a minute.<\/p>\n He knew exactly who had sent it.<\/p>\n Victor Hale.<\/p>\n He should have ignored it.<\/p>\n Instead, desperation won.<\/p>\n He grabbed his coat and left.<\/p>\n The meeting location was an abandoned office building on the edge of the financial district.<\/p>\n Aaron stepped inside.<\/p>\n The lobby was dark.<\/p>\n His footsteps echoed against the marble floor.<\/p>\n \u201cVictor?\u201d<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n He walked farther.<\/p>\n Then a light switched on.<\/p>\n Victor Hale sat behind an old wooden desk.<\/p>\n He looked exactly as Aaron remembered.<\/p>\n Older.<\/p>\n Calmer.<\/p>\n And far more dangerous.<\/p>\n Aaron stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Aaron.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou said you could save my company.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor leaned back.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re still giving orders.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t have time for games.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never did.\u201d<\/p>\n He slid a folder across the desk.<\/p>\n Aaron opened it.<\/p>\n His face changed.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are Vanguard’s private accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you get them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve had access for months.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve been spying on me?\u201d<\/p>\n Victor shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve been preparing.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron flipped through the pages.<\/p>\n There were transactions he had never seen.<\/p>\n Transfers between shell companies.<\/p>\n Payments to consultants.<\/p>\n Investment structures.<\/p>\n Licensing agreements.<\/p>\n Then he saw something that made his blood run cold.<\/p>\n His own signature.<\/p>\n On documents he didn’t remember signing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is this?\u201d<\/p>\n Victor smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou signed it two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn’t authorize this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor leaned forward.<\/p>\n \u201cYou signed hundreds of documents every year.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s face tightened.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did the money go?\u201d<\/p>\n Victor didn’t answer.<\/p>\n Aaron looked again.<\/p>\n Then he realized.<\/p>\n Some of the transfers had gone to the same offshore company connected to Jasmine.<\/p>\n His stomach turned.<\/p>\n \u201cJasmine.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was useful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou recruited her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Victor smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cShe recruited herself.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cShe approached me after she discovered how unhappy you were with your marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s expression darkened.<\/p>\n \u201cShe told you about Alyssa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe told me everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did she want?\u201d<\/p>\n Victor’s smile disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cYour wife.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron froze.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe wanted Alyssa’s position.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe wanted my wife?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe wanted what your wife had.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron slowly understood.<\/p>\n The luxury.<\/p>\n The influence.<\/p>\n The social position.<\/p>\n The family name.<\/p>\n The power.<\/p>\n Everything Jasmine had seen from the outside.<\/p>\n Victor continued.<\/p>\n \u201cShe thought if Alyssa disappeared, you would eventually marry her.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n \u201cShe actually believed that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you encouraged her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI encouraged everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Victor stood.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means your marriage was never as private as you thought.\u201d<\/p>\n At Vance headquarters, Bradley entered Alyssa’s office carrying a thick binder.<\/p>\n \u201cWe traced another account.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSingapore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn intermediary company connected to the offshore holding structure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmount?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFour hundred and eighty million dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s expression hardened.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did it come from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVanguard.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael walked into the room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are they hiding?\u201d<\/p>\n Bradley opened the binder.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed to several transfers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe money moved through six different companies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo make the original source difficult to trace.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa studied the dates.<\/p>\n Then she stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cThese transfers happened before the first major Vanguard acquisition.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo the company was already moving money offshore before Aaron became publicly successful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa leaned back.<\/p>\n \u201cThen this wasn’t a recent conspiracy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n Bradley turned another page.<\/p>\n \u201cSix years.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael swore quietly.<\/p>\n Alyssa closed her eyes.<\/p>\n Six years.<\/p>\n That meant the deception had started before their marriage.<\/p>\n Maybe before their engagement.<\/p>\n Maybe before she had even realized she was in love.<\/p>\n She opened her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cFind everything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Bradley looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything means everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s voice became cold.<\/p>\n \u201cI want every account, every shell company, every investor, every lawyer, every consultant, every employee who ever handled these transfers.\u201d<\/p>\n Bradley nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if someone refuses?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen subpoena them.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Aaron returned to his penthouse with the folder Victor had given him.<\/p>\n He locked the door.<\/p>\n Closed the curtains.<\/p>\n And began reading.<\/p>\n For the next three hours, he discovered things about his own company that he had never known.<\/p>\n Money had been diverted.<\/p>\n Contracts had been altered.<\/p>\n Patents had been pledged as collateral.<\/p>\n Investors had been promised access to technology Aaron thought Vanguard owned exclusively.<\/p>\n And worst of all\u2026<\/p>\n There was a document dated four years earlier.<\/p>\n The document was titled:<\/p>\n CONTINGENCY CONTROL AGREEMENT.<\/strong><\/p>\n Aaron read the first paragraph.<\/p>\n Then he stopped.<\/p>\n His hands began shaking.<\/p>\n The agreement gave another party the right to assume control of Vanguard Dynamics if the company suffered a major financial breach.<\/p>\n He read the name.<\/p>\n His heart stopped.<\/p>\n It was Victor Hale.<\/p>\n Aaron whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Then he saw the date.<\/p>\n The agreement had been signed before Vanguard’s largest expansion.<\/p>\n And beneath his signature was another.<\/p>\n Alyssa’s.<\/p>\n Aaron stared at it.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n He read it again.<\/p>\n Her signature was unmistakable.<\/p>\n But something was wrong.<\/p>\n Alyssa had never told him about this.<\/p>\n He grabbed his phone and called her.<\/p>\n The call went directly to voicemail.<\/p>\n He called again.<\/p>\n Blocked.<\/p>\n He threw the phone onto the couch.<\/p>\n Then a thought struck him.<\/p>\n If Alyssa had signed this\u2026<\/p>\n Why was she attacking him now?<\/p>\n Unless\u2026<\/p>\n She hadn’t known.<\/p>\n Someone had forged the document.<\/p>\n Aaron immediately called his lawyer.<\/p>\n \u201cGet to my apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Prescott, it’s 3 a.m.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t care.\u201d<\/p>\n Twenty minutes later, the lawyer arrived.<\/p>\n Aaron placed the document in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cCheck this signature.\u201d<\/p>\n The lawyer studied it.<\/p>\n His expression slowly changed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn’t Mrs. Vance’s signature.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve seen her signature on hundreds of documents.\u201d<\/p>\n The lawyer pointed to the page.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very good imitation.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s breathing became heavy.<\/p>\n \u201cThen who forged it?\u201d<\/p>\n The lawyer didn’t answer.<\/p>\n Aaron looked toward the window.<\/p>\n Suddenly, every assumption he had made began collapsing.<\/p>\n Alyssa hadn’t betrayed him.<\/p>\n Someone had been using both of them.<\/p>\n The next morning, Alyssa received a message from an unknown number.<\/p>\n YOU ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.<\/strong><\/p>\n She stared at the screen.<\/p>\n Another message arrived.<\/p>\n THE PERSON YOU TRUST IS NOT YOUR ENEMY.<\/strong><\/p>\n Alyssa immediately showed Michael.<\/p>\n \u201cWho sent this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can trace it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo it.\u201d<\/p>\n A few minutes later, Michael looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s bouncing through multiple servers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you identify the origin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa frowned.<\/p>\n Then another message arrived.<\/p>\n MEET ME ALONE.<\/strong><\/p>\n A location followed.<\/p>\n Michael immediately shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI need answers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt could be a trap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you’re not going.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa smiled faintly.<\/p>\n \u201cMichael.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave you forgotten who our family is?\u201d<\/p>\n He sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n She stood.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you should know I don’t walk into traps without preparing one of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n Two hours later, Alyssa arrived at an old private art gallery.<\/p>\n She entered alone.<\/p>\n The doors closed behind her.<\/p>\n The gallery was empty.<\/p>\n Paintings covered the walls.<\/p>\n A grandfather clock ticked quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n No response.<\/p>\n Then a voice came from the darkness.<\/p>\n \u201cYou came.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa froze.<\/p>\n The lights slowly turned on.<\/p>\n A man stepped out from behind a painting.<\/p>\n Alyssa knew him.<\/p>\n Her eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cDaniel?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel Cross, Vanguard Dynamics’ CFO, stood several feet away.<\/p>\n He looked exhausted.<\/p>\n His tie was loose.<\/p>\n His face was pale.<\/p>\n \u201cYou shouldn’t have come alone,\u201d Alyssa said.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn’t have a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sent the messages?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel looked around nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause someone is watching me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen tell me what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel swallowed.<\/p>\n \u201cYour husband wasn’t the person controlling the offshore accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don’t know everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa waited.<\/p>\n Daniel took a USB drive from his pocket.<\/p>\n \u201cThis contains the original transaction records.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa didn’t take it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy give them to me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I made a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat mistake?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI helped move the money.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s eyes hardened.<\/p>\n \u201cYou knew?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI knew something was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel lowered his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough to know that if the truth comes out, I’ll probably go to prison.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThen why are you helping me?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel looked directly at her.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause my wife was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa remained silent.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone offered to pay her medical bills if I cooperated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI never saw his face.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen how did you communicate?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThrough an encrypted account.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cName?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cBlack Raven.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s expression changed.<\/p>\n \u201cBlack Raven?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho controls it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel’s voice began shaking.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I know one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey’ve been inside Vanguard from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa took the USB drive.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat’s on it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery transfer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery payment?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery name?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery name.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you give this to the authorities?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the authorities don’t know who they can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause Black Raven has people everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly, the lights went out.<\/p>\n Daniel froze.<\/p>\n Alyssa reached for her phone.<\/p>\n A loud crash came from the back room.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone’s here.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel grabbed her arm.<\/p>\n \u201cRun.\u201d<\/p>\n They rushed toward the exit.<\/p>\n Another crash.<\/p>\n Then a window shattered.<\/p>\n A shadow moved across the gallery.<\/p>\n Daniel shoved Alyssa behind a stone pillar.<\/p>\n \u201cStay down.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa heard footsteps.<\/p>\n Slow.<\/p>\n Measured.<\/p>\n Coming closer.<\/p>\n Daniel whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cThey found us.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s heart pounded.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel looked toward the darkness.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n A figure appeared.<\/p>\n Alyssa prepared herself.<\/p>\n But instead of attacking, the person stopped.<\/p>\n Then a voice spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cAlyssa.\u201d<\/p>\n She recognized it.<\/p>\n Her eyes widened.<\/p>\n It was Aaron.<\/p>\n He stepped into the light.<\/p>\n His face was bruised.<\/p>\n His shirt was torn.<\/p>\n And he was holding a file in his hand.<\/p>\n Daniel stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron ignored him.<\/p>\n He looked directly at Alyssa.<\/p>\n \u201cI finally know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa crossed her arms.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone forged your signature.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s expression changed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey used your name to control Vanguard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron looked at Daniel.<\/p>\n Then at the USB drive in Alyssa’s hand.<\/p>\n \u201cBlack Raven.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel’s face turned white.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know about Black Raven?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI met the man behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron hesitated.<\/p>\n Then he said,<\/p>\n \u201cThe person behind Black Raven is someone you already know.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s heart stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron looked at her.<\/p>\n And before he could answer, the gallery doors slammed shut.<\/p>\n A loud metallic lock echoed through the room.<\/p>\n Daniel turned.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re trapped.\u201d<\/p>\n The lights flickered back on.<\/p>\n Every screen in the gallery suddenly activated.<\/p>\n A message appeared.<\/p>\n YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE PAST ALONE.<\/strong><\/p>\n Alyssa stared at the screen.<\/p>\n Then another line appeared.<\/p>\n NOW ALL THREE OF YOU WILL PAY.<\/strong><\/p>\n Aaron looked at Alyssa.<\/p>\n \u201cAlyssa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She didn’t answer.<\/p>\n Her eyes remained fixed on the screen.<\/p>\n Then the final message appeared.<\/p>\n MIDNIGHT. VANCE TOWER. COME ALONE.<\/strong><\/p>\n The screen went black.<\/p>\n For several seconds, nobody moved.<\/p>\n Then Alyssa slowly looked at Aaron.<\/p>\n \u201cYou said you met the person behind Black Raven.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho was it?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s voice dropped.<\/p>\n \u201cVictor Hale.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVictor isn’t the mastermind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen who is?\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa looked at the USB drive in her hand.<\/p>\n She suddenly understood why the mysterious caller had told her she was looking in the wrong place.<\/p>\n Why Daniel had been frightened.<\/p>\n Why Aaron had been manipulated.<\/p>\n Why Jasmine had been recruited.<\/p>\n Why Victor had suddenly reappeared.<\/p>\n And why someone had been watching her family for years.<\/p>\n Alyssa whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cVictor is only a middleman.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThen who is above him?\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa looked toward the dark screen.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel suddenly spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Alyssa and Aaron turned toward him.<\/p>\n Daniel’s face was completely pale.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the name once.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat name?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel swallowed.<\/p>\n \u201cYour father’s.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa froze.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I don’t think your father is Black Raven.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why is his name in the records?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel looked at her with fear.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause Black Raven’s first account was created using your father’s identity.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s world seemed to tilt.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father has nothing to do with this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen who used his identity?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel looked toward the locked doors.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa stared at him.<\/p>\n Then Aaron suddenly spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is one person who would have access to your father’s signature.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa turned.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron’s face was filled with dread.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone who worked inside the Vance family office.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s blood ran cold.<\/p>\n Because she knew exactly who he meant.<\/p>\n And if Aaron was right, the person who had spent years manipulating both families had been sitting inside her father’s organization the entire time.<\/p>\n Someone who knew every secret.<\/p>\n Every account.<\/p>\n Every signature.<\/p>\n Every weakness.<\/p>\n Someone who had watched Alyssa grow up.<\/p>\n Someone she had trusted completely.<\/p>\n Alyssa slowly reached for her phone.<\/p>\n She called her father’s chief financial officer.<\/p>\n The man answered immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Vance?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa paused.<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t open your door.\u201d<\/p>\n There was silence.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I think someone has been using your credentials.\u201d<\/p>\n The man didn’t respond.<\/p>\n Then Alyssa heard something in the background.<\/p>\n A door opening.<\/p>\n A man’s voice.<\/p>\n And then a terrified scream.<\/p>\n The call went dead.<\/p>\n Alyssa stared at the phone.<\/p>\n Aaron whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up.<\/p>\n Her expression was no longer frightened.<\/p>\n It was furious.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone just reached my father’s office.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael’s voice suddenly came through her earpiece.<\/p>\n \u201cAlyssa!\u201d<\/p>\n She answered.<\/p>\n \u201cMichael?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to get out of there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI found the identity behind the offshore company.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa’s heart pounded.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Michael’s voice dropped.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s not Victor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlyssa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe company is registered to a person who has worked for your family for twenty-three years.\u201d<\/p>\n Alyssa closed her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael whispered the name.<\/p>\n Alyssa’s eyes opened.<\/p>\n The name was impossible.<\/p>\n It belonged to the person she had trusted more than almost anyone.<\/p>\n The person who had helped raise her.<\/p>\n The person who had always called her little miss<\/em>.<\/p>\n The person who had been standing beside her family through every crisis.<\/p>\n The person who knew exactly how much money she had.<\/p>\n Exactly which patents her family owned.<\/p>\n Exactly how her father’s companies were structured.<\/p>\n And now\u2026<\/p>\n Exactly how to destroy them.<\/p>\n Alyssa whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n She slowly lowered the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cThe person behind the entire operation\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Her voice shook.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026is someone from inside my own family.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside the gallery, a black vehicle suddenly screeched to a stop.<\/p>\n The doors opened.<\/p>\n Several men stepped out.<\/p>\n And one of them was carrying a photograph of Alyssa as a child.<\/p>\n On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message:<\/p>\n SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO INHERIT ANYTHING.<\/strong><\/p>\n Alyssa saw it through the glass.<\/p>\n Her blood ran cold.<\/p>\n Because suddenly, this was no longer about Aaron.<\/p>\n It was no longer about Jasmine.<\/p>\n It was no longer about Vanguard Dynamics.<\/p>\n Someone had been waiting for Alyssa’s inheritance long before she ever married Aaron.<\/p>\n And now that she had taken back control\u2026<\/p>\n They were finally ready to come for her.<\/p>\n TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 6\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PART 5: THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN Alyssa did not sleep that night. She sat alone in the private library of the Vance estate, the investigation folder open on the … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4139,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4866"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4868,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4866\/revisions\/4868"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nexttaleus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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