Chapter 4 - THE OLD TRAIN STATIONChristopher arrived at the abandoned train station eleven minutes before midnight.
He ignored every instruction to come alone.
Detective Reed's team surrounded the area.
Marcus stayed close.
Christopher carried a briefcase.
Inside were copies of the trust documents.
Not the originals.
The station was silent.
Then a light turned on.
A man stepped onto the platform.
Nathan.
Christopher stared at him.
For eight years, he had believed his brother was dead.
Now he stood twenty feet away.
Older.
Scarred.
Alive.
“Where is Emma?”
Nathan didn't answer.
“You hurt my daughter.”
“No.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I saved her.”
Christopher frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“The pool wasn't supposed to happen.”
“Juliette pushed her.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you let it happen?”
Nathan looked away.
“Because Juliette was supposed to expose herself.”
Christopher's anger exploded.
“You used my daughter as bait?”
Nathan's expression hardened.
“I never wanted Emma hurt.”
“She's six years old!”
“I know.”
“She's not a pawn!”
Nathan looked at him.
“Neither are you.”
Christopher stopped.
Nathan stepped closer.
“You think Juliette married you for love?”
Christopher said nothing.
“She married you because of your father's estate.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
Nathan pulled out a file.
“Your father didn't leave everything to you.”
Christopher took it.
Inside was an amended will.
His father's signature.
Christopher stared.
“That signature is fake.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
Then he revealed something else.
A letter.
Written by their father.
Christopher read it.
His hands began shaking.
The letter said Nathan had been sent away because their father feared someone inside the family was trying to destroy both sons.
Christopher looked up.
“Who?”
Nathan's expression changed.
“Our stepmother.”
Christopher froze.
“Eleanor?”
“She wasn't your father's victim.”
“She died.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
Christopher felt the world tilt.
“She is alive.”
A sound came from behind them.
Detective Reed shouted:
“Christopher! Get down!”
A gunshot cracked through the station.
Nathan tackled Christopher.
The bullet struck a metal beam.
Chaos erupted.
Police moved in.
Christopher grabbed Nathan.
“Where's Emma?”
Nathan pointed toward the old warehouse.
“There!”
Christopher ran.
Inside, he found Juliette.
She was tied to a chair.
Emma was nowhere.
Juliette looked terrified.
“Chris!”
Christopher stopped.
“Where is she?”
“I don't know!”
“You're lying.”
“I swear!”
A door slammed upstairs.
Christopher looked up.
Footsteps.
Someone was escaping.
Marcus chased them.
Christopher untied Juliette.
She collapsed.
“Who took Emma?”
Juliette looked at him.
“I don't know.”
“You're part of this.”
“I was.”
Christopher froze.
Juliette began crying.
“I wanted the trust.”
“You tried to kill her.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because they threatened me.”
“Who?”
Juliette looked toward the darkness.
“Your father.”
Christopher stared.
“My father is dead.”
Juliette shook her head.
“He isn't.”
Christopher felt a chill.
“He died eight years ago.”
Juliette whispered:
“Then who has been sending me instructions?”
Suddenly the lights went out.
A woman's voice echoed through the warehouse.
“Christopher.”
Everyone froze.
Christopher recognized it.
His stepmother.
Eleanor.
“You always were the obedient son.”
Christopher's heart pounded.
“Where is my daughter?”
A soft laugh.
“Exactly where she needs to be.”
Christopher shouted:
“If you touch her—”
“You'll do what?”
Silence.
Then Eleanor continued:
“You've spent your entire life believing your father chose you.”
Christopher's face hardened.
“He didn't.”
“He chose both of you.”
A light came on.
A screen appeared.
Emma was sitting in a room.
Alive.
Terrified.
Christopher moved toward the screen.
“Emma!”
She looked up.
“Daddy!”
Eleanor's voice continued.
“Bring me the original trust documents.”
Christopher clenched his fists.
“And then?”
“Then you get your daughter.”
The screen went black.
Christopher turned toward Nathan.
“What does she want?”
Nathan whispered:
“The trust.”
Christopher shook his head.
“No.”
Nathan looked at him.
“Then we'll need another way.”
Christopher stared at the black screen.
He had spent years building an empire.
Tonight, he would burn it all down if necessary.
May you like
Because his daughter was no longer fighting for her inheritance.
She was fighting for her life.
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