Chapter 178
As dawn broke, the estate seemed quiet, but tensions simmered beneath the surface. While Alexander and Lily plotted with Maxwell about the secret vault, Ariana remained hidden in the forest, determined to carve out her own path. Unbeknownst to them all, Carolina had already set her sights on uncovering Caleb’s secret—and she was prepared to do whatever it took.
In the grand halls of the estate, Alexander confronted Caleb in his study. The older man looked weary, but his eyes held a stubborn resolve as he studied his grandson’s determined expression.
“Caleb, you need to tell me what’s in that vault. If Carolina gets to it first, we lose everything,” Alexander insisted, his voice low but intense. He knew that time was running out, and every second they wasted brought Carolina closer.
Caleb swirled the whiskey in his glass, staring into the amber liquid as if it held all the answers. “Some secrets are buried for a reason, Alexander. If I tell you what’s in that vault, you might not like what you find.”
Alexander leaned closer, his patience fraying. “It’s not just about me. It’s about protecting Lily, our family—everything we’ve built. If this is about power, then I need to know.”
Caleb’s gaze finally met his, the shadows under his eyes deepening. “It’s not just power, Alexander. It’s a history that could tear this entire family apart. You think the battles you’ve fought so far are the worst of it? You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
***
Meanwhile, in the hidden cabin, Ariana worked through the encrypted data she had taken from The Architect’s files. She was alone but focused, piecing together the remnants of his plans, hoping to find a weakness she could exploit. A small smile played on her lips as she uncovered a map—a layout of the underground passages beneath Caleb’s estate.
“This is my way back in,” she muttered to herself. “And my way to get ahead of Alexander and Lily.”
She couldn’t afford to let them find the vault before her. If they did, she would lose the last chance she had to prove herself—to her mother, to herself, and to everyone who thought she couldn’t stand on her own. Ariana set the map aside, picked up a burner phone, and made a call.
“Meet me at the old estate tunnels,” she instructed the person on the other end. “I need backup, and this time, we do it my way.”
***
Back at Carolina’s residence, she sat at a lavish breakfast table, her expression a mask of composure as she read through the latest reports from her informants. Her fury at Ariana’s betrayal had cooled into a cold determination. She knew that her daughter’s defiance had only made things more complicated, but she wasn’t going to let that deter her.
Samuel approached, carrying a slim tablet. “Ma’am, we’ve received confirmation—Ariana has made contact with an unknown ally. It seems she’s planning to make a move on the estate.”
Carolina raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smile tugging at her lips. “So, my daughter is finally trying to play the game on her own. Let her try—she’ll realize soon enough how far out of her depth she really is.”
Samuel hesitated, then added, “But there’s another issue, ma’am. The media is reporting that no one was in the car that crashed. They’re speculating that Lily faked her death.”
Carolina’s smile faded. “Lily is alive? Interesting...”
She considered her options, realizing that her plans would need to shift yet again. If Lily and Alexander were still in play, then the stakes had just gotten higher. Carolina’s mind whirled with new strategies, and she knew she needed to strike before anyone else could gain the upper hand.
“Prepare the team,” she ordered Samuel. “If Ariana wants to play with fire, let’s see how she handles a real blaze. We’re going to the estate, and we’ll be the ones to find that vault—before anyone else.”
***
In the estate’s underground tunnels, Lily and Maxwell had taken a different path. With Lily’s knowledge of her grandfather’s tendencies and Maxwell’s skills at deciphering hidden routes, they navigated the maze-like passages beneath the estate. Lily had one hand on her weapon, the other clutching a flashlight as they pressed forward.
“You really think Caleb would keep something like this a secret from you?” Maxwell asked as they turned a corner, the air growing colder and damper the deeper they went.
Lily’s expression was grim. “He’s always been protective of certain parts of the estate’s history. But I know him—he’s hiding something big, something he’s afraid will change everything.”
Maxwell nodded, glancing at the map he had sketched from their conversations. “Well, whatever it is, we’ll find it. Just keep your eyes open—no telling who else might be down here.”
They continued their descent, unaware that Ariana, Alexander, and Carolina’s forces were all converging on the same destination. Each one held pieces of the puzzle, but none knew the full picture.
And in the shadows, a figure moved silently, watching them all—someone who had yet to reveal their hand in this deadly game. A new player, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and upend the fragile balance of power that everyone else fought so desperately to control.
The battle for the vault, for power, and for survival was just beginning, and no one could predict how it would end.
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