CHAPTER 15 — THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
Mara mapped the Thorne empire.
The result filled six screens.
Banks.
Hospitals.
Energy systems.
Public transportation.
Insurance networks.
The Thornes had buried themselves inside the city’s infrastructure.
“If every company fails at midnight, emergency services will lose access to funds,” Mara said. “Hospitals may lose power contracts. Payroll systems will freeze.”
Nathan looked at Evelyn.
“Beatrice created a financial hostage system.”
“No,” Evelyn said. “My father did.”
She recognized the structure.
Daniel had taught her to build interconnected models as a child.
He used to call them webs.
Pull the wrong thread, and everything moved.
The address Celeste sent led to an abandoned theater.
Evelyn entered alone.
Her mother sat in the front row.
Gabriel stood onstage beneath a single light.
“Where is Julian?” Evelyn asked.
“We don’t have him,” Celeste said.
“Then who does?”
Gabriel answered.
“Daniel.”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“Which Daniel?”
“The original.”
Celeste motioned toward the stage.
A film began playing behind Gabriel.
It showed Daniel Vance speaking to Beatrice twenty-three years earlier.
“The Thorne family will become the visible empire,” Daniel said. “Nightingale will remain invisible beneath it.”
Beatrice poured two glasses of wine.
“And Evelyn?”
“She will inherit both.”
Evelyn watched herself as a child enter the room.
Daniel knelt before her.
“One day,” he said, “people will think you are trapped inside a powerful family.”
Young Evelyn smiled.
“But really, they’ll be trapped with me.”
The film ended.
Evelyn could barely breathe.
“You trained me to destroy them.”
Celeste shook her head.
“To replace them.”
Gabriel stepped down from the stage.
“The empire was always meant to become yours.”
“Then why did Julian abuse me?”
“Because Beatrice changed the plan,” Celeste said. “She wanted to break you before activation.”
“And you watched?”
“I was imprisoned.”
“Gabriel wasn’t.”
Gabriel accepted her accusation.
“I believed suffering would bring your memories back.”
Evelyn slapped him.
The sound echoed through the theater.
“No one gets to call what happened to me necessary.”
Her phone rang.
Julian’s voice came through.
“Evelyn, I escaped.”
“Where are you?”
“Saint Augustine Tower.”
A gun clicked behind him.
Julian whispered, “Your father wants to speak with you.”
Another voice came onto the line.
Older.
Steady.
“Hello, Evie.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Stop the collapse.”
May you like
Daniel Vance laughed softly.
“Come take the empire from me.”
