Chapter 5 - The Room Behind the Library
The real camera wasn't in the garden.
It wasn't in the mansion.
It wasn't even owned by Seraphina.
Maribel knew where it was because she had seen the person who installed it.
The children were separated.
Noah and Maribel were taken to a secure room beneath the warehouse.
Caleb and Seraphina were forced to sit across from Gideon.
Gideon finally revealed the truth.
He had worked for Seraphina's father.
Not as security.
As an investigator.
Years ago, Seraphina's father discovered that someone inside his company was stealing sensitive information.
He suspected Daniel.
But Daniel had actually been trying to expose the theft.
Gideon helped Daniel disappear.
Then Seraphina's father died.
The investigation stopped.
Until Maribel was born.
“She carries a genetic condition,” Gideon explained.
Seraphina frowned.
“What condition?”
“Her blood contains a rare marker connected to a medical patent your father secretly owned.”
Seraphina stared.
“What patent?”
“A treatment for a neurological disease.”
Caleb understood.
“That's why they want her.”
Gideon nodded.
“The patent is worth billions.”
Seraphina's voice trembled.
“My daughter is not an asset.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you let this happen?”
“Because the people behind Blackridge threatened my family.”
Caleb stared at him.
“That's what they told me too.”
Gideon looked at him.
“Emily discovered the same network.”
Caleb's face tightened.
“Who killed her?”
Gideon hesitated.
“Her death was ordered by a man named Victor Vale.”
Seraphina's face went white.
“Victor?”
Her uncle.
Her father's brother.
The man she hadn't seen in fifteen years.
Gideon continued.
“Victor believed the patent belonged to him.”
“Where is he?”
“Here.”
A door opened.
Victor Vale entered.
Older.
Elegant.
Cold.
He looked at Seraphina.
“You always were your father's favorite.”
She stared at him.
“You killed my husband?”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
He glanced at Caleb.
“Blackridge did.”
Caleb stood.
Gideon aimed his weapon.
Victor continued.
“But I gave the order.”
Caleb's eyes became ice.
Seraphina grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Victor smiled.
“That is why I chose you, Caleb.”
Caleb stared.
“What?”
“You're angry.”
“I should kill you.”
“Yes.”
“But you won't.”
“Why?”
“Because you have a son.”
Caleb's jaw tightened.
Victor walked closer.
“You protect children.”
He looked at Seraphina.
“And she protects her daughter.”
“That's why you brought us here.”
Victor nodded.
“I need one of you to open the medical trust.”
Seraphina laughed.
“You can't.”
“I can.”
“No.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Then Maribel dies.”
Silence.
Seraphina's face went white.
Caleb whispered:
“Where are the children?”
Victor didn't answer.
Instead, the warehouse lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Someone screamed.
Then emergency lights came on.
Victor was gone.
So was Gideon.
The door to the children's room was open.
Seraphina ran.
Maribel and Noah were gone.
Caleb found a small trail of butterfly stickers.
He followed them.
They led toward the library.
Inside the old warehouse library, Maribel had pushed aside a bookshelf.
Behind it was a narrow passage.
Caleb crouched.
“She found the exit.”
Seraphina looked at him.
“How?”
He smiled.
“She's your daughter.”
They crawled through the passage.
At the end was a hidden room.
Maribel and Noah were there.
And so was Gideon.
But Gideon wasn't holding a gun.
He was bleeding.
He looked at Seraphina.
“Victor found the real camera.”
Seraphina froze.
“Where?”
Gideon pointed toward the wall.
“Your father's library.”
“What does it show?”
May you like
“Everything.”
Then he collapsed.
