. Lex spun around, fists rai

l gear. Dark hair tied back. A scar ran from her left eye

you?" Lex

ee years." She pulled out a phone and show

his father. Alive. Healthy. Standing n

six months ago,"

died three years ago.

with a closed casket.

lted. "What ar

Lex Andrews. Or should I call you

w. No one had called him that in thr

you kn

but you went dark. Complete silence." She gestured toward the study. "Mean

Lex grabbed her arm

supposedly killed your father? Sabotage. The documents that pro

s chest, hot and vio

our father's company collapsed. Explain why he kept you alive but powerless. He w

e study, voice

ortion!" Ger

t," Andrew replied. "

Lex's wrist. "We

ere until you tell me

t was stolen. But he cannot move until you are out of this house.

proached the

ex toward the back

naline pushed him forward. They descended the stai

the study doo

ed through the mansion. "Find t

allways. Flashlights

"Listen carefully. Your father gave me a mes

t wa

eighteenth birthday. The on

old. "How do you

r why it matters." She pressed something into his hand. A key. "This o

know what happened. I need to kno

ut you need to leave tonight. Before

rackled nearby. "

. Get to the storage unit. Trust no one. Not th

oes Sophia have

the fountain and sprinted toward the

e roses!" A g

Not warning sho

injured ribs forgotten. Behind him, chaos consumed the S

craping against brick. At the top, he dropped twelve

corner, keys in the ignition

the helmet: "Your

red the engine, and tore down the street just

trict. Abandoned factories and empty lots sur

d. His entire body ached. Blood seeped through his sh

of that

ond floor. Lex unlocked

files, and equipment. A laptop sat on a folding

. The Zhangs. All of them. Now you know the truth. Now you can fight back. The files on this laptop contain everything. Every crime. Every betrayal. Every sec

His father was alive. The Sterlings had betray

lled the screen. Financial recor

a folder lab

art st

w Zhang. Not recent. These were dated three yea

folder. In another, they shook hands

ophia and Andrew sitting

weeks before Lex's fa

ith rage. Sophia knew.

d. A new number

nswe

led the screen. Older

e said. "Welcome back to

ad

e. She told them you attacked her and fled. They are looking for you.

do that? Why

om the beginning. Your marriage was never real, Lex. It was a cage. And now th

usted

out of there. Head to the address I am se

es

e to th

he screen as a new message arri

rens wailed in

ng cl