Chapter 12: The Final Betrayal
I stared at the photograph.
My fingers trembled.
The person outside my father’s hospital room was not Vivian.
Not Caleb.
Not even Samuel.
It was my father’s longtime assistant.
Daniel.
The man who had brought coffee to my hospital chair.
The man who had told me, “Your father was lucky to have you.””
The man who had cried when Dad died.
I looked at Samuel.
“Daniel?””
He nodded.
“We believe he was involved.””
“Believe?””
Samuel sighed.
“We need proof.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“Why would he do this?””
She looked at the files.
“Because people close to powerful families often believe they deserve a piece of what they protect.””
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
LEAVE THE TOWER.
A second message arrived.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOUR FATHER REALLY WAS.
Caleb saw my face.
“What happened?””
I showed him.
His expression darkened.
“Someone knows we’re here.””
Samuel walked toward the computer.
“We need to leave.””
“No.””
Everyone looked at me.
I surprised myself too.
For two days, people had been telling me what to do.
Leave.
Stay.
Trust.
Don’t trust.
I was done.
“I’m not running.””
Samuel looked concerned.
“Hannah.””
“My father spent years protecting me.””
I looked around the hidden office.
“I spent my entire life thinking he was just my father.””
My voice shook.
“But he was fighting for me.””
I picked up the files.
“Now I’m fighting for him.””
Nobody argued.
For the first time, they listened.
We searched through the documents.
The truth slowly appeared.
Daniel had been working with someone.
Someone connected to the original Pierce family.
Someone who wanted control of the empire.
Then Caleb found something.
“Hannah.””
I walked over.
He held a document.
A transfer agreement.
The date was three days before Dad entered the hospital.
The recipient name was hidden.
But the signature wasn’t.
Daniel.
“He was trying to transfer ownership.””
Samuel looked closer.
“That’s impossible.””
“Why?””
“Because Harrison Tower wasn’t owned by your father personally.””
I frowned.
“Then who owned it?””
Samuel looked at me.
“You.””
The answer hit me.
The tower had always belonged to me.
Dad wasn’t leaving me an inheritance.
He was protecting something that was already mine.
A security alarm suddenly sounded.
Everyone froze.
The office lights flashed red.
Someone was entering the building.
Samuel looked toward the door.
“They found us.””
Eleanor grabbed my arm.
“Hannah, there’s a hidden exit.””
I looked at her.
“How do you know?””
She hesitated.
“Because I helped Robert build this room.””
Another secret.
Another hidden piece.
But there was no time.
The door handle moved.
Someone was trying to enter.
Caleb stepped forward.
“I’ll hold them.””
“No.””
I stopped him.
“You already sacrificed enough.””
He looked at me.
A sad smile appeared.
“Maybe this time I can do something right.””
The door lock started cracking.
Samuel pointed toward the hidden panel.
“Go.””
We moved quickly.
The wall opened behind the bookshelf.
Before I entered, I looked back.
The office door burst open.
A shadow appeared.
A voice called out.
“Hannah!””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It wasn’t Daniel.
It wasn’t Vivian.
It was someone impossible.
Someone who should not have been here.
Someone my father had told me was gone years ago.
The person stepped into the light.
And whispered:
“I’m sorry, but your father lied about everything.””
May you like
My blood turned cold.
Because the person standing there was my biological mother.
