“Yes.”

“With whom?”

Victor hesitated.

“Alone.”

I didn't believe that.

Neither did Daniel.

“Find him,” I said.

Victor nodded.

“I'm already trying.”

I turned toward the stairs.

“Then let's go.”

Blackwell Tower rose above the city like a blade.

Forty-eight floors of black glass and steel.

The headquarters of Blackwell Holdings.

For decades, the building had represented old money disguised as modern power.

Tonight, every window was dark.

No employees.

No lights.

No traffic in the underground garage.

It looked abandoned.

Which meant it wasn't.

I stepped out of the car.

Daniel followed.

My mother stayed behind.

“You're not coming?”

She shook her head.

“Someone needs to stay with Victor.”

“I don't like that.”

“Neither do I.”

She touched my face.

For the first time since I'd seen her alive, she looked like my mother again.

“Come back.”

I nodded.

“I will.”

Daniel closed the car door.

We walked toward the entrance.

The doors opened automatically.

Inside, the lobby was empty.

The marble floor reflected our silhouettes.

A receptionist's desk stood abandoned.

The elevators were waiting.

Daniel pressed the button.

Nothing.

He pressed again.

The doors opened.

Inside was one button.

47.

I looked at him.

“There's no forty-eight?”

“Private floor.”

The doors closed.

The elevator rose.

Floor after floor.

My heart beat faster.

When we reached forty-seven, the doors opened.

A hallway stretched ahead.

At the end stood a man.

Adrian.

He looked terrible.

His jacket was gone.

His shirt was stained with blood.

A cut ran along his cheek.

He looked at me.

“Claire.”

I stepped out.

“You signed a contract.”

His expression tightened.

“Yes.”

“To take my inheritance.”

“Yes.”

Daniel raised his gun.

Adrian didn't move.

“Let him talk,” I said.

Daniel lowered the gun slightly.

I walked toward Adrian.

“Why?”

He looked at me.

“Because I was trying to stop my father.”

“That isn't an answer.”

“It was the only way.”

“You signed away my trust.”

“I signed away my family's claim to it.”

I frowned.

“What?”

Adrian pulled a document from his pocket.

He handed it to me.

I read the first page.

It looked like the same contract from the photograph.

Then I reached the final page.

My name was there.

But beneath it was something else.

A handwritten clause.

TRANSFER VOID IF SIGNATORY ACTS UNDER COERCION OR THREAT.

I looked up.

“You knew.”

“Yes.”

“Then why sign it?”

“Because my father wanted me to.”

“And you thought that would protect me?”

“No.”

He looked exhausted.

“I thought it would give me access.”

“To what?”

“The Circle.”

Daniel stepped closer.

“Explain.”

Adrian looked at him.

“Your father wasn't the only one investigating Meridian.”

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

“Who else?”

“Me.”

I stared at him.

“Why?”

“My mother.”

He looked away.

“She died three years ago.”

“I thought she died from cancer.”

“She did.”

“But before she died, she told me the Blackwell family was in danger.”

“Because of Meridian?”

“Yes.”

“She told me my father had become involved with people he couldn't control.”

“And she gave me one instruction.”

“What?”

“Find Jonathan Vale.”

I stared.

“You were investigating my father?”

“Yes.”

“And then you attacked me.”

“I made a deal with my father.”

“What deal?”

“He promised he would leave you alone if I made it look like you had been removed from the trust.”

I stared at him.

“You agreed.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought I could buy time.”

“You almost killed me.”

His face tightened.

“I know.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

He looked directly at me.

“I've replayed it in my head all night.”

I said nothing.

“I can't undo what I did.”

“No.”

“But I can tell you the truth.”

Daniel stepped closer.

“What truth?”

Adrian reached inside his shirt.

Pulled out a small device.

A recording drive.

“My father has been meeting Victor Ashford.”

Daniel froze.

“When?”

“Every week.”

“Where?”

“Here.”

He pointed toward the end of the corridor.

“Private conference room.”

I looked at him.

“Why bring me here?”

“Because tonight they're supposed to meet again.”

I frowned.

“Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Then where are they?”

Adrian looked toward the conference room.

“They're already inside.”

The doors at the end of the hallway opened.

A man stepped out.

Edward Blackwell.

He looked at his son.

Then at me.

Then at Daniel.

His expression was almost amused.

“Adrian.”

My heart tightened.

Edward smiled.

“You brought her.”

Adrian stepped in front of me.

“No.”

“I didn't bring her.”

Edward looked at me.

“She came because Jonathan sent her.”

He smiled.

“Just as I knew he would.”

Daniel raised his gun.

Edward didn't react.

“You won't shoot me.”

Daniel's finger tightened.

Edward continued.

“Because if I die tonight, every account connected to the Vale Trust will be frozen permanently.”

I stared.

“What?”

Edward looked at me.

“Your inheritance isn't sitting in a bank, Claire.”

He smiled.

“It's sitting in a machine.”

“What machine?”

“The Meridian Circle.”

My blood ran cold.

Edward stepped closer.

“And your father just handed you the keys.”

I looked at Adrian.

He shook his head.

“Don't listen to him.”

Edward laughed.

“Still pretending you're on her side?”

Adrian turned.

“You don't know what I've done.”

“I know exactly what you've done.”

Edward looked at me.

“Ask him about the transfer.”

“I already did.”

“Then ask him who signed the original authorization.”

Adrian's face changed.

I turned toward him.

“Who?”

He didn't answer.

Edward smiled.

“Your father.”

I looked at Adrian.

“Is that true?”

Adrian lowered his eyes.

“Yes.”

I felt the room tilt.

“Jonathan signed the original transfer?”

“Yes.”

“To Blackwell?”

“No.”

Adrian looked at me.

“To Meridian.”

Edward smiled.

“And now, thanks to your father's arrest, that authorization has become active.”

I stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

“It means your inheritance has entered the Circle.”

“And who controls it?”

Edward's smile widened.

“Whoever controls the Circle.”

“Victor Ashford?”

He didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

I looked toward the conference room.

“Where is he?”

Edward turned.

The lights inside the room came on.

A man stood behind the glass.

Victor Ashford.

Alive.

Watching me.

He lifted one hand.

Not a wave.

An invitation.

Then the building's entire security system activated.

Steel shutters slammed over the windows.

The elevators locked.

The doors sealed.

Daniel looked around.

“It's a trap.”

Adrian stepped beside me.

“Yes.”

I stared at Victor through the glass.

He smiled.

Then every screen in the hallway displayed the same message.

WELCOME HOME, ELEANOR.

My heart stopped.

The name appeared again.

PRIMARY HEIR CONFIRMED.

Then another line.

TRANSFER OF MERIDIAN CONTROL: 72 HOURS.

I looked at Daniel.

“What happens in seventy-two hours?”

He was silent.

I turned toward Adrian.

He looked at me.

“Everything.”

Victor Ashford opened the conference room door.

“Claire.”

His voice carried through the hallway.

“You have three days.”

“For what?”

He smiled.

“To decide whether you want to destroy the Meridian Circle…”

He paused.

“…or become its new owner.”

::