Victoria stopped.

Sophie stared at her.

Victoria couldn’t finish.

Emily could.

“While you abused them.”

Victoria lowered her eyes.

“Yes.”

Edward’s face hardened.

“You don’t admit anything without counsel.”

Victoria laughed.

“You disappeared for eight years and that’s your fatherly advice?”

“Victoria—”

“No.”

She looked at Sophie.

“I hurt her.”

Sophie moved closer to Emily.

Victoria continued.

“I hurt Lucas.”

Edward stared.

“Why?”

“Because I was jealous.”

“You never admit motive.”

“STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE I’M ONE OF YOUR OPERATIVES!”

Her scream echoed through the warehouse.

Edward fell silent.

Victoria’s voice broke.

“I terrified two children because I wanted their father.”

She wiped her tears.

“And no conspiracy changes that.”

Emily watched her carefully.

Victoria wasn’t asking forgiveness.

Good.

She hadn’t earned it.

Edward turned away.

“We’re wasting time.”

He reached for the archive.

Margaret moved.

Fast.

She struck his wrist.

Edward grabbed her.

A gunshot exploded.

Sophie screamed.

Everyone froze.

One of Edward’s guards collapsed.

Thomas Carter stood in the doorway.

Gun raised.

“Step away from my sister.”

Emily stared.

“Thomas?”

Behind him stood Rachel.

Then Detective Cole.

Rachel saw Sophie.

“SOPHIE!”

“Mommy!”

Sophie ran.

Rachel dropped to her knees and caught her.

Michael wasn’t with them.

Emily immediately knew something was wrong.

“Where’s Michael?”

Rachel stood.

“With David.”

“What happened?”

“David escaped the vault.”

Margaret’s expression changed.

“How?”

Cole answered.

“He had explosives planted inside the tower.”

Edward smiled.

“Of course he did.”

Rachel looked at him.

“Edward Langford.”

“Rachel Hayes.”

“You tried to kill me.”

Edward shook his head.

“No.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No. I expect you to prove otherwise.”

Rachel raised her weapon.

Victoria stepped between them.

“Rachel.”

Rachel stared at her.

Victoria swallowed.

“I know you hate me.”

Rachel’s voice became ice.

“You abused my children.”

“Yes.”

“You threatened Lucas.”

“Yes.”

“You told Sophie her existence killed me.”

Victoria began crying.

“Yes.”

Rachel moved closer.

“If Michael hadn’t walked into that ballroom—”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

Rachel’s hands shook.

“You will answer for what you did.”

Victoria nodded.

“I will.”

Edward stepped forward.

“My daughter isn’t going to prison.”

Victoria turned.

“Yes, I am.”

Everyone froze.

Edward stared.

“What?”

“If that’s where the law puts me.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I finally do.”

Margaret watched silently.

Then her phone rang.

She answered.

No one spoke.

Margaret’s face slowly lost color.

“What?”

Michael’s voice came through the speaker.

“Mom?”

Margaret closed her eyes.

Twenty-two years.

One word.

“Michael.”

He went silent.

Then:

“You’re alive.”

“Yes.”

A painful pause.

“You have my daughter?”

Margaret looked at Sophie.

“Yes.”

“If you hurt her—”

“I won’t.”

“You don’t get to ask me to trust you.”

“I know.”

Michael breathed heavily.

“David has Lucas.”

Rachel froze.

“What?”

Sophie screamed:

“LUCAS!”

Rachel grabbed the phone.

“Michael, what happened?”

“David triggered the fire system. William tried to get Lucas out. David took him during the evacuation.”

“Where are you?”

“Following them.”

Margaret stepped forward.

“Michael, listen to me.”

“No.”

“You don’t understand what David is going to do.”

“He wants the archive.”

“No.”

Margaret looked toward the black case.

“He wants what the archive can unlock.”

Michael went silent.

“What?”

Margaret’s eyes filled with fear.

“A list.”

“What list?”

“The names of every child born into the families connected to the organization.”

Rachel stared.

“Why would he want children?”

Margaret answered:

“Because the organization doesn’t belong to the old generation anymore.”

Edward went pale.

Victoria noticed.

“Dad?”

Margaret continued.

“Thirty years ago, seven families signed the Continuity Agreement.”

Emily whispered:

“What agreement?”

Margaret looked at Sophie.

Then toward the phone.

“The organization transfers to the next generation if its leadership becomes compromised.”

Michael’s voice came through:

“And Lucas?”

Margaret closed her eyes.

“He isn’t just the heir to Hayes Holdings.”

A long silence.

“He is the designated successor to my position.”

Rachel stopped breathing.

“No.”

Margaret whispered:

“David doesn’t need Lucas to steal the organization.”

Her voice broke.

“He needs Lucas to become its legal owner.”

And miles away, inside a speeding black SUV, Lucas Hayes opened his eyes.

His hands were tied.

David sat across from him.

Smiling.

Lucas tried not to cry.

David leaned forward.

“You look like your father.”

Lucas stared at him.

“My dad is coming.”

“I know.”

“He’ll stop you.”

David smiled.

“I’m counting on it.”

Lucas swallowed.

“Why?”

David reached into his pocket.

He removed a photograph.

Margaret Hayes.

Rachel.

And a newborn Lucas.

On the back were four words.

THE LAST INNOCENT HEIR.

David placed it in Lucas’s lap.

“Because, kid…”

His smile disappeared.

“…your father is the final key.”