I bolted up the concrete stairwell, the sound of gunfire fading slightly as I climbed higher into the facility.

My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but the image of Lily's terrified face pushed me forward.

I reached the third floor, bursting through the fire doors into a lavishly renovated corridor.

It was completely out of place in the ruined asylum, featuring plush carpets and elegant lighting.

It looked exactly like a hallway from my mother's estate.

At the end of the corridor stood a massive, heavily reinforced steel door resembling a bank vault.

I ran toward it, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Before I could reach the handle, a large flat-screen monitor mounted on the wall blinked to life.

My mother's face appeared on the screen, her expression perfectly composed, not a single hair out of place.

“I knew you would figure it out, Clara,” Eleanor said smoothly, her voice piped in through hidden speakers.

“You always were resourceful when properly motivated.”

“Where is she?” I screamed at the screen, slamming my fists against the heavy steel door.

“Open this door!”

“Lily is perfectly safe inside this room,” Eleanor replied calmly.

“But the door will only open for you, Clara.”

“There is a biometric scanner to your right.”

I looked over and saw a sleek black panel glowing softly on the wall.

“Place your hand on the scanner and look into the lens,” Eleanor instructed.

“Doing so will authorize the immediate transfer of the Vanguard Trust to my control.”

“Once the transfer is complete, the door unlocks, and you can take your daughter home.”

I stared at the scanner, a deep, unsettling dread pooling in my stomach.

“If I do this, you have all the money,” I said, my voice trembling.

“You'll have absolute power.”

“What's stopping you from killing us both the moment that door opens?”

Eleanor offered a thin, chilling smile that did not reach her eyes.

“Because you are my daughter, Clara,” she said softly.

“And despite your flaws, I am not a monster.”

“You have five minutes before the trust locks for another decade.”

The screen went black, leaving me alone in the silent, luxurious hallway.

I stepped toward the scanner, my hand trembling as I raised it toward the glowing glass plate.

I had no choice.

I pressed my palm against the cool surface and leaned in to look directly at the scanning lens.

A mechanical voice chirped, followed by the heavy, echoing clack of massive deadbolts sliding open.

The vault door hissed, slowly swinging inward to reveal the darkness inside.