Chapter 9 - Fire in the Nursery Fire consumed the east wing.
But Ethan wasn't there.
The crib was.
Firefighters recovered it almost completely destroyed.
Inside one wooden rail, however, they found a waterproof steel cylinder.
Isabella recognized it.
“I put it there.”
Inside was the second ledger.
The favors ledger.
Judges.
Doctors.
Accountants.
Security personnel.
Anthony.
Dominic.
Serena.
And then Victor found his own name.
He stared at it.
Lily watched his face change.
Serena had been right about one thing.
Victor had funded parts of the machine.
He hadn't known what it was doing.
But he had signed the checks.
Approved the foundations.
Created the security system.
Rewarded silence.
Punished failure.
His empire had built the rooms Serena later locked.
Victor closed the ledger.
“I helped make this possible.”
Lily didn't comfort him.
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
That answer hurt.
It also saved him from the lie he desperately wanted.
Then Victor's phone rang.
Serena.
“You found your name.”
“Yes.”
“Now imagine what happens when Chicago finds it.”
Victor stared into the burning nursery.
“What do you want?”
May you like
Serena laughed softly.
“The wedding.”
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