Chapter 9: The Board
The store screens went black.
Then one final image appeared.
A boardroom.
Seven silhouettes sat around a long table.
Their faces were hidden by darkness.
Camille stared at the screen.
“Who are they?””
Victor looked sick.
“The board.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“Which board?””
“The original.””
Naomi shook her head.
“They were supposed to be gone.””
Victor looked at her.
“They never left.””
Adrian turned toward Monica.
“You said you didn't know anything.””
Monica's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't.””
One of the screens flickered.
A man's voice filled the store.
“You know enough.””
Monica froze.
The voice continued.
“Open the safe.””
She shook her head.
“I don't have the combination.””
The voice laughed.
“You've had it for eleven years.””
Adrian watched her carefully.
“Monica.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
“Your employee badge.””
She glanced down.
“Take it off.””
“I don't understand.””
“Take it off.””
She slowly removed the badge.
Adrian turned it over.
There was a tiny metal strip hidden beneath the plastic.
A magnetic key.
Monica stared.
“I've never seen that before.””
Victor whispered, “You were chosen.””
“For what?””
“To open the vault.””
Monica's eyes widened.
“I didn't know.””
Adrian took the badge.
He pressed the magnetic strip against the security panel.
The wall behind the counter unlocked.
A section of marble slid aside.
Inside was a narrow compartment.
And inside that compartment sat a black metal box.
Camille whispered:
“The box.””
Naomi nodded.
“Yes.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Don't open it.””
Camille looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because once you do, everything changes.””
Adrian stared at the box.
“That's what we're here for.””
Naomi reached for Camille's hand.
“Whatever happens, don't sign anything.””
Camille nodded.
Adrian placed the metal seal against the box.
Nothing happened.
Victor exhaled.
“See?””
Then the box clicked.
Victor's face went white.
The lid opened by itself.
Inside were documents.
A passport.
A photograph.
A small key.
And a handwritten letter.
Camille reached for the letter.
Adrian stopped her.
“I'll read it.””
She looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because if it's dangerous—”
“No.””
Camille pulled the letter free.
“My life has been decided by other people long enough.””
She unfolded it.
The handwriting was old.
But the first words were unmistakable.
*To Camille, when you are old enough to know the truth.*
Camille's lips trembled.
She read silently.
Then her eyes widened.
“What?””
Naomi looked worried.
“What does it say?””
Camille couldn't speak.
Adrian took the letter.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then he stopped.
Naomi whispered, “What?””
Adrian looked at her.
“Your father knew.””
Naomi's face tightened.
“Knew what?””
Adrian continued reading.
“He knew the board would come for Camille.””
Victor whispered, “Of course he did.””
Camille took the letter back.
“There is more.””
She read aloud.
“The company was never meant to belong to the Hayes family or the Cole family alone.”
Adrian frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Camille continued.
“It was created for the child who could unite both families.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
Camille looked at her.
“You knew.””
Naomi shook her head.
“I knew about the ownership. I didn't know about that.””
Camille read the next line.
Her expression changed.
“But if the child is ever forced to choose between the two families, the company must be destroyed rather than surrendered.”
Victor whispered:
“No.””
Adrian took the letter.
“There has to be another page.””
He searched the box.
There was none.
Instead, he found the small key.
“What does this open?””
Victor stared at it.
“Nothing.””
Adrian held it up.
“You recognize it.””
“No.””
“You're lying.””
Victor looked at Naomi.
She shook her head.
“Victor.””
He finally sat down.
“It opens the board's private archive.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Where?””
Victor said nothing.
Camille stepped toward him.
“Where?””
“Beneath the original headquarters.””
“That's been demolished.””
“No.””
Victor looked up.
“Only the building above it was demolished.””
Adrian's face tightened.
“The archive is still there.””
Victor nodded.
“And so are the records.””
Naomi looked at Adrian.
“If the board still has access, they can destroy everything.””
Adrian put the documents back into the box.
“Then we go there.””
Victor stood.
“You can't.””
“Why?””
“Because the board isn't trying to scare you.””
Victor's voice trembled.
“They're trying to make you angry enough to do exactly what they want.””
Adrian stared at him.
“What do they want?””
Victor looked toward Camille.
“They want her to open the archive.””
Camille frowned.
“Why?””
“Because the person who opens it becomes responsible for every debt, every liability, every hidden transaction connected to the company.””
Adrian went still.
“So they want Camille to inherit the company and its crimes.””
Victor nodded.
Camille looked at the box.
“Then they planned this.””
“Yes.””
“From the beginning.””
“Yes.””
Adrian's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
*MIDNIGHT. ORIGINAL HEADQUARTERS.*
A second message arrived.
*COME ALONE, ADRIAN.*
Then a third.
*OR WE RELEASE WHAT YOUR SISTER DID.*
Adrian's expression hardened.
Camille saw the screen.
“What did Lena do?””
Adrian didn't answer.
Naomi looked frightened.
“Adrian.””
He stared at the message.
Another arrived.
This one contained a photograph.
Lena was standing outside an old building.
Alive.
Older.
And beside her stood a man Camille had never seen before.
Victor saw the photograph.
His knees nearly gave out.
Camille caught his arm.
“Dad?””
Victor stared at the screen.
“That man…”
Adrian looked at him.
“You know him.””
Victor's voice became a whisper.
“He's the reason your father died.””
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“Who is he?””
Victor looked at Camille.
Then Naomi.
Then finally Adrian.
“The man sitting at the head of the board.””
The store doors suddenly unlocked.
Every security light turned green.
And from somewhere outside, a car engine roared to life.
Adrian looked toward the glass entrance.
May you like
His sister was waiting.
And whoever had taken control of the company wanted him to come alone.
