Chapter 14: The Last Blackwood Secret
The countdown continued.
Nine minutes.
Thirty seconds.
My mother held Lily against her chest.
Agent Brooks immediately ordered his team to evacuate the mansion.
"Everyone outside! Move!""
Samuel remained near the entrance.
He wasn't smiling anymore.
I stared at the red numbers.
"What's connected to the control panel?""
My father answered.
"The old security system. It controls the basement access and the emergency power supply.""
"Is there an explosive?""
He nodded.
"Thomas installed something years ago. I never knew exactly what.""
Samuel laughed.
"Your father knew more than he admits.""
Richard turned toward him.
"Stop this, Samuel!""
"You had thirty years to stop it.""
Brooks approached Samuel.
"Put the remote down. We can resolve this without anyone getting hurt.""
Samuel looked at him.
"You think I care about prison?""
He raised the remote.
"Everything I've done has been for my father.""
I stepped forward.
"Your father is dead, Samuel.""
His expression changed.
"Don't.""
"Whatever he did to this family, it doesn't justify hurting a little girl.""
Samuel's eyes moved toward Lily.
For a moment, I thought he might surrender.
Then he looked back at me.
"You have everything. The company. The mansion.
The inheritance. Even the woman who loved you.""
He glanced at Emma.
I frowned.
"What does Emma have to do with this?""
Samuel smiled.
"Ask her.""
Emma looked confused.
"Me?""
He nodded.
"Your mother told you that you were one of three children. She never told you why she chose to keep Adrian and give you away.""
My mother tightened her arms around Lily.
"Samuel, don't.""
He ignored her.
"Because Emma wasn't supposed to inherit anything.""
I looked at him.
"What are you talking about?""
Samuel laughed.
"Your grandfather's trust wasn't created for three children. It was created for one.""
He pointed toward Emma.
"Her.""
Silence.
My mother closed her eyes.
Emma slowly turned toward her.
"Mom?""
My mother sighed.
"Your grandfather knew Richard's marriage was falling apart. He believed Adrian would eventually inherit the company, but he didn't trust Richard to protect it.""
"Then why me?"" Emma whispered.
"Because you were born last.""
My father frowned.
"That makes no sense.""
My mother continued.
"Your grandfather believed the youngest child would be the least influenced by the family business. He wanted Emma to have the final authority over the trust.""
I stared at the documents.
"Then why did the papers list Samuel?""
"Because your grandfather changed his mind shortly before his death. Samuel's father manipulated him.""
Samuel shook his head.
"That's a lie.""
My mother looked at him.
"Your father wanted control. He convinced you that the family had stolen everything from you.""
Samuel's jaw tightened.
I looked at Emma.
"So the inheritance belongs to her?""
My mother nodded.
"The original trust names Emma as the final beneficiary. The condition requires her siblings to verify her identity.""
Emma stared at the locket.
"And the document?""
"Contains the verification instructions.""
Samuel suddenly laughed.
"Wonderful. A family reunion and a legal fairy tale.""
He raised the remote.
"Unfortunately, the trust won't matter if the house is destroyed.""
The countdown reached six minutes.
Brooks moved closer.
Samuel noticed.
"Stop!""
He pressed a button.
A loud alarm sounded.
My father grabbed my arm.
"Adrian, there's a manual override in the basement.""
"How do we reach it?""
"Through the old wine cellar.""
"Then show me.""
Brooks shook his head.
"That's too dangerous.""
I looked toward the countdown.
"Do you have a better idea?""
My father nodded reluctantly.
"There's a maintenance passage behind the library. It leads directly to the basement control room.""
Emma stepped forward.
"I'm coming.""
"No," I replied.
"Adrian, this is my inheritance too.""
I looked at her.
Then I nodded.
We ran through the library.
My father pushed aside a heavy wooden bookshelf, revealing a narrow passage.
Dust filled the air.
A staircase descended into darkness.
"Stay close," he said.
I followed him.
Emma came behind me.
At the bottom, we found a steel door with an electronic keypad.
Richard entered a six-digit code.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Red.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
"The code has been changed.""
I looked at the panel.
A small camera was mounted above it.
Someone was watching us.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
Samuel.
"Hello, family.""
My father grabbed the microphone.
"Samuel, stop this!""
"Give me the inheritance.""
Emma stepped forward.
"It's mine.""
Samuel laughed.
"Then prove it.""
The speaker crackled.
"Tell me the name of the woman who gave birth to you.""
Emma looked at me.
Then she answered.
"Margaret Blackwood.""
Silence.
Samuel spoke again.
"Incorrect.""
My mother had told us her name was Margaret.
But the keypad flashed green.
The door unlocked.
I frowned.
"Why did he say it was incorrect?""
Emma stared at the screen.
Then she noticed a tiny message beneath the keypad.
*IDENTITY VERIFIED.*
She looked at me.
"He wanted us to think we had failed.""
We entered the control room.
My father rushed toward the main console.
"There's the override.""
A red lever stood beneath a glass cover.
He pulled it.
Nothing happened.
Then the countdown froze.
*00:03:12.*
A new message appeared.
*MANUAL SHUTDOWN REQUIRES THREE FAMILY AUTHORIZATIONS.*
Three biometric scanners illuminated.
My father placed his hand on the first.
Green.
I placed mine on the second.
Green.
Emma approached the third.
But before she could touch it, the lights went out.
A metallic door slammed behind us.
We heard footsteps.
Then someone spoke from the darkness.
"Step away from the control panel.""
I recognized the voice.
Vanessa.
She emerged holding a flashlight.
Her makeup was gone, and a cut crossed her forehead.
In her other hand was a small pistol.
"Vanessa?"" I whispered.
She smiled.
"Surprised to see me?""
My father moved in front of Emma.
"How did you get here?""
She laughed.
"Your security system is older than my grandmother. It wasn't difficult.""
She pointed the weapon toward Emma.
"Move away from the scanner.""
I stepped forward.
"Vanessa, it's over.""
"No, Adrian. It ends when I get what I was promised.""
"You've already lost.""
She shook her head.
"You're still not listening.""
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a second document.
The original trust amendment.
Then she smiled.
"Your grandfather didn't leave the inheritance to Emma.""
She turned the paper around.
"The final beneficiary is someone else entirely.""
I stared at the signature.
It belonged to my mother.
May you like
And beneath it was a name none of us expected.
*VANESSA REED.*
