Chapter 9 - THE GLASS SANCTUARY
The key opened a hidden room beneath Julian's mansion.
The room had glass walls.
A private vault.
Julian had never known it existed.
Inside were dozens of files.
His father's handwriting covered every folder.
Martha stood at the entrance.
“I begged him to destroy this.”
Julian opened the first file.
Photographs.
Bank transfers.
Names.
Politicians.
Judges.
Executives.
Evelyn had not acted alone.
Victor was only one piece.
Julian turned another page.
Then he saw a name.
Martha Hale.
His mother.
He stared at her.
“What is this?”
Martha began crying.
“I was involved.”
Julian stepped back.
“You knew?”
“I knew your father was investigating.”
“That's not what I asked.”
She looked at him.
“I helped him hide Clara.”
Julian's anger softened for a moment.
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather wanted Clara erased.”
Julian swallowed.
“And Dad?”
“He wanted to expose everyone.”
“Who stopped him?”
Martha closed her eyes.
“Me.”
Julian froze.
“You?”
“I begged him to stop. I was afraid they would kill both of our children.”
“Our children?”
Martha nodded.
“Clara was not your father's only secret.”
Julian stared.
“What else?”
Martha pointed toward a final file.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Julian Hale.
Then another.
Clara Hale.
And a third.
Ethan Hale.
Julian felt his legs weaken.
“A third child?”
Martha whispered, “Your father had three children.”
“Where is Ethan?”
“I don't know.”
A sound came from the vault door.
Click.
The door locked.
Julian turned.
Smoke began filling the room.
“Mom!”
Martha coughed.
Bianca rushed toward the control panel.
“Someone activated the ventilation.”
Julian searched the walls.
There was no exit.
The smoke thickened.
Then a speaker crackled.
Evelyn's voice.
“You wanted the truth.”
Julian shouted, “Show yourself!”
“You're standing inside it.”
A panel opened beneath the floor.
Julian saw a hidden staircase.
“Go!”
They climbed down.
The staircase led into an underground tunnel.
At the end was a steel door.
Julian opened it.
They emerged behind an abandoned church.
A man waited there.
He was in his thirties.
He had Julian's eyes.
The man looked at Martha.
Then at Julian.
“I've been waiting for you.”
Julian stared.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled sadly.
“Ethan.”
May you like
Martha collapsed.
And Julian realized the family secret was bigger than anyone had imagined.
