Chapter 15 - The Grandfather's Secret
I spent the next three days training relentlessly with Dante in the snowy woods.
My hands were bruised and blistered, but I learned how to properly load, aim, and fire a weapon.
I was fully embracing the dangerous bloodline I had spent my entire life trying to escape.
On the fourth night, a severe blizzard hit the mountains, completely cutting off our external visibility.
I was sitting by the fireplace when my secure burner phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a completely unknown, heavily encrypted international number.
I walked into the empty hallway and cautiously answered the call.
"Hello, my beautiful daughter," a smooth, chillingly calm voice echoed through the speaker.
My blood ran absolutely cold.
It was Alejandro Vargas.
"How did you get this number?" I demanded, keeping my voice as fierce as possible.
"I have eyes everywhere, Clara," Alejandro chuckled darkly.
"Even inside your precious grandfather's inner circle."
"Your grandfather is a liar, Clara."
"He did not banish me because I was a monster."
"He banished me because I discovered he was secretly stealing millions from the Commission's orphan funds."
I gripped the phone incredibly tightly, refusing to believe the brutal warlord's lies.
"I want nothing to do with you," I stated firmly.
"You have exactly twenty-four hours to change your mind," Alejandro replied smoothly.
"If you do not meet me alone at the abandoned shipping yard in Brooklyn tomorrow night, I will authorize a highly coordinated strike."
"I have a sniper team currently aimed directly at Leo's bedroom window at the safehouse."
"Come to me, claim your rightful throne, and your new family lives."
"Refuse me, and I will burn everything you love to the ground."
The line went completely dead.
I stared at the phone in sheer, unadulterated terror.
I walked slowly to Leo's bedroom and carefully peeked through the heavy curtains.
There, shining faintly through the dense snow, was the undeniable red dot of a laser sight resting perfectly on Leo's empty bed.
Alejandro was not bluffing.
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He had entirely bypassed our ultimate security grid.
I knew exactly what I had to do, and I knew Ricardo would never let me do it.
