Chapter 13 - The devil in a suit
I did not even hesitate. I raised the heavy flare gun and pulled the trigger. The blinding red projectile shot across the dark basement, striking the mercenary directly in his tactical vest. The intense heat of the flare ignited the fabric instantly, sending the massive man screaming to the ground. "Run, Lila, run!" I shrieked, throwing my entire body weight against the heavy iron door of the wine cellar. We rushed into the damp, dark tunnel, the terrifying sounds of the burning mercenary echoing behind us. We sprinted through the muddy darkness for what felt like an absolute eternity, my lungs burning and my legs screaming in agony. Finally, we burst out into the freezing, torrential rain behind the old carriage house. Just as we cleared the tree line, a sleek black town car skidded onto the muddy grass, completely blocking our path. The rear door swung open, and Julian Sterling stepped out into the pouring rain.
He was not wearing his usual expensive suit; he was dressed in dark, tactical clothing, completely soaked by the storm. "Get in the car, Rowan, right now!" Julian yelled, waving us frantically toward the open door. I hesitated, pointing the empty flare gun at his chest. "Your name is on my birth certificate, Julian," I screamed over the roaring wind. "Who is Victor Sterling, and why are his men hunting my daughter?" Julian’s face hardened, his eyes completely unreadable in the stormy darkness. "Victor is my father, Rowan. Which makes him your biological father as well," he revealed, his words hitting me like a physical blow. "He runs the most powerful black-market syndicate in Eastern Europe, and Arthur stole billions of dollars from him to hide you and Lila." I stared at him in complete and utter shock. "I have spent my entire life protecting you from him in secret, but Eleanor’s stunt with the private jet exposed your location," Julian continued, drawing a heavy silver pistol from his waistband. "If you want Lila to live to see tomorrow morning, you need to trust your brother." I looked back at the mansion, seeing dozens of flashlight beams sweeping across the lawn toward us. I had no other choice. I pushed Lila into the back of the car and dove in right behind her.
