Chapter 6 - The Sister's Secret
I stood completely paralyzed in front of the empty wall safe, staring at the chilling name written on the note.
The Architect.
I had absolutely no idea who this person was, but Ryan had just handed them ten million dollars of my family's money.
I shoved the threatening note into my pocket and walked quickly out of the private study, my mind racing with terrifying possibilities.
When I reached the grand foyer, Margaret and Ashley were dragging their designer suitcases toward the front door.
Mr. Sterling stood by the entrance with his arms crossed, making sure they didn't steal any expensive artifacts on their way out.
"You are going to deeply regret this, Elena," Margaret spat, her eyes burning with pure, unadulterated hatred.
I ignored my mother-in-law completely and walked directly up to Ashley, grabbing her roughly by the shoulder.
"Let go of me, you crazy witch!" Ashley shrieked, trying to pull away from my grip.
"Your failing boutique wasn't just a bad business venture, was it?" I demanded, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
Ashley's arrogant expression instantly vanished, replaced by a flash of genuine, overwhelming panic.
She looked nervously at her mother, then back at me, her mouth opening and closing like a suffocating fish.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Ashley stammered, her hands shaking violently on the handle of her suitcase.
"Ryan stole ten million dollars in bearer bonds from my father's safe, and he mentioned a man named The Architect," I pressed relentlessly.
The moment the name left my lips, all the remaining color completely drained from Ashley's face.
She physically stumbled backward, dropping her expensive luggage onto the hard marble floor with a loud crash.
"He actually gave the bonds to him?" Ashley whispered, tears of sheer terror welling up in her eyes.
"Who is The Architect, Ashley?" I yelled, entirely losing my carefully guarded patience.
Margaret aggressively pushed me away from her daughter, stepping protectively in front of the trembling younger woman.
"Do not speak to my daughter that way, you have already done enough damage to this family today!" Margaret screamed defensively.
Ashley grabbed her mother's arm, her fingers digging desperately into the older woman's expensive sweater.
"Mom, we have to leave the country right now," Ashley sobbed, completely ignoring my presence.
"If Ryan gave him the bonds, it means the boutique's money laundering accounts were officially compromised."
Mr. Sterling and I exchanged a shocked, horrified look as the reality of her confession set in.
The chic downtown boutique wasn't selling overpriced dresses to wealthy socialites at all.
It was a highly sophisticated front designed specifically to wash dirty money for a massive criminal syndicate.
"Ryan didn't steal your money to help me, Elena," Ashley cried, backing away toward the open front door.
"He stole your bonds to pay off his massive gambling debt to the cartel, and he used my boutique as the collateral."
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She turned around and sprinted out the front door, leaving her mother and her luggage completely behind in her desperation to escape.
As Mr. Sterling rushed to close the heavy door, my cell phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket with an unknown caller ID.
