Chapter 14 - THE NIGHT THE MANSION FOUGHT BACK
Vale House was under attack before Elena returned.
Owen’s men entered through maintenance tunnels built decades earlier beneath the estate. They disabled the new security system and cut power to the western wing.
Adrian moved Sophie into the reinforced library.
Julian retrieved weapons from the office safe.
Rosa led the staff through a service passage toward the kitchens.
The first shots shattered the ballroom windows.
By the time Elena, Ella, Mrs. Hart, and Hannah reached the estate, smoke filled the upper floors.
Ella opened a hidden gate beneath the northern wall.
“You knew this was here?” Elena asked.
“My father designed it.”
They entered through an underground wine cellar.
Above them came footsteps.
Mrs. Hart stopped.
“Owen will go to Isabel’s room.”
“Why?” Elena asked.
“The sealed trust schedule is hidden there.”
“We searched the room.”
“Not the ceiling.”
They split up.
Ella and Hannah went toward the east wing.
Mrs. Hart moved to restore emergency power.
Elena ran toward the library.
She found Adrian in the hallway fighting one of Owen’s men.
Elena grabbed a brass lamp and struck the attacker across the shoulder.
Adrian turned.
“How did you get back?”
“Long story.”
“Where is Sophie?”
“In the library.”
They reached the reinforced door.
Julian opened it.
Sophie ran into Elena’s arms.
“You came back.”
“I always come back.”
An explosion shook the mansion.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Julian looked at Adrian.
“They’re not here to kill us.”
“What do they want?” Elena asked.
“The trust schedule.”
Adrian checked his weapon.
“If Owen reaches it, he can destroy the identity of the second heir.”
Ella’s voice came through the radio.
“He already found the compartment.”
Adrian stared at the device.
“Who is that?”
“Your cousin.”
“My cousin is dead.”
“Apparently your family announces death too quickly.”
They ran toward the east wing.
Owen stood inside Isabel’s bedroom holding a metal case.
Two armed men guarded the door.
Ella faced him from across the room.
She removed her red scarf.
Owen’s expression changed.
“You.”
“You always were slow.”
Adrian entered with Julian.
Owen raised his gun.
“Drop your weapons.”
No one moved.
Sophie appeared behind Elena.
Owen saw her.
His smile returned.
“The little heiress.”
Elena stepped in front of the child.
Owen held up the metal case.
“This is what all of you nearly died for.”
“Open it,” Ella said.
“I already did.”
“Then you know.”
Owen looked at Adrian and Julian.
“One of you has lived another man’s life for forty-two years.”
Julian’s face went pale.
Adrian’s weapon remained steady.
“Which one?”
Owen laughed.
“You think I will give away the only thing keeping me alive?”
A gunshot came from the hallway.
One of Owen’s men collapsed.
Rosa stood behind him holding an antique pistol.
“My grandmother hated this family,” she said. “Now I understand why.”
Chaos erupted.
Adrian tackled the second attacker.
Julian pulled Sophie behind the bed.
Ella lunged for the case.
Owen fired.
The bullet struck Mrs. Hart as she entered the doorway.
She fell.
Elena reached her.
Blood spread across the older woman’s shoulder.
“I’m all right,” Mrs. Hart gasped. “Stop him.”
Owen ran toward the balcony.
Adrian followed.
Rain poured through the open doors.
They fought against the stone railing.
Owen struck Adrian with the metal case.
Adrian fell to one knee.
Owen raised his gun.
Sophie stepped onto the balcony.
“Stop.”
Owen turned.
She held the bathroom camera button in her hand.
A red light blinked.
“You’re recording this?” he asked.
Sophie nodded.
Owen smiled.
“You think anyone will believe a child?”
This time, Adrian answered.
“Yes.”
He drove his shoulder into Owen.
The gun fired into the air.
The metal case fell over the railing.
Elena watched it land on the glass roof of the conservatory below.
Owen grabbed Adrian’s throat.
Julian ran forward.
Before he reached them, a second shot sounded.
Owen stopped moving.
Celeste stood in the bedroom doorway holding a pistol.
Everyone stared at her.
She had escaped custody during a transport ambush earlier that evening.
Owen looked down at the blood spreading across his chest.
“You,” he whispered.
Celeste fired again.
Owen fell over the balcony.
His body disappeared into the darkness.
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Put the gun down.”
Celeste looked at Sophie.
“I saved your father.”
“You killed the man who could testify against you,” Elena said.
Celeste smiled.
“Both things can be true.”
She backed toward the hidden passage.
Adrian moved closer.
“You have nowhere to go.”
“I have always had somewhere to go.”
Sirens approached the estate.
Celeste’s eyes filled with something close to sorrow.
“You were never supposed to discover Sophie’s inheritance.”
“What inheritance?”
“The one Isabel stole from the Circle.”
She looked at Elena.
“And now you have placed that child in more danger than I ever did.”
“You burned her hair.”
“I was trying to force her to reveal where she hid the key.”
Sophie touched the locket at her neck.
Celeste noticed.
Her face changed.
“That is not the key.”
Sophie looked confused.
Celeste backed into the passage.
“It is a map.”
The wall closed between them.
By the time police reached the hidden corridor, Celeste was gone.
But Owen was dead.
May you like
The trust case had survived the fall.
And inside it was the sealed identity of the second Vale heir.
