Lucian's POV-
The flight was scheduled for 10:30, at night.
I didn't inform anyone, but Nikos did it.
When I reached the airport, everyone was ready.
I avoided their gazes...
But one question cut through the air and reached my ears...
" Are you crazy! They warned you not to go back, they will kill you!!", Stella shouted.
Instantly, my body lunged forward, I held her neck... "As if they can touch me, and remember, now I have lost my trust, even if you are my secretary." I loosened my grip and looked to the side "or my classmate.", I saw Aria.
We sat down on our seats.
After 4 hours we reached London.
I got off and called 3 cabs...
"Nikos and Stephen, in the first one." "Aria and Stephen in the second."
"It's important to make sure that you reach your home safely...", I looked at Aria.
Her eyes were weak, face pale and lips dry. It seemed she wanted to ask me many questions but it was better not to answer any.
"What about you?", Nikos asked me before sitting inside.
"I will wait for you two in the office and Stephen drop her, after that I'll send you the location.", I turned towards the third cab and sat inside.
"To the Blackveil corp.", I instructed.
After an hour, I reached the office.
Everyone greeted me, but they were elder then me so I just greeted them with more respect.
But their greetings were forced, it seemed they were down lately but why?
I headed towards the office my mom used to sit in...
It's been long since I visited...
But the files here, were clean no dust on them, still placed neatly as they were.
Someone touched them, someone came here but for what?
I moved towards the desk...
And sat down...
Suddenly someone knocked...
I went outside. The janitor.
"Yes please..."
"Sir, this was found near a employee's desk...", he handed me the letter and went away.
The seal... was the same as the ancient seal of my ancestors I saw in The Valle Estate...
I opened it. Inside was a letter... date-22/11/2006...Signed by- Lysander Callum Valle.
My father wrote this! But how did it went out with a employee?
I read forward...
"I know, it's important to bring down the Gail's, but my wife's sister is married to them. But still I have an offer...
We know that Crowe family is deeply connected to the Gail's so, I'll offer the Crowe...
A double their salary..
.And then lead them into a false accusation of fraud and gambling.
They will surely turn to the Gail's for the help and at that moment, you will get the chance to destroy them...
but in return, you have to promise me... that my family will be safe and even if I die someday, you'll still protect them, stay with them and dedicate your life in their protection."
What the hell!!!!
Who are they?????
Who did my father sent this letter and why did they wanted Gail's down!!!!
That means, this letter is wrote 1 year before I was born!!!!
Noooooo Way!
Does that means...the Gail's and Crowe's are the reason for mama's death!!!!
I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed Nikos...
Why is he not answering!
Suddenly... A hand placed on my shoulder, I shifted back in panic and there he was along with Stella...
"The traffic in London is too much.", he complained.
"I have something serious to talk about...but not here..."
I pulled him towards the exit.
"listen... trace all the files with name 'Lysander Callum Valle', find out is there any file in which he mentioned about Crowe or a group... that protects his family. Trace all the files after 2007 and also his personal files after 2005."
"Isn't Lysander your father?", He questioned.
I shot him a death glare..."The person who stakes his family's life thinking it's protection is not to be called a father but a devil.", I swallowed hard.
"But I don't have a proper access to your company.", he protested.
"Use my info and cards but do it now!", I ordered.
He ran out...
"What's going on?", Stella asked me.
"Stella, help me find out about, my mom's death. Please.", I requested and gulped my anger.
"Fine...", she moved out...
"Stephen, where is he?" I whispered but they both heard it.
Stella's face drained. "He—he took Aria to her cab, you were the one to instruct him to do so. They left ten minutes ago."
"No." My fingers dug into the edge of the desk until my knuckles burned.
I had told Stephen to stay. I had told him to drop Aria—at her place and come straight back. He never disobeyed orders. Never.
"Find out, where is he. Check the cameras. Everything. Find him."
After few minutes, Nikos came back in a sprint, breathless, a tablet clutched in his hand.
"I tried calling—your phone goes straight to voicemail. I pulled the CCTV—look."
He shoved the tablet forward.
There: the arrivals lane, three taxis lined up.
The timestamp flicked; my stomach dropped.
I watched myself step into the third cab.
Then—Stephen. He helped Aria out of the second taxi, guided her past the line of drivers.
He kept his head low, like a man with something heavy in his hands.
Stephen didn't go straight to the car park. He slipped around to the service exit.
A second camera caught the corridor outside the service door.
Stephen walked briskly. A shadow detached itself from the wall — a man I'd never seen before, broad-shouldered, coat collar up.
They spoke for a breath. Stephen's hand passed something small to the man: a folded piece of paper, maybe the size of a banknote.
The man tucked it inside his jacket. Then he turned — looked straight at the camera — and smiled.
A smile I knew the way you know a blade.
"Freeze."
I felt the word in my throat.
Nikos thumbed the screen. The timestamp jumped forward.
Stephen opened the service door and… vanished.
No car registered. No taxi. One moment he was there, the next he simply walked out of the camera's range like evaporating smoke.
"Who is that man?" Stella whispered.
"No idea." My heartbeat thudded.
Everything inside me wanted to run after them, to rip answers from throats, to drag Stephen back by his collar and shake the truth out of him.
But there was a smarter, colder gear I could shift into — a gear Lysander used to pull when storms came: Security.
"Lock every exit. Check the e-tolls — every cab that left in the last hour. Trace that man's face across the lot of cameras. Pull the server logs for that service exit."
I paced; the commands fell sharp and quick.
"And—find Stephen's last messages. Every call, every contact."
Nikos was already moving. Stella's hands trembled as she typed. I swallowed a dry laugh that sounded like a cracked promise.
If Stephen had walked out with that man willingly… then he had a reason. If he hadn't… then someone had him.
Either way, the envelope on my desk suddenly felt heavier than it had a moment ago.
"Find them." My voice was nothing but cold order.
Nikos met my eyes. "On it."
The cameras kept watching.
The feed looped. Stephen's shadow disappeared into the blur of London night. Somewhere out there, answers were moving fast — or slipping away.