The rain had not stopped since the night before.
That morning, the city felt slow to move, as if even the traffic could sense the pressure building around Ardent and the Sterling family.
In the apartment office, Ethan sat in front of a laptop full of open files.
Helix Consortium.
The name kept circling in his head.
He had contacted two old acquaintances in the international legal world. He had also accessed corporate archives rarely touched. Yet the results were almost nothing.
It was as if the organization had never truly existed.
"Or they're deliberately keeping themselves hidden," Ethan muttered.
Sophia stood by the window, watching the rain fall like thin lines on the glass.
"If Helix is really that big," she said softly, "why are there almost no records about them?"
Ethan looked at the screen again.
"Because organizations like that never use the same name twice."
Sophia turned around. "What do you mean?"
"They operate through shell companies, trust funds, or temporary consortia. Names change. Structures change. But the people inside remain the same."
He swiveled the laptop screen toward Sophia.
A simple diagram was displayed there.
Several investment firms.
Several banks.
Several foundations.
All connected by thin lines.
"This is what I managed to gather last night," Ethan said. "None of them mention Helix directly. But their investment patterns are identical."
Sophia studied the diagram.
"And all of them have worked with my mother's company?"
"Most of them."
A moment of silence fell.
"So my mother knew something," Sophia said slowly.
Ethan nodded.
"And maybe that's why she died."
The words hung heavy in the room.
At Sterling International's office, Marcus stood in front of the same window as the day before.
But this time, he was not alone.
A man around sixty years old sat in a guest chair, wearing a simple yet expensive old gray suit.
His name was Leonard Graves.
One of the longest-serving members of the network that was never spoken of openly.
"Your son is digging too deep," Leonard said, swirling the whiskey glass in his hand.
Marcus did not reply immediately.
"He's always been like that," he said finally. "Stubborn."
"He found Helix."
"Not completely."
Leonard smiled faintly. "Not yet."
Marcus turned slowly. "Did you send those documents?"
"Not me."
"Don't lie."
Leonard shrugged casually. "I only accelerated the inevitable process."
Marcus stared at him sharply.
"You know what will happen if they connect all this."
"That's exactly what we want."
Marcus did not like where this conversation was heading.
"We agreed to maintain balance."
"Balance has been broken for a long time," Leonard said coldly. "And your son is the new variable."
"He's not part of this game."
Leonard laughed softly.
"Everyone is part of this game, Marcus. Even Sophia."
The name made Marcus clench his jaw.
"Don't touch her."
Leonard stared back with the same sharp, cold gaze.
"That's no longer our choice."
In the afternoon, Ethan finally found something.
Not a large document.
Just a small piece.
But enough to make him sit up straight.
He called Sophia to the office.
"I found another name."
Sophia came closer.
The screen showed a list of directors from several old investment firms.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Leonard Graves.
"Who is he?" Sophia asked.
"One of the old investors in the global financial network," Ethan replied. "Rarely appears in public. But he shows up in several companies linked to Helix."
Sophia stared at the name.
"Is he still alive?"
"Very much so."
Ethan opened an old article.
A photo of an old man with a faint smile.
Sophia felt something strange.
"I've seen this face before."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Where?"
Sophia tried to remember.
A large room.
Red carpet.
Her mother talking to several investors.
And a man standing a little apart, watching everything.
"He came to my mother's company gala," Sophia said finally. "I was still young back then."
Ethan froze.
"If he's been around your mother's company for that long… it means Helix has been watching from the start."
Sophia gripped the chair.
"So my mother's death wasn't an accident."
Ethan did not reply.
But his silence was enough.
That night, Ethan made a decision.
"I'm going to see my father again."
Sophia looked at him immediately.
"Now?"
"He knows more than he admits."
"And you think he'll be honest?"
Ethan took a deep breath.
"He might not give me all the answers."
"But?"
"But he might make a mistake."
Sophia nodded softly.
She knew Ethan was right.
Sometimes answers do not come from words.
But from reactions.
"If you go, I'm coming with you," Sophia said.
Ethan shook his head immediately.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because this could turn into something dangerous."
Sophia stared at him sharply.
"I've been in the middle of this since my mother died."
Ethan could not argue with that.
Finally he said softly, "Alright. But you stay in the car."
Sophia sighed. "Temporary deal."
Ethan smiled faintly.
The Sterling International building looked darker that night.
Lights on many floors were off.
But the top floor was still bright.
As if Marcus had been waiting.
The elevator stopped with a soft sound.
When the doors opened, Ethan walked out with steady steps.
Marcus stood in front of his desk, just like their last meeting.
"You're back sooner than I expected," he said.
Ethan did not sit down.
"I want to know about the Helix Consortium."
For the first time since their conversation began, Marcus looked truly surprised.
Only for a moment.
But long enough to be seen.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"From old documents."
Marcus walked slowly to the window.
"You shouldn't have dug there."
"Why not?"
"Because some doors can't be closed again once they're opened."
Ethan stepped forward.
"Sophia's mother died after signing a contract with that organization."
Marcus did not deny it.
"It wasn't an accident."
Marcus closed his eyes for a moment.
When he spoke again, his voice was heavier.
"Some wars started long before you were born, Ethan."
"And you're part of them."
Marcus looked at him.
"I tried to keep you away from it all."
"By destroying our company?"
"By making you stop digging."
Ethan felt something shift inside his chest.
"Who is Leonard Graves?"
Marcus turned sharply at once.
"You've come across his name."
"Who is he?"
Marcus was silent for several seconds.
Then he said softly.
"He's not just a member of Helix."
Ethan waited.
Marcus finally spoke the words that made the air in the room feel colder.
"He's the one who started everything."
Silence fell.
Outside, lightning struck far above the city.
Since all of this began, Ethan realized one terrifying thing.
Marcus might not be their biggest enemy.
The real enemy had only just been given a name.