Chapter 15 - THE LAST LETTER
Back at Blackwood Estate, Lucas entered his study.
The same room where Emma had first appeared.
The same room where his entire life had changed.
Emma stood beside him.
Nathan waited at the door.
Sarah was alive.
The bullet had missed her heart.
She was being treated upstairs.
Lucas walked toward the desk.
He opened every drawer.
Nothing.
He searched beneath the desk.
Nothing.
Then Emma pointed toward the fireplace.
“Daddy?”
Lucas froze.
It was the first time she had called him that.
He turned.
“What?”
She pointed.
“There's something behind there.”
Lucas moved the painting above the fireplace.
A hidden compartment appeared.
Inside was a single wooden box.
He opened it.
A letter.
A photograph.
And a small recorder.
Lucas pressed play.
Richard Blackwood's voice filled the room.
“My son.”
Lucas closed his eyes.
“If you're hearing this, then Emma found you.”
Lucas looked at his daughter.
Richard continued:
“I know you will be angry.”
Lucas whispered:
“You have no idea.”
The recording continued.
“I made terrible choices.”
“I built an empire that destroyed people.”
“I convinced myself I was protecting my family.”
A pause.
“I was wrong.”
Lucas's eyes filled with tears.
Richard continued:
“The only thing I ever did right was creating a way to end it.”
Lucas looked at the photograph.
It showed Richard holding baby Emma.
Beside him stood Sarah.
And beside Sarah stood Lucas.
A photograph Lucas had never seen.
Richard spoke again.
“Emma is the future.”
Lucas frowned.
“Not because she will inherit Blackbird.”
A pause.
“But because she will destroy it.”
Lucas looked at Nathan.
The recording continued.
“I created a trust in Emma's name.”
Lucas stared.
“It contains every asset that cannot be legally seized.”
Nathan whispered:
“How much?”
Lucas looked at the documents.
His face changed.
“Billions.”
But Richard wasn't finished.
“The money belongs to Emma.”
Lucas swallowed.
“Not to Blackbird.”
The recording ended.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Emma tugged on Lucas's sleeve.
“Daddy?”
Lucas knelt.
“Yes?”
“Are you staying?”
His throat tightened.
“Yes.”
“Forever?”
Lucas looked at her.
“For as long as you want me.”
She hugged him.
Lucas held her tightly.
For the first time in his life, the mansion didn't feel like a fortress.
It felt like home.
Then the study door opened.
Sarah stood there.
She was pale but smiling.
“Lucas.”
He stood.
“You should be resting.”
“I wanted to tell you something.”
“What?”
She walked toward him.
“Your father left one more instruction.”
Lucas frowned.
“What?”
Sarah looked at Emma.
“He wanted you to take her away from Boston.”
Lucas looked toward the window.
The city stretched beyond the estate.
His city.
His empire.
His war.
Everything he had ever known.
He looked back at Emma.
Then at Sarah.
And realized the choice was simple.
He didn't want the throne anymore.
He wanted his family.
Lucas took Sarah's hand.
“We're leaving.”
Sarah smiled.
“Where?”
“Anywhere.”
Emma smiled.
“Can we have a house with a garden?”
Lucas laughed softly.
“Yes.”
“And a dog?”
“Yes.”
“And no bad men?”
Lucas looked at Nathan.
Nathan smiled.
“We'll make sure of it.”
Lucas looked one last time at Blackwood Estate.
The mansion that had been built on fear.
The place where he had learned never to trust anyone.
The place where an eight-year-old girl had walked through a storm wearing an oversized apron.
And changed everything.
His phone rang.
Lucas answered.
A detective's voice came through.
“Mr. Blackwood, we have a problem.”
Lucas's expression hardened.
“What?”
“We arrested Eleanor.”
Lucas waited.
“She asked for you.”
“Why?”
The detective hesitated.
“She says Vincent wasn't the mastermind.”
Lucas's eyes narrowed.
“I already know.”
“No, sir.”
The detective's voice dropped.
“She says the mastermind is still inside your organization.”
Lucas looked at Nathan.
Then Sarah.
Then Emma.
“Who?”
The detective whispered:
“We found a file with the name.”
Lucas's face changed.
“What name?”
A pause.
Then:
“Lucas Blackwood.”
The call ended.
Lucas stood frozen.
Emma looked up at him.
“Daddy?”
Lucas slowly lowered the phone.
Outside, the storm began again.
And somewhere across Boston, someone was watching Blackwood Estate.
Waiting.
May you like
Because the war Lucas thought he had ended…
had only just begun.
