The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting warm rays across the luxurious master bedroom. Adrian stirred beside Elena, one arm loosely draped over her waist. His features were relaxed—peaceful, for once. Asleep, he seemed untouched by the chaos they'd endured.
But Elena hadn't slept.
Her mind was trapped in the memory of the video she'd watched hours earlier.
"Your mother was silenced."
The words echoed in her head like a slow, haunting drumbeat.
Selene—her mother's best friend. A woman she had no memory of. A stranger with secrets that threatened to rewrite her entire life.
Elena stared at the ceiling, her heart heavy.
She wanted to wake him, to tell him everything. But how? After everything he'd just uncovered about his father and Damian—could she really burden him with her family's darkness too?
You're not alone anymore, she reminded herself. You don't have to carry this by yourself.
And yet… her fingers clutched the edge of the duvet a little tighter.
"Elena," Adrian murmured sleepily. His voice was thick with sleep. "You're up early."
She turned slightly and offered a faint smile. "Couldn't sleep."
He sat up, his hair tousled, reaching for her hand. "Something wrong?"
She hesitated—just a second too long.
His eyes narrowed. "What happened?"
Elena slid her legs off the bed, walking toward the window. She needed space—air.
"I watched the last video on the drive," she said quietly. "The one labeled For Elena."
Adrian stilled.
She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around herself. "There's a woman. Selene. She said she was my mother's best friend. And… that my mother's death wasn't an accident."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Adrian stood slowly. "What do you mean?"
Elena's voice cracked. "She said my mother was silenced. And that the people responsible are connected to your family."
Adrian's face paled, but he crossed to her in two strides. "Let me see the video."
She nodded, pulling her phone from the side table where she had transferred the file.
They watched it together in silence.
Selene's face was filled with restrained pain, and her voice trembled with emotion.
"I tried to protect her, Elena. But I wasn't strong enough. She discovered something—documents, files—and she wanted to expose them. Not just your father's dealings, but their connections to the Blake family. There was corruption… laundering… secrets that could have toppled both families' empires."
"Then she was gone. A car crash. Officially. But the brakes had been tampered with. I couldn't prove it. I went into hiding. And now… I leave the rest to you."
When the video ended, Adrian was silent for a long time.
Elena stared out the window. "All these years, I thought she died because of his recklessness. My father's greed. But now... it feels so much worse."
Adrian sat down beside her. "You're not alone in this. We'll find the truth. Together."
Elena looked at him, her eyes glassy. "I'm scared."
He reached up and cupped her cheek. "So am I. But fear won't stop us. We've come too far."
Later that day, Elena met with Cole in the company's private security wing. Adrian had insisted she bring someone she trusted.
Cole scowled at the video replay. "Who the hell is this Selene? And why did she wait so long to come forward?"
"She said she went into hiding," Elena replied. "Maybe she was afraid."
Cole didn't look convinced. "Or maybe she's baiting you."
Elena's jaw clenched. "I don't think she's lying."
He sighed. "Either way, we'll track her down. If she's real, I'll find her."
"Start with my mother's old contact list," Elena suggested. "There might be a clue there."
Cole nodded, already typing into his secure device. "And Elena?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't do anything reckless. You've already got a target on your back just by being Blake's wife."
Elena gave him a humorless smile. "When have I ever been reckless?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want that list alphabetized or by disaster level?"
Despite the tension, she let out a soft laugh. "Fair."
Meanwhile, Adrian called a private meeting with his lawyer, Marcus Linfield.
"I need everything you can dig up on Evelyn Sterling's death and on anyone connected to her," Adrian said, pacing the office. "Including my father's financial records from that year."
Marcus frowned. "That's ancient history. Most of the paper trail would've been buried or destroyed."
"Then start with shell companies," Adrian snapped. "We both know my father wasn't subtle when it came to covering his tracks."
Marcus nodded slowly. "And if the trail leads back to someone still inside Blake Corporation?"
Adrian's gaze darkened. "Then I'll tear it apart from the inside out."
Three days later, Cole returned with a lead.
"She's alive," he announced, dropping a file on Elena's desk. "Selene Morgan. Currently living in a remote coastal village under a different name—Sarah Crane."
Elena's hands trembled as she opened the file. Inside were photos, old letters, a copy of a false ID.
"She's in Spain?"
"Small town. Off the grid. Took a lot to find her."
Elena looked up at him. "I have to go."
Cole immediately shook his head. "Not alone."
"I'll take security."
"You'll take me."
A voice cut in from behind them.
Adrian.
He stepped into the room, his expression unreadable. "I'm not letting you do this alone, Elena. Not this time."
She softened. "Adrian—"
"No," he said firmly. "If someone killed your mother because of my family, then I need to be there when we get the truth."
She hesitated, but nodded. "Okay. We go together."
The private jet touched down near a sleepy Spanish coastline just past midnight. The air was thick with sea salt, and the moonlight bathed the distant waves in silver.
Elena wore a light coat, her fingers gripping the strap of her bag tightly. Adrian walked beside her, ever the protector—even now, especially now.
They followed Cole through winding roads and coastal cliffs until a small stone cottage came into view.
"Are you ready?" Adrian asked quietly.
"No," Elena whispered. "But I have to do this."
Cole stayed near the car, giving them privacy as they approached.
Elena knocked.
There was a pause.
Then the door creaked open.
Selene stood there—older, wearier than in the video—but unmistakable. Her sharp eyes widened when she saw Elena.
"My God," she breathed. "You're… you look just like her."
Elena swallowed hard. "I need the truth. All of it."
Selene nodded slowly. "Come in."
Inside, the cottage smelled of lavender and old books. Selene led them to a small sitting area, then sat across from them with a tremor in her hands.
"Your mother," she began, voice breaking, "wasn't just trying to expose corruption. She was trying to save you."
Elena frowned. "Save me?"
Selene nodded. "She discovered your father had agreed to an arranged engagement between you and the Blakes. You were just a child. A pawn in a bigger game. She was going to run with you… disappear."
Elena's heart clenched.
"But someone found out," Selene continued. "And the night she planned to leave—her car crashed. I knew it wasn't an accident, but the police were bought. No investigation."
Adrian leaned forward. "Do you have proof?"
Selene hesitated. Then she stood and pulled a hidden drawer from the side of an old chest. Inside was a dusty envelope.
"These are your mother's last notes. Her journal. She told me to keep them safe."
Elena took them with shaking hands.
Tears welled in her eyes as she read the delicate handwriting.
"If anything happens to me, tell Elena she was always my light. And tell her… never to let the darkness win."
She looked up, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Thank you."
Selene gave a sad smile. "I should have come sooner. But I was a coward."
Adrian stood. "It's not too late to help us finish what she started."
And Elena knew, in that moment, that her mother's story wasn't over.
It was just beginning—through her.