Chapter 4 - Silas Invaded the Blackwood Mansion to Steal My Inheritance—But Lorenzo Chose His Daughter Over the EmpireAt 11:47 p.m., every light in the mansion went out.
Security alarms failed.
The gates opened.
The attack began.
I was with Lorenzo.
Adrien rushed into the room.
“They're inside.”
Lorenzo stood.
I grabbed his arm.
“Stay here.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Dad.”
He looked at me.
“I can't hide again.”
Adrien stared.
Then nodded.
“All right.”
The three of us moved together.
Men entered the west wing.
Security fought them.
The mansion filled with shouting.
I had never seen wealth look so fragile.
Paintings shattered.
Windows broke.
Fire alarms screamed.
Then Silas appeared.
He walked through the smoke.
Old.
Calm.
Smiling.
“Lorenzo.”
My father stared.
“Silas.”
“You should have stayed silent.”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“I've been silent long enough.”
Silas looked at me.
“So this is the daughter.”
I stepped forward.
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“You look like your mother.”
“Thank you.”
“That's not a compliment.”
“I'll take it anyway.”
Adrien almost smiled.
Silas looked irritated.
“You have no idea what you inherited.”
“Then explain.”
“The Blackwood trust.”
“I know.”
“And control of the foundation.”
“Yes.”
“And a voting block worth billions.”
I shrugged.
“Then it's inconvenient that I exist.”
He laughed.
“You're smarter than you look.”
“That's what poor people are always told.”
Silas raised his weapon.
Lorenzo stepped between us.
“No.”
Silas stared.
“You would die for her?”
“Yes.”
“After all these years?”
“Yes.”
“Even if she destroys everything?”
Lorenzo looked at me.
“She is more important than everything.”
Silence.
Silas lowered his weapon.
Not from mercy.
From realization.
He knew he had lost.
Security entered.
He tried to escape.
Adrien caught him.
Silas was arrested.
The criminal network began collapsing.
But the trust remained.
I could control billions.
I didn't want them.
So I chose something else.
I transferred the voting power into a charitable foundation.
Healthcare.
Housing.
Education.
Programs for single mothers.
My mother cried when she heard.
“That was your grandmother's dream.”
“What?”
“She wanted the money to help people.”
“Why didn't she?”
“She died before she could.”
I looked at Lorenzo.
He smiled.
For the first time, he looked peaceful.
The Blackwood empire changed.
Adrien became CEO.
But he changed too.
He cleaned out the corruption.
Closed criminal operations.
Opened legitimate businesses.
Lorenzo retired.
He spent his days painting.
He liked watercolors.
Bad ones.
I told him.
He laughed.
I started visiting every Sunday.
My mother moved to New York.
She and Lorenzo slowly rebuilt their relationship.
Twenty-three years apart.
It wasn't easy.
But they tried.
And I finally had something I had never expected.
A father.
May you like
A brother.
A family.
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