Chapter 80 - THE LAST DOOR
The air became still.
Julian tried the door.
Locked.
Clara searched the walls.
Nothing.
My father looked at the old documents.
“There must be another exit.”
Elena pointed toward the floor.
“There.”
A small metal hatch.
Julian opened it.
A narrow tunnel led underneath the clinic.
We crawled through.
Behind us, something exploded.
The vault door shook.
“They're destroying the evidence.”
We moved faster.
At the end of the tunnel was another door.
It opened into an old underground garage.
A car waited.
Inside was Noah.
I screamed.
“Noah!”
He was strapped into the back seat.
Lucas stood beside him.
“Get away from my son!”
Lucas smiled.
“He isn't hurt.”
Julian rushed forward.
Lucas raised a weapon.
“Stop.”
We froze.
Lucas looked at me.
“You're going to sign the transfer.”
“No.”
“Then Noah dies.”
Elena stepped forward.
“You don't have to do this.”
Lucas looked at her.
“You created this.”
“No.”
“You abandoned me.”
“I tried to save you.”
“You saved Julian.”
Lucas's voice cracked.
“You gave him the life I was supposed to have.”
Julian stared.
“You're my brother.”
“Yes.”
“I never knew.”
“Because they wanted you to forget me.”
Lucas pointed at the document.
“Sign.”
I looked at Noah.
He was terrified.
I took the pen.
Julian whispered:
“Emily, don't.”
I looked at him.
“I have to.”
I signed.
Lucas smiled.
Then Noah suddenly kicked the door.
The distraction was enough.
Julian attacked Lucas.
The weapon fell.
Elena grabbed Noah.
Clara called the police.
Lucas was finally restrained.
For a moment, I thought it was over.
Then my father picked up the document I had signed.
He stared at it.
His face went white.
“Emily.”
“What?”
He pointed at my signature.
“You didn't transfer the trust.”
I frowned.
“Then what did I sign?”
He turned the document around.
The text had changed.
Beneath my signature was a hidden clause.
By signing, Emily Reed accepts full control of The Circle.
Everyone froze.
Elena whispered:
“They wanted you to become the leader.”
I stared at the document.
The entire family had spent generations fighting to escape The Circle.
And somehow—
without realizing it—
I had just become the person controlling it.
Then the phone in my pocket vibrated.
One new message.
WELCOME, DIRECTOR REED.
May you like
And beneath it:
NOW DECIDE WHO LIVES.
