Chapter 6 - The Bloodline Contract
Julian descended the cold stone steps, the narrow beam of his flashlight cutting through dust motes until it illuminated a small, furnished room locked deep beneath the foundation. The space was meticulously arranged: a iron bed frame, a writing desk, and wall-to-wall shelves filled with framed photographs. Julian approached the desk, his blood turning to ice as he realized every single photograph depicted his own life over the past three years—his engagement, his business trips, even private dinners at his home. Resting in the center of the desk was a leather-bound journal alongside a birth certificate bearing two names registered to the exact same birth hour: Clara and Elena. Before Julian could process the discovery, the heavy iron door at the top of the stairs slammed shut, followed by the metallic slide of a deadbolt sliding into place.
