Chapter 2: Whispers in the Dark
""He told me if I ever came here, he’d make sure I disappeared like Mom did,"" Laura whispered, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Ten years ago, Arthur’s daughter—Laura’s mother, Eleanor—had vanished without a trace. The family was told she had abandoned her lineage to live off the grid. Arthur had spent a decade harboring quiet heartbreak, believing his daughter had simply walked away from him.
""You're out of your mind,"" Marcus sneered, standing up. ""Security, escort this child out!""
None of the guards moved. Their allegiance lay solely with Arthur, the man who had built their empire from the ground up on principles of loyalty and honor.
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Arthur looked down at Laura, his fierce blue eyes softening. ""Tell me what happened, sweetie. From the beginning.""
Laura reached into the hidden pocket of her soiled dress and pulled out a small, leather-bound notebook. ""Mom gave me this before the bad men took her. She said if I was ever in danger, I had to bring it to Grandfather.""
