Chapter 5: Echoes of the Past
As the SUV sped through the torrential downpour, Arthur listened as Laura shared her story. She had been raised in a quiet cottage on the outskirts of the state by a trusted caretaker, kept hidden from the Sterling family's corporate reach.
""Mom visited me when she could,"" Laura recalled, staring out at the blurred highway lights. ""She taught me how to read, how to draw... and she taught me your name. She said you were a good man who loved justice.""
Tears pricked Arthur's eyes. For ten years, he had blamed himself for pushing Eleanor away with his strict corporate life. He realized now that his true mistake was trusting the snake sitting in his own boardroom.
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""She kept you safe,"" Arthur said softly. ""Now it's my turn to keep both of you safe.""
He pressed the accelerator deeper into the floorboard. The dashboard clock read 10:15 PM. They had less than two hours.
