Chapter 6 — The Night Lily Disappeared
Chapter 6 — The Night Lily Disappeared
At 10:47 p.m., Lily received a message.
Ethan needs you. Come to the east wing.
She stared at the screen.
Her first instinct was to call Victor.
Then she looked through the nursery window.
Ethan was asleep.
A nurse was sitting beside him.
He didn't need her.
Something was wrong.
Lily typed:
Who is this?
No answer.
Another message appeared.
Hurry.
Lily slipped her phone into her pocket.
She stepped into the hallway.
The Blackwood estate was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
Most of the security personnel had been moved to the hospital.
Victor had spent the entire evening investigating Daniel's disappearance.
Lily walked toward the east wing.
Halfway there, she stopped.
The lights flickered.
Then went out.
The Voice in the Darkness
"Lily?"
She froze.
A woman's voice came from the end of the corridor.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Then—
"Come here."
Lily recognized the voice.
Serena.
Her blood ran cold.
Serena was supposed to be in police custody.
Lily stepped backward.
Then the emergency lights came on.
For one brief second, Lily saw someone standing behind her.
A hand covered her mouth.
She struggled.
A cloth pressed against her face.
The world spun.
The last thing she heard was Serena's voice.
"You should have stayed quiet."
Then everything disappeared.
The Empty Chair
At 11:06 p.m., Victor returned to the estate.
He entered the nursery first.
"Ethan?"
The nurse stood immediately.
"He's asleep."
Victor looked around.
"Lily?"
The nurse frowned.
"She left about twenty minutes ago."
Victor stopped.
"Where?"
"She said someone needed her."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Victor's expression changed.
"Did you see her leave the room?"
"Yes."
"Did she seem frightened?"
The nurse thought.
"No."
Victor looked at the empty chair beside Ethan's crib.
Lily never left without telling someone.
Never.
Something was wrong.
He took out his phone.
Called her.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Victor's voice became cold.
"Lock the estate."
The First Search
Security searched every room.
Every bathroom.
Every hallway.
The garage.
The garden.
Nothing.
Then Marcus entered.
"Sir."
Victor turned.
"We found her phone."
"Where?"
"In the east corridor."
Victor took it.
The screen was cracked.
There was one unsent message.
I think Serena is—
It ended there.
Victor stared at the words.
His expression hardened.
"Find her."
"We're already searching."
"No."
Victor looked at Marcus.
"Find the people who took her."
The Hidden Footage
The security team accessed the estate cameras.
Most had gone dark during the power outage.
But one camera remained active.
The east gate.
At 10:52 p.m., a black SUV entered.
No visitor authorization.
No license registered.
Marcus froze the image.
Victor stared.
"Enhance."
The plate became visible.
Marcus searched the database.
"Fake plate."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Who owns the vehicle?"
"Registered to a shell company."
"Owner?"
Marcus hesitated.
"One of the directors is..."
He stopped.
Victor turned.
"Who?"
"Daniel Blackwood."
Silence.
Victor's face became unreadable.
"My brother."
Serena's Message
At midnight, Victor's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
No one spoke.
Then Serena's voice came through.
"Victor."
His entire body went still.
"Where is Lily?"
Serena laughed softly.
"Still asking the wrong question."
"Where is she?"
"You should be asking why she was taken."
Victor's voice became deadly.
"Tell me where she is."
"No."
A pause.
"Then you'll never see her again."
Victor's hand tightened around the phone.
"If you touch her—"
"She is alive."
Victor stopped.
Serena continued.
"For now."
"What do you want?"
"One thing."
"What?"
"Your brother."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Daniel?"
"Bring him to me."
"Why?"
"Because he knows what happened to Ethan."
Victor went silent.
Serena's voice became quieter.
"And he knows what happened to your mother."
The call ended.
The Photograph
A message arrived seconds later.
A photograph.
Lily was sitting in a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
But she was alive.
Victor stared at the image.
Then he noticed something.
Behind Lily was a wall.
On it hung an old painting.
Victor recognized it.
"The old Blackwood estate."
Marcus looked at him.
"The property was sold ten years ago."
Victor shook his head.
"Not completely."
He remembered something his father once told him.
"There was a basement."
Marcus stared.
"A hidden basement?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
Victor looked at the photograph.
"Under the original wine cellar."
Lily Wakes
Lily opened her eyes.
Her head throbbed.
Her wrists were tied to a chair.
The room smelled damp.
She tried to move.
A door opened.
Serena walked in.
She was wearing a black dress.
No jewelry.
No makeup.
For the first time, she looked completely different.
Not elegant.
Not charming.
Dangerous.
Lily stared at her.
"You."
Serena smiled.
"Yes."
"You kidnapped me."
"I rescued myself."
Lily's voice trembled.
"From what?"
"From you."
Lily shook her head.
"You hurt Ethan."
Serena's smile vanished.
"You know nothing about Ethan."
"I know what I saw."
"No."
Serena stepped closer.
"You saw what I wanted you to see."
Lily stared at her.
"What does that mean?"
Serena crouched beside her.
"Do you really think I wanted Ethan dead?"
Lily froze.
Serena whispered:
"I wanted him frightened."
"Why?"
"Because frightened children tell secrets."
The Question Serena Asked
Serena stood.
"Where is Victor's brother?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Serena slapped her.
Lily's head turned.
Serena immediately smiled again.
"Where is Daniel?"
"I don't know."
"You've been close to Victor."
"I don't know!"
Serena stared at her.
Then she sighed.
"Then we'll try another question."
She placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Ethan.
Sleeping.
Lily's face changed.
"What did you do to him?"
"Nothing."
"You said you wanted him frightened."
"I did."
"Why?"
Serena looked at the photograph.
"Because his father has been asking questions he shouldn't ask."
Lily whispered:
"About you?"
Serena shook her head.
"About my employer."
The Name
Lily stared at her.
"Who?"
Serena smiled.
"You're not ready."
"Tell me."
"You'll die if you know."
Lily's voice became stronger.
"Then why are you telling me?"
Serena leaned closer.
"Because you're going to help me convince Victor to stop."
Victor Finds the Basement
At 2:03 a.m., Victor entered the abandoned estate.
Marcus followed.
The old property was surrounded by weeds.
The windows were broken.
The walls were covered in dust.
Victor walked directly toward the wine cellar.
He found the hidden entrance.
Behind a stone panel was a staircase.
Marcus raised his weapon.
Victor stopped him.
"No."
"Sir?"
"If someone has Lily, we don't want them to know we're coming."
They descended.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Victor placed his hand against it.
From the other side—
a faint sound.
Someone crying.
"Lily?"
Silence.
Then—
"Victor?"
His heart stopped.
It was her.
Alive.
The Rescue
Victor forced the door open.
Security rushed inside.
Lily was there.
Bound.
Exhausted.
But alive.
Victor immediately knelt beside her.
"Lily."
She looked at him.
"I knew you'd come."
He cut the restraints.
"Are you hurt?"
"Nothing serious."
Victor helped her stand.
Then she grabbed his arm.
"Serena."
"What?"
"She was here."
Victor looked around.
"Where?"
"She left."
"How long ago?"
"Minutes."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Did she say anything?"
Lily hesitated.
"She said she wasn't the real enemy."
Victor went still.
"What else?"
"She said Daniel knows everything."
The Escape
Marcus rushed in.
"Sir!"
Victor turned.
"The eastern tunnel is open."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Tunnel?"
"It leads outside the property."
Victor immediately understood.
Serena had known the estate better than anyone.
She hadn't simply kidnapped Lily.
She had planned an escape route.
Victor looked at Lily.
"Can you walk?"
She nodded.
"Then we're leaving."
The Trap
They reached the tunnel entrance.
A light flashed ahead.
Victor stopped.
"Everyone down."
BOOM.
The explosion shook the tunnel.
Dust filled the air.
Lily screamed.
Victor grabbed her and pulled her behind a wall.
Another explosion.
Marcus shouted:
"Sir!"
Victor checked Lily.
She was alive.
Then he heard footsteps.
Someone was approaching.
Victor raised his weapon.
A man emerged from the smoke.
Victor froze.
"Daniel."
His brother looked exhausted.
Blood covered one side of his face.
He raised his hands.
"Victor."
Victor stared at him.
"You knew."
Daniel's expression broke.
"I tried to stop her."
"Who?"
Daniel looked toward Lily.
Then back at Victor.
"Not Serena."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Then who?"
Daniel whispered:
"Father."
Silence.
The Truth About Their Father
Victor felt the world tilt.
"Our father is dead."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
Victor stared at him.
"He died three years ago."
"That's what everyone was told."
Victor's face became cold.
"Where is he?"
Daniel looked toward the tunnel behind them.
"He's been running everything."
Victor couldn't speak.
Daniel continued.
"Serena works for him."
"The medical records."
"The cameras."
"Ethan's injuries."
"All of it."
Victor looked at Lily.
Then at Daniel.
"Why?"
Daniel's voice cracked.
"Because Ethan is the only thing standing between him and the Blackwood inheritance."
The Woman Who Wasn't Finished
A phone rang somewhere in the darkness.
Everyone froze.
It was Serena.
Her voice echoed through the tunnel speakers.
"Victor."
He looked around.
"Where are you?"
Serena laughed.
"Does it matter?"
"You kidnapped Lily."
"I needed her."
"You hurt my son."
"I never wanted him dead."
Victor's voice became deadly.
"Then what do you want?"
"Freedom."
"You're not getting it."
"You still don't understand."
Her voice softened.
"Your father isn't afraid of you."
Victor stared into the darkness.
"He's afraid of Ethan."
Silence.
Then Serena said:
"Because Ethan carries something your father spent twenty years trying to find."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
The speaker went silent.
A second later, Serena's voice returned.
"The truth about the Blackwood fortune."
Then the transmission ended.
The Night Lily Disappeared
By dawn, Lily was safe.
Ethan was safe.
But nothing else was.
Victor stood in the hospital corridor watching his son sleep.
Lily sat nearby.
Neither spoke.
The night had changed everything.
Serena had tried to silence Lily.
Instead, she had exposed another layer of the conspiracy.
Daniel had returned from hiding.
The supposedly dead father was apparently alive.
And Ethan's injuries were connected to something hidden inside the Blackwood family fortune.
Victor looked at Lily.
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"For what?"
"For putting you in danger."
Lily looked toward Ethan.
"You didn't."
Victor frowned.
She smiled faintly.
"I stayed because he needed someone."
Victor looked at his son.
Then at Lily.
For the first time, he understood that Lily wasn't simply the nanny who had witnessed the truth.
She had become the one person his son trusted completely.
And someone had tried to take her away.
Victor stood.
His expression hardened.
"Serena wanted to make you disappear."
Lily looked at him.
"Yes."
Victor glanced toward the window.
"She made one mistake."
"What?"
He looked back at her.
"She gave me a reason to stop playing defense."
Outside, dawn broke over Chicago.
Somewhere in the city, Serena was still free.
Somewhere else, a man everyone believed dead was preparing his next move.
And Victor finally understood the real danger.
The kidnapping hadn't been the end of Serena's plan.
It had been a warning.
Because if someone was willing to abduct Lily just to silence her...
then the secret inside Ethan's medical file was far more valuable than anyone had imagined.
And before the next night ended—
May you like
Victor would discover exactly what Ethan had been born carrying.
A secret that could destroy the entire Blackwood dynasty.
