Chapter 50 - The Mask Slips
Twenty-four hours later, our stealth vessel cut through the black, choppy waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The jagged cliffs of Isla de la Sombra loomed in the distance under a moonless night sky.
Equipped with high-tech thermal gear and silent weaponry, our team—led by Ethan, Marcus, and myself—scaled the northern cliffside, bypassing the outer radar perimeter.
The island fortress was built into an ancient stone castle, retrofitted with state-of-the-art biometric security and armed guards pacing the parapets.
Inside the subterranean control center, giant screens monitored global market fluctuations in real-time. Sitting at the central desk was an elderly woman, draped in exquisite silk, drinking tea from fine china.
Lady Katherine Sterling—Archibald’s mother, the matriarch of the Sterling dynasty, and the true leader of the Board of Shadows.
"I wondered how long it would take you to find me, Ethan," Katherine said without turning around, her cold, refined voice echoing off the stone walls. "You always were the most capable boy in the family."
May you like
Ethan stepped out from the shadows, his weapon raised, his eyes cold. "It ends tonight, Katherine."
Katherine turned her chair slowly, a contemptuous smile on her withered face. "Ends? My dear boy, you are a Sterling by blood. Your father was my eldest son. This entire corporate war wasn't about money—it was about bringing you back into the family bloodline where you belong."
