Alicia stood frozen as the door slammed shut, the sudden sound echoing like a gunshot in the eerie silence of the room. Her pulse raced, and she instinctively moved closer to Dominic, her hand gripping his tightly. The air was thick with tension, but Nathaniel's presence was what rattled her most.
She hadn't seen her brother in years, not since the disastrous fallout between their parents and the bitter, unforgiving years that followed. Alicia had built a life for herself, leaving all traces of her former family behind, but here he was, standing in front of her like a ghost from the past.
But the real question lingered in her mind: why now?
Dominic didn't wait for permission. His voice was sharp and commanding as he took charge of the situation. "What the hell is going on, Nathaniel?" His eyes were cold, assessing every movement of Alicia's brother with the careful gaze of a predator.
Nathaniel seemed unfazed by Dominic's aggression. In fact, there was a tiredness in his eyes, as if the weight of whatever information he carried had already drained him. "I didn't want you involved, Alicia," Nathaniel's voice was low, almost a whisper. "But now... It's too late."
Alicia took a step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Nathaniel ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his expression grim. "They've been watching you—them—the people who want you gone. They're not just after the code your mother hid; they want what's in your blood. And it's not just about money or power. This is bigger than all of that."
"Enough with the riddles," Dominic snapped, clearly frustrated. "Who's after her, Nathaniel?"
Nathaniel hesitated, glancing around the room as if weighing his words. "The people who hired the Board… They're not just businessmen. They have connections in high places. I didn't know the full extent until recently, but there's more at stake than just Alicia's safety."
Alicia's mind spun as she tried to piece together his cryptic words. "What do you mean by 'more at stake'?"
Nathaniel's gaze flickered toward her, and for the first time, Alicia saw something like regret in his eyes. "The company your mother started—it wasn't just about technology. She was trying to protect you, Alicia. She knew you'd be the key to something much darker. That's why she kept so many secrets from you."
Alicia's thoughts collided, chaos in her mind. "What are you talking about? What secrets? What do I have to do with any of this?"
"Your mother…" Nathaniel's voice trembled. "She wasn't just running a company. She was involved in a covert project—a genetic research project. You were part of that project from the very beginning, Alicia. And you—you—are the missing piece."
Alicia felt her legs weaken, her breath shallow. "No. That can't be true." She shook her head, refusing to accept it. It felt too surreal.
"You're the result of the project," Nathaniel continued, his words carrying the weight of a devastating truth. "You're part of something far more dangerous than we could have ever imagined. Your DNA—your lineage—it holds the key to everything."
Dominic stepped forward, his protective instinct flaring up. "Stop talking in circles, Nathaniel. We don't have time for this."
But Alicia couldn't stop staring at Nathaniel, her heart racing. What did he mean by all of this? Was it possible that her entire existence had been manipulated for some secret purpose?
"Why didn't you tell me?" Alicia's voice cracked as she demanded the answers she'd been searching for. "Why did you leave me in the dark? All these years, I've been trying to understand who I am, and you knew."
Nathaniel's shoulders slumped as if he'd already given up. "I didn't want to get you involved in this mess, Alicia. I thought I could protect you from it. But now it's too late. The people after you—they're closing in."
Alicia clenched her fists. "Who are they? Who's behind all of this?"
"There are powerful men behind the scenes, Alicia. Men who want to use your bloodline for their own gain," Nathaniel whispered, his voice barely audible. "They believe you hold the secret to their success. The prototype your mother worked on—it's not just any technology. It's part of a larger plan. And you… You're the key to unlocking it."
Dominic's face hardened. "We need to leave. Now."
Alicia didn't argue. She felt the danger in the air, the certainty that time was running out, but her mind kept spiraling back to one question: Why her?
As they hurriedly made their way to the car, Alicia's thoughts were consumed by Nathaniel's words. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had been caught in a web of lies, secrets, and betrayals her entire life. But she wasn't going to sit back and let someone else control her destiny anymore.
She was going to take control. But first, she had to uncover the truth, no matter how deep the conspiracy went.
---
As they drove off into the night, the hum of the engine seemed to echo the tension building inside her chest. They were no longer running from the past—they were running toward the truth. The storm was coming, and Alicia could only hope that they would be ready.
But deep down, she knew one thing for sure: the moment she uncovered the full extent of the conspiracy, there would be no turning back.