Eleanor spent the entire day wondering what her mother wanted to tell her.
Sofia's message had been bothering her since the moment she received it.
There are things about your father's past that I think you're old enough to know.
And then the second message.
Please don't tell Raven.
That was the part Eleanor couldn't understand.
Why Raven?
What could her father's past possibly have to do with Raven?
By six in the evening, Eleanor finally left her office.
Sebastian followed her to the elevator with a folder in his hand.
"You're leaving early."
"My mother wants me home for dinner."
Sebastian nodded.
"Should I cancel your evening appointments?"
"Yes."
He studied her.
"You look worried."
Eleanor forced a smile.
"Family stuff."
Sebastian handed her the folder.
"Take this. The contracts you wanted to review."
She accepted it.
"Thank you."
As the elevator doors opened, Sebastian called after her.
"And Eleanor?"
She turned.
"Don't let family drama ruin your evening."
Eleanor smiled.
"I'll try."
But she already knew tonight wasn't going to be ordinary.
---
The Vance estate was unusually quiet when Eleanor arrived.
Sofia was waiting in the living room.
She looked elegant as always, but Eleanor immediately noticed something different.
Her mother looked nervous.
"Mom?"
Sofia stood.
"Eleanor."
They embraced.
Then Sofia held her daughter's hands.
"You've grown so much."
Eleanor smiled.
"Mom, you asked me to come because you had something to tell me."
Sofia's expression changed.
"Yes."
They sat down.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Sofia took a deep breath.
"Your Father and Uncle aren't the men you thought they were."
Eleanor frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"Your father and Uncle had business dealings that went beyond Vance Capital."
Eleanor's heart began beating faster.
"What kind of dealings?"
Sofia looked toward the windows.
"There were people they worked with who were not ordinary businessmen."
"Who?"
Sofia hesitated.
"The Blackwood Circle."
Eleanor froze.
The name immediately sent a chill through her.
She had heard it before.
From Raven.
Not directly.
But enough to know it was connected to something dangerous.
"Mom…"
Sofia looked at her.
"Your father became involved with them years ago."
"Why?"
"I don't know everything."
"But you knew?"
"Yes."
Eleanor stood.
"You knew?"
"I was trying to protect you."
"From what?"
Sofia's eyes filled with sadness.
"From the same people who destroyed Raven's family."
Eleanor stopped breathing.
Raven.
Her mother had just connected her family to Raven.
"Mom…"
Sofia reached for her hand.
"Listen to me carefully. Whatever you do, don't tell Raven about this yet."
Eleanor pulled her hand away.
"Why?"
"Because I don't know who can be trusted anymore."
Eleanor stared at her.
"What happened to Them?"
Sofia's eyes lowered.
"They disappeared for several months after your grandfather died."
"Disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Where did they go?"
Sofia swallowed.
"Blackwood Heights."
Eleanor's heart sank.
---
At the same time, Raven sat in her office.
The file on Adrian Vance remained open in front of her.
Andrea stood nearby.
"We've confirmed his connection to the organization."
Raven looked up.
"Anything else?"
"Yes."
Andrea placed another document on the desk.
"Adrian wasn't just connected to your mother."
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"What then?"
"He was involved in the property transfers after your mother's death."
Raven's expression hardened.
"Which properties?"
"Several Hale properties."
Raven stood.
"And the main building?"
Andrea hesitated.
"Yes."
Raven stared at her.
"Tell me everything."
"Adrian helped arrange the transfer of ownership."
Raven's jaw tightened.
"So he helped Jeff."
"Indirectly."
Raven looked toward the window.
All these years, she had blamed Jeff.
But there had been people behind him.
People who had helped make her mother's empire disappear.
People who knew exactly what happened.
And one of those people was Eleanor's uncle.
Raven's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
A message from Eleanor.
Eleanor:
Can I see you tonight?
Raven stared at the message.
Her heart softened immediately.
She typed:
Raven:
Of course.
Then she paused.
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
She could tell Eleanor everything.
She could tell her what she'd discovered.
But she remembered Andrea's warning.
And Ellen's secret remained unknown to Raven.
For now.
Raven finally sent:
Raven:
I'll come to you.
---
Back at the Vance estate, Eleanor stood beside the window.
Her mother had left the room.
She was alone with her thoughts.
Blackwood Circle.
Her father.
Raven's mother.
Adrian.
The property transfers.
Everything was connected.
Then Eleanor's phone vibrated.
A message from Raven.
I'm coming.
Eleanor's heart fluttered despite everything.
She quickly wiped the worry from her face.
She didn't know how much she should tell Raven.
But she knew one thing.
She couldn't keep this secret forever.
---
An hour later, Raven arrived.
Eleanor met her outside.
The moment she saw Raven, some of the tension inside her eased.
Raven walked toward her.
"Are you okay?"
Eleanor nodded.
"I think so."
Raven studied her face.
"You don't look okay."
Eleanor smiled faintly.
"You always notice."
"Only when it's you."
Eleanor's heart skipped.
She stepped closer.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Eleanor wrapped her arms around Raven.
Raven immediately held her.
Whatever secrets their families carried, this moment belonged to them.
But neither woman noticed the figure watching them from an upstairs window.
A man stood behind the curtains.
His phone was pressed against his ear.
"They're together."
A pause.
Then he spoke again.
"Yes."
His eyes remained fixed on Raven.
"And she still doesn't know."
He ended the call.
Then looked toward the photograph on the table behind him.
A photograph of Ellen Hale.
Beside her stood a much younger Adrian Vance.
And between them—
a masked woman.
The same woman Raven had seen in the basement.
The mystery was no longer hiding in the past.
It was standing inside the Vance family home.
To be continued…