The side door was unlocked, probably because the staff assumed the family meeting was still ongoing. Michael slipped inside, with Ava reluctantly following. Suddenly, Michael was aware of how overly quiet the house was. His breathing seem to be the only thing assaulting the perfect silence."This is a terrible idea," Ava whispered as they made their way toward Frank's study."Probably," Michael agreed. "But I need to know what's really going on."The study door was slightly ajar, and no light came from within. Michael pushed it open slowly, listening for any sound that might indicate Frank's presence. Nothing."Keep watch," he told Ava. "If anyone comes, you need to warn me immediately.""I am not comfortable with this role," Ava protested."I'm not comfortable with any of this, but here we are," Michael retorted before slipping into the study and closed the door most of the way behind him. He pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, keeping the beam low as he approached Fra

The piercing sound of Michael's phone notification buttons jolted him awake at 6:47 AM. He'd been dreaming about his mother again, about the photograph with Dr. Korvich. And about questions that seemed to have no answers. The insistent pinging continued, and he fumbled for the device, squinting at the bright screen.Ten missed calls from Zara Khadim. About a dozen text messages from numbers he didn't recognize. And a news alert that made his blood run cold."BREAKING: Arrest Warrant Issued for Michael Sullivan in Connection with Assault Charges.""Ava," Michael called out, "Ava, get in here."She appeared in the doorway almost instantly. "I've been tracking the news feeds," she said, her voice tight with concern. "It's bad, Michael. Really bad."Michael swung his legs out of bed, his heart pounding as he scrolled through the news articles flooding his phone. "Three former classmates come forward with assault allegations," he read aloud. "Damon Pearce, Chris Welling, and Tyler Morgan

The courtroom was packed beyond capacity. Michael had expected a simple hearing, maybe a few court officials and a handful of observers. Instead, he walked into what looked like a circus. Every seat was filled, cameras lined the walls, and the air buzzed with the kind of electric anticipation.At the plaintiff's table sat his three accusers: Damon Pearce, Chris Welling, and Tyler Morgan. Their faces were unmarked, their clothes pressed and professional. They had transformed from street thugs into respectable citizens, complete with expensive suits and fake innocent expressions.Behind them, filling the first two rows, sat half the Medici family. Mei and Feng had their phones out, no doubt live streaming the proceedings to their millions of followers. Maxwell lounged in his seat with his trademark smirk, while Lizzy sat rigidly upright. Michael noticed that Octavian and Frank were absent, but Frank's butler sat in the back corner, his cold eyes tracking Michael's every movement.The pr

Outside the courthouse, Michael stood on the concrete steps with his mind reeling. The afternoon sun glared at his face, but he barely noticed it. Everything he thought he knew about his life had just been turned upside down in the space of an hour."So," he said, turning to face the red-haired woman who had just saved his life, "you're actually a girl."Alexis laughed, a sound that was both familiar and completely new. "I'm actually a woman," she corrected, her accent making the words sound more sophisticated than they would have in his own voice. "Twenty-five years old, master's degree in international business, and yes, I have been letting you assume I was male for months."Michael felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "But why? I mean, all this time I thought you were just some guy helping me out with stuff.""Because," Alexis said, her green eyes twinkling with mischief, "when I first started talking to you online, I wasn't sure if you were a creep or not. You know how it is

The Medici mansion loomed against the night sky, its windows glowing like watching eyes. Michael parked his car in the circular driveway, noting that most of the family cars were absent. Good. He didn't want an audience for this conversation.Ava was waiting for him by the front entrance, her posture alert and ready. "Michael, again, I'd like to advise against this course of action.""I need to know what's going on," Michael said grimly. They walked through the front doors, past the grand staircase and portraits of the previous Medicis. Their footsteps echoed in the empty hallways."Frank's study is this way," Michael said, leading Ava down a corridor lined with some very interesting artwork. He wondered now if any of these paintings contained hidden codes like the ones Lizzy had discovered.They reached the door of Frank's study. Michael didn't bother knocking. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.The room was barely lit by a single desk lamp. Behind the massive desk sat Fran