All Chapters of THE HEIR BEHIND THE CREST: Chapter 41
- Chapter 50
119 chapters
Chapter 41: The Sanctuary Beckons (Contd)
The Sanctuary was hidden deep in the woods north of the city. Trees swayed violently in the wind as the helicopter descended. Morgan guided them from the monitor.“We have a small clearing to the east of the compound. Land there.”John manoeuvred the helicopter through the twisting branches and brought it down gently in the clearing. They stepped out into the bitter wind and cold, rain striking their faces like icy needles.Rita scanned the perimeter with her flashlight. “Quiet. Too quiet.”John looked toward the dark silhouette of the compound. “He wants us inside.”Morgan typed rapidly on his tablet. “Security is active, but nothing is moving. No guards. No patrols. It is as if the place has been abandoned.”John replied, “Or as if they are watching from somewhere we cannot see.”They approached the compound entrance. The building was a massive structure of reinforced concrete and steel, partially covered by the surrounding forest. The entrance was secured by a biometric lock.Morga
Chapter 42: The Inheritor’s Truth
The air inside the Vault thickened the moment the Benefactor stepped forward. His presence filled the chamber with a cold authority that made every system hum a little sharper. He looked almost serene as he entered, hands behind his back, expression unreadable. The lights reflected off his tailored suit, giving him an almost spectral glow.Rita instinctively moved beside John, her stance defensive. Morgan lowered his tablet and shifted closer as well, his face pale.The Benefactor stopped several feet away, observing the three of them as if they were pieces on a board he had already mastered.“John Raymond,” he said softly. “Finally standing where you were always meant to stand.”John’s eyes did not waver. “I was not meant to be here. You manipulated every step.”The Benefactor smiled faintly. “Your father said the same thing when we met for the final time. He believed he could outrun the legacy placed before him. He could not. Neither can you.”Rita’s voice was sharp. “You destroyed
Chapter 43: The Throne of Ashes
The moment John declared war, the Vault trembled as if the walls themselves felt the collision of two destinies. The Benefactor’s calm shattered. His composure slid into something colder, something dangerous enough to make the air feel heavy.He turned fully toward John, eyes dark with restrained fury. “You do not understand what you are choosing.”John stood tall. “I understand enough.”Rita’s heart hammered. She could feel the tension thicken like smoke. Morgan’s grip tightened around his tablet, his knuckles white as bone.The Benefactor’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper. “You would throw your city into ruin rather than accept your inheritance.”John did not blink. “I would rather burn every shadow than let you decide who I am.”The Benefactor took a step forward, his expression tightening. “Then you will watch everything your father loved, everything you worked to rebuild, crumble to dust because of your pride.”John stepped closer. “My father died fighting you. I am not him.
Chapter 44: The Collapse of Shadows
The Vault’s alarms faded into a low mechanical hum, as if the entire Sanctuary had paused to catch its breath. The cold air still clung to the walls, but the tension inside the chamber had shifted. The Benefactor lay unconscious on the floor, the once untouchable mastermind reduced to a silent figure in the harsh white lights.John stepped away from him, every movement deliberate. His breathing steadied as he walked toward the main control console. The screens were frozen, the countdown suspended at the last possible moment. Rita stood beside him, her expression a mix of disbelief and fierce pride.Morgan approached carefully, holding his tablet against his chest. “John… I still cannot believe you pulled that off. If you had missed even one connection point in the device, the purge protocol would have accelerated.”John replied without turning, “Fear is how he keeps people loyal. Knowledge is how I will break him.”Rita studied the cracked glass pod at the centre of the room. “This pl
Chapter 45: The Collapse of Shadows (Contd)
The tunnel felt endless. Water dripped from overhead pipes, forming small puddles along the metal walkway. Rita’s flashlight cast long streaks across the narrow space.“Something feels wrong,” Rita whispered.Morgan stopped. “What do you mean?”Rita hesitated. “He is too quiet.”John adjusted the unconscious Benefactor in his arms. “He is unconscious.”Rita shook her head. “I mean the Sanctuary. The systems. Everything. It feels like something is waiting.”Morgan checked his tablet again. “No active protocols. No motion sensors. We should be clear.”John spoke firmly. “We keep moving.”As they reached the end of the tunnel, a heavy metal door waited for them. Morgan accessed the manual lock.It creaked open.Cold air rushed in from the forest outside.The clearing was visible through the trees, illuminated by faint moonlight breaking through the storm clouds.Rita exhaled in relief. “We made it.”Morgan hurried out first to scan the area.John was stepping through the doorway when he
Chapter 46: After the Fire
The helicopter blades carved through the night sky with a heavy rhythm that matched the tension inside the cabin. Smoke from the destroyed Sanctuary still clung to their clothes, a reminder of the inferno they had barely escaped. The air inside the aircraft tasted metallic, sharp with adrenaline and the fading echoes of explosions.Rita sat strapped beside John, her breathing uneven. Her hands trembled despite how tightly she gripped the seat belt. Her clothes were scorched, streaked with soot. A cut ran across her temple, and blood dried slowly along her cheek. She stared straight ahead, trying to keep herself from shaking.Morgan sat across from them, hunched over scattered devices and charred fragments he had recovered before the ceiling of the Sanctuary caved in. His fingers moved quickly, though they faltered every few seconds. He kept wiping sweat from his brow, not sure if it came from heat or fear.Between them, on the floor of the helicopter, the Benefactor lay unconscious, s
Chapter 47: The Crest Awakens
The helicopter doors slid open as soon as they touched the rooftop. A wave of cold night air swept into the cabin, carrying with it the sharp scent of concrete, steel and the faint hum of emergency generators. The rooftop was eerily quiet. No welcoming team. No security escorts. No personnel rushing forward to assist.Just silence.Too much silence.Rita stepped out first, scanning the rooftop with narrowed eyes. Morgan followed, clutching a case of recovered fragments. John stepped out last, pulling the Benefactor out with him, still bound and unconscious. The moment John’s shoes hit the rooftop, the city lights behind them flickered, as if something deep beneath the ground had shifted.Rita felt a chill crawl up her spine. “John. This place feels wrong.”Morgan nodded quickly. “The Crest never leaves the roof empty. There should be at least six guards up here.”John scanned the far edges of the rooftop. Not a shadow moved. Not a single voice echoed. Only the mechanical hum of the he
Chapter 48: The Crest Fractures
The Executive Atrium did not calm after Cavanaugh was dragged out. If anything, the tension sharpened until the entire hall felt like a living cage ready to snap. Executives huddled in frantic whispers. Assistants rushed back and forth. Security officers exchanged stiff looks, confused and uneasy.The Crest was awakening, and the building did not like what it saw.John stood at the centre of it all, the Benefactor still lying on the floor like a fallen demon. Rita watched the room closely, every muscle ready for trouble. Morgan hugged his damaged equipment case as if he expected someone to snatch it away.Then the room erupted.Three executives stepped forward at once. Five more gathered behind them. Others parted like water, not sure if they should retreat or align.The first to speak was Naomi Clarke, Chief Communications Officer. A tall woman with sharp eyes and a reputation for striking hard under pressure. She approached with careful steps, her voice steady but cold.“John, the
Chapter 49: The Awakening Below
Floor Thirteen was built like a fortress. Reinforced walls. Electromagnetic locks. Heat sensors embedded behind the paint. Two layers of bulletproof glass separated the guard station from the holding corridor. No windows. No open vents. No access to any network except one internal line monitored from the command centre.It was the only place inside The Crest designed for a man like the Benefactor.And still, the room felt too small for him.The dim ceiling lights flickered for a moment before stabilising. The Benefactor lay on the padded reclining chair in the centre of the cell, unconscious, his wrists locked to the restraints that monitored every twitch and heartbeat.For the last hour he had not moved.Until now.A faint tremor ran through his fingers. His eyelids fluttered. His breathing shifted from calm to controlled, as if he were adjusting himself to the room around him.Then his eyes opened.There was no confusion. No panic. No attempt to pull at the restraints. Just a slow,
Chapter 50: The First Strike
The elevator doors opened onto Floor Eleven with a soft chime that did nothing to soften the tension inside the hallway. This floor was the nerve centre of internal affairs, a ring of glass offices surrounding a cluster of secure rooms where investigations were usually handled in silence.Tonight, silence felt like a lie.John stepped out first, posture controlled but radiating danger. Rita followed closely, her eyes scanning the corridor for anything off. Morgan walked behind them, tablet in hand, watching the network status live.The building seemed to hold its breath as they passed.Security officers straightened. Assistants paused mid step. Doors quietly shut when they approached.Word had already spread across The Crest.John was back. Cavanaugh was gone. The Benefactor was captured. Floor Thirteen was locked down. And someone inside the building was betraying them.Every whisper carried fear. Every glance carried suspicion. Every shadow seemed to stretch thinner.Morgan