Chapter 10: Twenty-Six Years of Lies

Devon stared at Miriam in complete disbelief as gunfire echoed across the estate behind them.

"Miriam?" he repeated.

"How did you even get here?"

She struggled to catch her breath, her clothes covered in dust from the chaotic drive through the countryside.

"Mr. Hamilton sent me," she said.

"He couldn't reach you."

"He said you wouldn't answer his calls."

"I quit," Devon replied bitterly.

"I know."

"He regrets it."

Devon laughed humorlessly.

"My father doesn't regret anything."

"This time he does."

Before Miriam could continue, Marco appeared beside them, his pistol still in hand.

"We don't have much time," he said.

"Talk while we move."

The group hurried toward a reinforced bunker hidden beneath the east garden.

Behind them, De Luca's men continued exchanging gunfire with Victor Kane's mercenaries.

As the steel bunker door closed, the outside noise became muffled.

"Now," Marco said, turning toward Miriam.

"Tell us everything."

She nodded nervously.

"Mr. Hamilton kept a secret from Devon his entire life."

Devon's expression hardened.

"Another one?"

"Twenty-six years ago, before Devon was born, Benjamin Hamilton wasn't the head of Hamilton Group."

"His older brother, Richard Hamilton, owned the company."

Devon frowned.

"I don't have an uncle."

"You did," Miriam corrected softly.

"Richard disappeared before you were born."

"Father told me he died in a plane crash."

"He lied."

Silence filled the bunker.

"Richard Hamilton never boarded that plane."

"He vanished because someone tried to kill him."

"Who?" Devon asked.

"Victor Kane."

Marco folded his arms.

"Continue."

"Back then, Victor Kane wasn't a crime boss."

"He was Richard Hamilton's business partner."

"Together they built one of New York's fastest-growing investment companies."

"Then greed took over."

"Victor wanted complete control."

"Richard refused."

"That's when the attacks began."

"Car bombs."

"Kidnappings."

"Assassination attempts."

"Richard eventually disappeared to protect his family."

Devon slowly shook his head.

"No..."

"Father would've told me."

"He couldn't," Miriam whispered.

"Because the day Richard disappeared... your mother was pregnant with you."

"Benjamin believed hiding the truth was the only way to keep both of you alive."

Devon leaned against the concrete wall, trying to process everything.

"So my father spent twenty-six years lying to protect me?"

"Yes."

"Then why arrange a marriage I didn't want?"

"Because Hamilton Group is struggling financially," Miriam admitted.

"Victor Kane has secretly been buying company shares through shell corporations."

"Benjamin needed the Lawson family alliance to stop the takeover."

"The marriage wasn't about love..."

"It was about saving the company."

Devon closed his eyes.

Suddenly, every decision his father had made over the last few months began to make sense.

Not because Benjamin wanted to control him...

But because he had been desperately trying to protect everything their family had built.

"He should've trusted me," Devon whispered.

"He wanted to."

"But every person who learned the truth disappeared."

"Including Richard Hamilton."

Marco finally spoke.

"There's still one question."

"Why target Devon now?"

"Because Victor finally knows where Richard is," Miriam answered.

"What?"

"Richard Hamilton is alive."

Everyone froze.

"Alive?" Devon repeated.

"Where?"

"Switzerland."

"He's been living under another identity for twenty-six years."

"Victor recently discovered that."

"He believes Richard secretly transferred ownership documents to someone in the Hamilton family."

"Those documents control everything."

"Hamilton Group."

"Billions in overseas assets."

"Private investments."

"Everything."

"Victor believes Devon inherited them."

Devon's eyes widened.

"I don't have any documents."

"Victor doesn't believe that."

"Then he's wasting his time."

"Criminals rarely stop to verify facts," Marco replied.

"They act first."

"Ask questions later."

At that moment, Luca rushed into the bunker.

"Boss!"

"We've pushed them back, but there's bad news."

"What happened?"

"Benjamin Hamilton has disappeared."

Devon's heart nearly stopped.

"What do you mean disappeared?"

"His security convoy was attacked on the way back to Hamilton Manor."

"The vehicles were found abandoned."

"No bodies."

"No survivors."

"Your father is gone."

Devon immediately stepped forward.

"We're going after him."

"Absolutely not," Marco replied.

"Victor wants you to make exactly that mistake."

"He's my father!"

"And you're his greatest weakness."

"If you walk into Victor's trap, Benjamin's sacrifice becomes meaningless."

"So what do we do?" Devon asked.

Marco looked toward the large tactical map hanging on the bunker wall.

"We stop reacting..."

"And start hunting."

Luca looked surprised.

"Boss... are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"Yes."

"It's time to bring the war directly to Victor Kane."

Before anyone could respond, one of the estate's intelligence officers burst into the bunker.

"Boss!"

"We've intercepted Victor Kane's latest transmission."

"He's demanding a trade."

"Benjamin Hamilton..."

"In exchange for Devon."