Chapter 17 - THE ARCHITECT The man stepped into the doorway.
Older.
Elegant.
Calm.
His eyes were identical to Katerina's.
Isabella stared.
"Uncle?"
He smiled.
"Hello, Isabella."
Adrian raised his weapon.
The Architect laughed.
"If I wanted you dead, you would already be dead."
Mateo stepped forward.
"You killed Lorenzo."
"I created an empire."
"You murdered my father."
"I removed obstacles."
His calmness was horrifying.
He revealed that Silas had become uncontrollable.
Victoria had become greedy.
The network was collapsing.
But he had prepared for this.
He wanted Isabella to inherit the Valerius fortune.
Because he believed she could be controlled.
"Why me?"
"Because you survived."
Isabella stepped closer.
"For twenty years, you watched me suffer."
"Survival made you strong."
"No."
She looked him directly in the eyes.
"Rosa made me strong."
The Architect's expression changed.
For the first time, Isabella saw fear.
Because the girl he had underestimated was no longer afraid of him.
She had evidence.
She had her brother.
She had Mateo.
And she had the truth.
The Architect reached for a weapon.
Mateo moved.
A shot exploded.
The Architect fell.
May you like
But before he died, he smiled.
"You still haven't found the final account."
