Chapter 4: The Truth Unfolds
The night air was crisp as Liam made his way back to the apartment. His heart was still pounding from the confrontation, and his body felt strangely alive, as if a new part of him had been awakened. The adrenaline had faded, leaving him with only the bitter taste of uncertainty.
As he reached his doorstep, he paused, taking a deep breath. His mind kept replaying the moment when he'd defeated the man in the alley. He wasn't a fighter by nature, but somehow, he had managed. He felt the change within him—like something had clicked into place.
Stepping inside, he was met with the usual silence of the apartment. Ella wasn't here yet; she'd left earlier, promising to return with new leads. Liam sat down on the couch, staring at the photograph of his mother once more. Sylvia Locke—his biological grandmother—was a mystery he was determined to unravel. But he couldn't shake the thought of the man who had attacked him. Whoever was behind the attempt to silence him was powerful. And dangerous.
Minutes later, Ella's voice broke through the silence.
"Liam?" She entered, her face creased with concern as she noticed the tension in his shoulders. "What happened?"
"I was attacked," he replied flatly, his voice betraying no fear, only frustration. "A man tried to stop me from digging further. He said I didn't know what I was dealing with."
Ella's brow furrowed, and she quickly moved to sit beside him. "What did he mean by that? Who's behind all of this?"
Liam hesitated before answering, still trying to process the encounter. "I don't know. But it feels like someone—or something—is trying to bury the past. I'm just trying to find out the truth about my parents, but it's like there's an army of people working to keep me from it."
Ella looked down at the photograph in Liam's hand, her expression softening. "This is your mother, isn't it?"
He nodded, his fingers gently brushing over the faded image. "I never knew her. I never knew anything about her, about my family. But now, I'm starting to see how much I don't know."
Ella's voice dropped lower, her tone filled with empathy. "The past is a powerful thing. Some people would do anything to keep it hidden."
Liam didn't answer, his thoughts racing. His past had always been a mystery—unanswered questions, pieces of the puzzle that never quite fit. But now, he was beginning to see that those pieces weren't just fragments of his life—they were the key to understanding everything.
"I've been thinking," Liam said, his voice more determined now. "What if everything I've been told about my parents' death isn't true? What if they weren't just victims of an accident? What if they were murdered?"
Ella's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, she was silent, as if weighing his words. "It's possible," she said slowly. "But who would want to kill your parents? And why?"
Liam's gaze hardened. "I have a feeling I'm about to find out."
---
Days passed in a blur of research and sleepless nights. Ella and Liam continued to dig into Sylvia Locke's past, uncovering details that only raised more questions. They found records of Sylvia's association with several high-profile families, including Liam's biological family. But there was one name that kept appearing—Victor Stryker.
Victor Stryker was a name that seemed to command respect in every room he entered. An influential businessman with a reputation for ruthlessness, his family controlled everything from luxury hotels to casinos. But he wasn't just any businessman. He was someone who had crossed paths with Sylvia Locke in the past—someone who had been too close to her for comfort.
Liam couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine when he first heard the name. There was something about Victor Stryker that made his skin crawl. The man's reputation preceded him, and the more Liam uncovered about him, the more he realized that Stryker was a dangerous player in the game that had claimed his parents' lives.
"Victor Stryker," Liam muttered to himself, staring at the screen in front of him. "He's the key to everything."
Ella was sitting beside him, her eyes scanning the documents. "He's a shadow in the business world. Everything about him is a carefully constructed facade. But his ties to Sylvia Locke… they're undeniable."
Liam stood up abruptly, his mind racing. "I need to know more about him. Where he's been, what he's done. If he's involved in my parents' death, then he's involved in my inheritance."
Ella grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Liam, you can't rush into this. If he's as dangerous as you think, then we need a plan. We need to be careful."
But Liam was already moving toward the door, determination flashing in his eyes. "I'm not waiting any longer. I need answers. I need to find out who killed my parents, and I need to take back what's mine."
---
The search for Victor Stryker took them deep into the underworld of the city. The more they investigated, the more they realized that Stryker wasn't just a businessman—he was part of a larger, more dangerous organization. The web of lies, deception, and betrayal grew thicker with every step they took.
They found themselves in the heart of the city's underground, where rival factions fought for control, and mafia families ran their businesses in the shadows. Liam wasn't prepared for the world he was stepping into, but it was the only way forward. To get to Stryker, he had to play by his rules.
And the first step was to get close to those who knew him.
---
It didn't take long before Liam found himself standing at the entrance of a luxurious hotel, the kind of place where billionaires and billionaires' children held their meetings. The place reeked of wealth, but it was more than that. It was a place where people like Victor Stryker conducted their business, where everything had a price.
Ella had done her part, pulling a few strings to get Liam inside. He knew this was dangerous. The hotel was filled with people who could make or break lives with a single phone call. But for the first time in his life, Liam felt a sense of control.
As he walked through the marble lobby, his footsteps echoing in the silence, he realized that this was where his world was about to change. The game was no longer just about surviving. It was about winning.
And Liam was ready to play.
He walked toward the elevator, knowing that each step brought him closer to the truth, closer to the man who had taken everything from him.
The game was just beginning.