Chapter 10:Bloodlines

5:08 a.m. — Westchester Property

Gabriel stepped off the private jet wearing a navy hoodie and jeans. His dark curls clung to his forehead, damp from sleep or stress. His eyes, wide and brown, scanned the unfamiliar faces, locking onto Ella's as she approached slowly.

She paused a few feet away. "Gabriel?"

He nodded.

She expected awkwardness, but there was something familiar in the way he stood. That defiant tilt of his chin—just like Gideon. It sent a strange ache through her chest.

"I'm Ella," she said softly. "Your sister."

Gabriel blinked, then shrugged. "I figured. You look like the photo in Dad's office."

She sucked in a breath. "You've been in that office?"

"Only once," he said. "Before he… before everything happened. He told me it wasn't time yet. That when I turned fifteen, things would change."

Ella crouched to his level. "You're safe here. No more running. No more secrets."

He looked skeptical. "People have been lying to me since I was born. Why should I believe you?"

Fair question.

She stood and offered him her hand. "You don't have to believe me. Just watch what I do."

He hesitated—then took her hand.

Behind them, Chase and Adrian exchanged glances. The boy had the Monroe fire. That much was clear.

---

Later That Morning — Monroe Corporate Tower

Boardroom silence.

Ella sat at the head of the table, surrounded by eleven board members. A temporary appointment, but her voice now carried weight. She laid a file on the table and opened it slowly.

"This is Gabriel Monroe," she announced. "My brother. My father's son. His DNA test confirms it."

A murmur rippled through the room.

One of the older men, Barrett, narrowed his eyes. "A child from an affair. Why announce this now?"

"Because he has a right to exist," Ella said. "And because the public will find out sooner or later. When they do, we don't bury it. We control the story."

Another board member spoke up. "And what does this mean for leadership?"

"It means nothing—yet," Ella said firmly. "I am still CEO. Gabriel is a minor. But transparency protects us."

Barrett leaned back. "If Catherine planned all this to destabilize the board…"

"Then we won't let her," Ella cut in. "She's lost everything. What she has now is desperation. But desperation makes people reckless."

No one argued.

But Ella could feel it—the tremble beneath the surface. The empire was still shifting. And it wasn't done yet.

---

Same Day — Rikers Island Prison

Catherine was dragged back to her cell after a failed meeting with her lawyer. Her hair now graying, her cheekbones sharp from hunger.

A new letter awaited her.

She opened it with trembling fingers.

Inside was a single photo—Gabriel and Ella at a breakfast table, laughing.

On the back were five words written in red ink:

You lost more than Gideon.

She screamed and tore the letter in half, then into shreds, until her hands bled.

---

That Evening — Monroe Penthouse

Ella tucked Gabriel into one of the guest rooms. He was cautious but calmer. He didn't ask for his mother once.

She stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching him breathe.

Then she stepped out, her own mind too restless for peace.

Adrian met her in the hallway, holding two glasses of red wine. He offered one.

"Was today a win?" he asked.

Ella sipped the wine and leaned against the window.

"Maybe. Or maybe it's the eye of the storm."

"Either way, you held it together."

"For now."

He studied her in silence, then said, "There's something else."

Ella turned. "What?"

He pulled a file from his jacket and handed it over. "The coroner's report on Gideon's body. Something new came up. Something the doctor tried to hide. Catherine didn't act alone."

Ella's blood chilled. "What?"

"There was a second toxin. One not in the original reports."

Her eyes narrowed. "Then who helped her?"

Adrian's voice dropped. "That's what we have to find out—before they come for the rest of us."