Chapter 54

The rain came down in a steady rhythm, tapping against the car windows as Julian sped through the city streets. Erica stared out the window, her thoughts swirling in a storm of their own. She felt the weight of what Julian had revealed earlier—the truth about her father’s involvement in a global power network, and how Ophelia sought to replace him. The enormity of it all pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.

But she couldn’t let it overwhelm her. Not now.

"Where are we heading?" Erica asked, her voice breaking the tense silence between them.

Julian glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the road. "One of my contacts tracked down a man named Victor Alvarez. He was close to your father, and he’s the last name on the list. We need to find him before Ophelia does."

Victor Alvarez. The name stirred something in Erica’s memory, a distant recollection from her childhood. She had heard her father mention him once or twice, though always in hushed tones. He had b