Chapter 13: Blood Ties

👉 Previous decision: You and Ethan infiltrated the brownstone basement and found Julian’s double-entry ledgers.

My fingers flew through the pages of the seized binder, the shocking truth of the double ledger still echoing in my mind. One point four million dollars. From Viktor Kostov.

Then I found them. Tucked discreetly into a back pocket of the binder: two worn, official-looking birth certificates.

I stared at the names. Julian Gable. Mara Gable.

“They’re… siblings,” I breathed, showing them to Ethan. His eyes widened, a slow dawning of horrified understanding replacing his usual grim determination.

Julian Cross and Sister Mara Gable. Not just co-conspirators, but full biological brother and sister. They had orchestrated Seventh Dawn together, a twin-pronged scam feeding on desperation and greed.

Exploiting superstitious tenants for their monthly “blood payments” on one side. On the other, skillfully using Viktor Kostov’s laundered mob capital to purchase private real estate deeds under their own maiden names. An empire built on fraud, ritual, and a shocking betrayal of the underworld itself.

Just as the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place, a low, metallic groan reverberated through the corridor.

A heavy iron security door, reinforced with thick steel, dropped from the ceiling, slamming into the concrete floor behind us.

The sudden clang echoed, shaking the very foundations of the old brownstone. We were locked in the vault corridor.

➡️ Read CHAPTER 14 to continue the story.