Chapter 16: The Chairman Behind the Shadows

The recording ended, leaving everyone speechless.

"Chairman?" Sebastian repeated quietly.

"Black Phoenix has another leader?"

The detective nodded.

"Raven wasn't lying."

"We searched every intelligence database."

"No one knows the Chairman's identity."

Arthur's expression became grim.

"I feared this day would come."

"For thirty years, I've only seen his symbol."

"Never his face."

Sabrina looked confused.

"Why did Raven say I had awakened?"

"What does that mean?"

Arthur remained silent.

Before he could answer, his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

Unknown Number.

Arthur answered cautiously.

"Who is this?"

A deep voice laughed softly.

"Old friend..."

"You've protected the girl long enough."

"Now it's our turn to bring her home."

"Who are you?" Arthur demanded.

"Tell Sabrina the truth."

"Or I will."

The call disconnected.

Arthur slowly lowered the phone.

His hands were shaking.

"Grandpa?" Sabrina asked.

"What truth?"

Arthur sighed heavily.

"There's something I've hidden from all of you."

"Even from Sebastian."

Everyone gathered inside the temporary command center outside the ruined estate.

Arthur placed an old photograph on the table.

It showed two newborn babies lying side by side.

"One of them is Sebastian."

"The other... is Sabrina."

Sebastian frowned.

"You mean our families met when we were born?"

"More than that," Arthur replied.

"You were both born on the same night."

"Your fathers made a promise."

"If anything happened to them, their children would unite both families."

Sabrina looked stunned.

"That's why you arranged our marriage?"

"Yes."

"It wasn't for business."

"It was to keep both bloodlines alive."

"Because Black Phoenix wanted every descendant of your parents dead."

Sebastian finally understood.

"So everything... even our marriage... was planned to protect us."

"Exactly."

Just then, the detective rushed inside.

"Mr. Ford!"

"We've identified Raven's escape route."

"Where?"

"Private Airport 17."

"His helicopter is preparing for takeoff."

Sebastian immediately stood.

"Let's move."

"Wait," Arthur interrupted.

"If Raven escapes, we'll never reach the Chairman."

"Then we stop him today," Sebastian replied.

Half an hour later, police vehicles surrounded the private airport.

A black helicopter sat on the runway with its blades spinning.

"There he is!" an officer shouted.

Raven calmly walked toward the helicopter.

Sebastian sprinted after him.

"Raven!"

"This ends tonight!"

Raven slowly turned around.

"Does it?"

"You still don't know who you're fighting."

"Tell me who the Chairman is."

"I can't."

"Only one person has ever seen his face."

"Who?"

Raven smiled beneath his mask.

"Sabrina's mother."

Sabrina froze.

"My mother?"

"She's dead," she whispered.

"Is she?"

Raven's words stunned everyone.

"No... You're lying," Sabrina whispered.

"Ask Arthur why no body was ever found."

Arthur's face instantly turned pale.

"Enough!" he shouted.

"Don't listen to him!"

Raven laughed loudly.

"Poor old Arthur."

"You've lied for twenty years."

"Now she'll hate you for it."

Suddenly, Raven threw a smoke grenade onto the runway.

Thick black smoke covered the area.

"Stop him!" Sebastian shouted.

Gunshots echoed through the smoke.

When the smoke cleared, the helicopter had disappeared.

Only Raven's black mask remained on the ground.

Inside the mask was a folded note.

Sebastian unfolded it.

It contained a single sentence:

"If you want to see Sabrina's mother alive... come to Black Island alone."