Chapter 4 - The Poisoned Betrayal
Clara looked at the needle on the terminal. She looked at Ryan, who gave her a nearly imperceptible nod. They had anticipated this.
She reached out, her fingers steady despite the fury burning in her veins. She pressed her thumb against the biometric sensor. A sharp prick signaled the collection of her DNA. The terminal beeped, a progress bar filling up rapidly on Arthur’s monitor: Genetic Authentication: 100% Matching.
“Excellent,” Arthur purred, leaning forward to watch the patent files unlock. “You’ve done the smart thing, Clara. Your father would be… well, he’d be disappointed, but he’s dead.”
But as the progress bar reached its end, the screen suddenly flashed blood red. A siren didn't sound, but a text prompt appeared: Access Denied. Dual Authorization Required. Secondary Genetic Sequence Missing.
Arthur’s smile vanished. He slammed his glass down, amber liquid splashing across the desk. “What is this? What did you do?”
“I didn't do anything,” Clara said honestly, her heart leaping. “My father knew you would corner me eventually, Arthur. He didn't just lock it with my DNA.”
“The twins,” Ryan intervened, his voice dripping with venom. “The patent is tied to the direct lineage. It requires the DNA of his grandchildren as well. And you will never, ever get near them.”
Arthur’s face contorted into something monstrous. He reached beneath his desk, likely for a panic button or a weapon, but Ryan was faster. He lunged across the desk, grabbing Arthur’s wrist and twisting it until the older man cried out, dropping a small black remote control.
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“You think you’ve won?” Arthur sneered through his pain. “My associates are already at your house, Ryan. I didn't wait for your compliance. If I don't send a confirmation code in three minutes, they don't just take the babies—they burn that suburban fortress to the ground.”
Panic, cold and absolute, gripped Clara’s throat. They had left Aunt Martha and the twins behind, thinking the security perimeter would hold. But Arthur’s reach was deeper than they had ever imagined.
