Chapter 513
apter 513
513
Zeke stared Samir down, eyes burning, but said nothing. Samir turned his head, his voice low and icy.
“Zeke, listen carefully,” he said.
“The boss has known from the start that you’re not his biological son. He knew before you were even born.
I am his real son. His blood runs in my veins.
Well? Shocking enough for you?”
A twisted, triumphant smile spread across Samir’s face.
Zeke’s eyes widened in disbelief. Then he shook his head furiously. “That’s impossible! Who are you trying to fool?”
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“Why would I lie to you?” Samir scoffed. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this day? I’ve lived my life in the shadows as the illegitimate son. Only after the boss completely gave up on you could I finally rise.”
Zeke’s eyes flickered. Now that Samir had said it out loud, he could no longer ignore the resemblance. Samir’s features bore a noticeable similarity to Zorro’s. As for himself–he had never looked like Zorro at all.
He even remembered joking in the past that Samir looked more like Zorro’s son than he did. And now, the truth was hitting him like a freight train.
It all made sense. Everything.
‘So… you’re the child of my wet nurse, Daniela, and Zorro?” Zeke asked, horror creeping into his voice.
“That’s right,” Samir said with feigned regret. “We both grew up on my mother’s milk. We were like brothers… shame we weren’t.
“Why? Why this way?” Zeke asked again and again. “If you’re his real son, why have you spent your life as my subordinate?”
It was the question that hurt the most.
Samir sneered. “Because of my mother’s status. She was nothing but a servant. I was born beneath the family name. The boss kept me in Graystone, forbade my mother from ever revealing the truth, and made me serve at your side. I had to call you ‘young master while knowing I was the real heir. The count’s true son.”
“Why would he do that?” Zeke demanded. He just couldn’t understand why Zorro would raise a child he knew wasn’t his and keep his real son hidden.
Samir’s lips curled, “The boss had his reasons. He once told me my role was to keep an eye on you. If you ever turned against him, I was to stop you–by any means necessary.
“And the bigger reason? He wanted his real son to grow up safely, away from danger. You were just the decoy. The shield. His human scapegoat
Zeke let out a bitter, broken laugh. “A decoy…”
He’d already thought his life story was tragic enough. But now this?
Used from the beginning. Raised to be a pawn.
He had tried to outsmart the old fox–and instead, had walked right into his trap.
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Zeke clenched his fists.
“You’re desperate to get in touch with Caitlin, right?” Samir suddenly said. “Well, I can help with that.”
Zeke glared. “What the hell do you mean?”
You’ll see soon enough.”
Samir left the chamber. A short while later, he returned–and Zeke recoiled.
He was staring at his own face.
“You… you disguised yourself as me?” Zeke spat, appalled.
“Easy enough,” Samir said, smirking. “If I go to the US posing as you, Caitlin won’t suspect a thing. I know everything about your habits and how you talk.”
He showed Zeke his phone–Zeke’s phone–and tapped the screen.
“Look. I even texted her already, in your style. She responded right away. Told me to be careful.”
Zeke’s blood boiled.
“Samir, I swear to God, if you so much as touch her, I’ll haunt you to your grave!”
“Relax. I’m not stupid like you. I wouldn’t throw away everything for a woman. I’m going to help Father get the codex and bring his grand plan to life.
“You just stay here quietly. Once our mission’s done, you’ll be useless to us. That’s when your time’s up.”
Samir burst into maniacal laughter, then turned and walked out.
“Samir! You bastard! Get back here!” Zeke shouted.
But the heavy door slammed shut again, leaving him in darkness.
For the first time, Zeke realized how powerless he truly was.
Everything he’d fought for–all the progress, all the light he thought he was reaching for–was being dragged back into the pit
By them .
Was this his fate?
No. He refused to believe it
He had to find a way to escape.
In the US, the Piano Prince Federico had kept his promise to Caitlin.
Using his immense influence, he posted a video on the most widely used global social media platform, holding up a photo of Ashfall and appealing to viewers worldwide for help in finding his long–lost friend.
He even included the contact info of his studio, offering a generous cash reward to anyone who could provide accurate
leads.
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Thanks to Federico’s fame, the video spread like wildfire. His international fan clubs joined in, sharing the message across
countless communities.
If Ashfall was still alive somewhere, someone would eventually see it.
All Caitlin could do now was wait.
But while waiting, she had another battle to face–the National Design Expo, held in New York City.
Federico and Hayden had already promised they’d be in the audience to support her.
The competition gathered top designers from across the country. The venue? The largest exhibition center in New York.
To ensure fairness, the judges‘ panel hadn’t been announced publicly yet, to prevent competitors from trying to bribe or influence them in advance.
On the day of the event, all the qualifying designers–those who had passed both online and in–person selection rounds- arrived with their final submissions.
Caitlin and Zora arrived almost at the same time.
Both women stepped out of their respective vehicles, catching each other’s eye.
Tension filled the air like static .
“Caitlin, Zora said, her voice thick with challenge, “this is it—the final showdown. Don’t forget our bet. Loser gets kicked out of the design world.”
Flanked by her team, Zora’s smug expression practically demanded a fight.
Caitlin’s aura was calm but powerful. “It’s still too early to say who’ll win,” she replied coolly. “We’ll see.”
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