The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 143

Lucie couldn’t help but tap on the screenshot of the newspaper clipping again. The date on the page was from ten years ago.

Queen Bria. A Legend of New Amberton, the headline boasted. The article was an interview, practically worshipping Queen Bria for changing the rules of New Amberton’s entertainment scene.

Lucie frowned, trying to remember. The name Queen Bria sounded familiar. Before the millennium, New Amberton had been wild. There were gangs everywhere, every shady business tied to some crew or another. After 2000, though, a lot of those gangs started to clean up and go legit.

People called her the queen for a reason. She was the woman in charge, the boss of bosses. At her height, she had thousands of men working for her and controlled half the city’s high-roller crowd. She even changed the rules for the casino’s house cut—the rules everyone still used now.

Then, about ten years ago, Queen Bria disappeared. No one knew where she went. Back then, Lucie had just been a kid, so she’d barely noticed any of this.

Why would Mira send me this? Lucie wondered.

She didn’t hesitate, just called Mira directly.

Mira picked up right away. “Hey Lucie, did you see what I sent you?”

“Mira, what’s this about?”

“My friend’s been investigating in Switzerland. The woman living in that care facility—it should be Bria.”

Lucie’s mind went blank. If that was true, then the girl Steven was keeping hidden was Queen Bria?

“No way. That can’t be possible.”

“Why not? My friend’s latest info says it’s her. We’re not one hundred percent sure yet, but it matches up.”

Lucie’s thoughts tangled into knots. There was no way to connect Steven and Bria—they were from completely different worlds. There’d never even been a single rumor about them. Plus, Bria had to be at least five years older than Steven.

“It just doesn’t make sense…”

Mira sighed. “I know, I wish it weren’t true. But we haven’t confirmed it for sure yet. I’ll let you know when we do.”

“Alright.”

Mira’s voice softened. “How are you doing, Lucie? Are you okay?”

“I’m… fine.” Lucie barely heard herself speak. Her mind was spinning.

“If you need anything, just call me,” Mira said gently.

Ruby rushed out of the driver’s seat, opening the back door. “Ms. Anderson? Ms. Anderson, can you hear me?”

Lucie drifted in and out, barely conscious for a minute before she managed to steady her breathing. Her emotions were all over the place; there was no way she could focus on anything right now.

“…Ruby, forget the antiques market. Just take me back to Cedarbrook Hall.”

Ruby hesitated. “But Ms. Anderson, you really don’t look well. Maybe we should go back to the hospital. Your health comes first, you know?”

“I just need to rest at home, okay?”

“Are you sure?”

Lucie’s patience snapped. “Just drive. Please. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, okay,” Ruby said quickly, putting the car in gear.

Lucie dug through her purse, took a few heart pills, and sipped some water.

Half an hour later, they pulled up to Cedarbrook Hall. Lucie walked in like a ghost and locked herself in her bedroom, shutting the world out.