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As it drove off, Polk leaned over and asked his wife, “Did you know Lu Yang was ill?”

She shook her head For ten years, her h he didn’t come into his extreme wealth until after they’d divorced Jin’s ex-stepfather had taken care of herher skills until he could put them to use for his benefit

“When did he die?” Jin asked Campbell

“He tragically passed away just a few days ago More will be explained to you both e reach Melbourne”

Jin glanced at Polk and saw a hopeful gaze in his eyes He knew just as well as she did what that meant

They were going to a reading of her stepfather’s will

It took thirty minutes to reach don Melbourne, where they stopped in front of one of its glistening towers An elevator whisked them to the fiftieth floor Campbell ushered them into a posh conference room, where they had an expansive view of the city skyline He pushed a button, and wall panels folded back to reveal a huge TV

“Please,” Caany conference table A silver pitcher of ice water and solasses had been set out for them He handed Jin a remote and a sealed envelope with her name on it “Once I leave the room, just press play You’ll be asked for a code, which is contained in that envelope”

“You’re not reading his will?” Polk asked

“I’”

He nodded and closed the door behind him as he left

Polk turned to his wife and said, “What’s going on here?”

“Let’s find out” Jin opened the envelope and found a note card with nothing on it but a sixteen-digit number written by hand She pressed PLAY on the remote and was prompted to enter the code

When she did, an iant office came on the screen At the center of the screen, seated at a desk, was Lu Yang Jin felt her breath catch at seeing hier the stern and strong disciplinarian she remembered

Instead, his eyes were sunken, his hair was stringy, and the hands tented on the desk were skeletal