The Last Heir Of The Van Declaoria Bloodline - Chapter 9

Far away from the restless city of Arlein…

Beyond the highways, beyond the crowded towns, and far from the silent war unfolding inside the Van Declaoria family…

There was a place where the world still felt untouched.

Deep in the northern part of Aceh, Indonesia.

Hidden between forested hills and tall limestone cliffs stood a waterfall known to travelers who searched long enough to find it.

Air Terjun Blang Kolam.

A long curtain of water fell from the rocky wall above, crashing into a clear natural pool surrounded by thick green forest.

Mist rose gently from the surface.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of tall trees, breaking into fragments of gold that danced across the flowing water.

The air was cool.

Pure.

Quiet in a way that made the rest of the world feel very far away.

Standing near the edge of the pool was a woman.

Her long silver hair moved softly with the mountain wind.

She stood silently, watching the waterfall as if studying something deeper than the water itself.

For a long moment she said nothing.

The roar of the falling water filled the valley.

Birds called faintly somewhere above the trees.

Tourists farther down the trail laughed as they took photographs, unaware of the quiet figure standing near the rocks.

The woman finally spoke.

Softly.

Almost to herself.

“This…”

She paused.

“…is what true paradise looks like.”

Her voice carried a calmness that felt strangely detached from the beauty surrounding her.

As if she had seen too much of the world to be surprised by it anymore.

The woman reached into the pocket of her coat.

A small phone appeared in her hand.

She pressed a single contact.

The line connected almost immediately.

For a few seconds, neither side spoke.

Only the sound of the waterfall echoed through the speaker.

Then a voice answered.

“Yes.”

The woman’s gaze remained fixed on the falling water.

“The heir survived.”

Silence followed on the other side of the line.

Then the voice replied carefully.

“…We suspected that possibility.”

The woman crouched slightly and let her fingers touch the cold water of the pool.

Ripples spread across the surface.

Slow.

Controlled.

She watched them for a moment.

Then she spoke again.

“Continue the game.”

The wind moved softly through the valley.

Leaves rustled in the trees.

The voice on the other end asked after a pause.

“…Which game?”

A faint smile appeared on her face.

“To catch a mouse.”

Her tone was almost playful.

But beneath it lived something colder.

Something far more calculated.

“The mistake people make when hunting mice,” she continued quietly, “is believing speed wins the game.”

Her fingers moved gently through the water again, creating another circle of ripples.

“The real trick…”

“…is building the maze.”

The voice on the other end did not argue.

It simply asked:

“What should we do?”

The woman stood again and looked toward the distant mountains beyond the forest.

The sunlight had begun to shift.

Shadows stretched slowly across the valley.

“Let him run.”

The answer came calmly.

Almost gently.

“Let him believe he escaped.”

The waterfall roared louder as the wind changed direction.

The woman brushed a strand of silver hair away from her face.

“Because eventually…”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“…every mouse returns to the center of the maze.”

Silence followed.

Then the voice responded.

“…Understood.”

The call ended.

For a moment the woman remained still beside the water.

Tourists continued taking photographs.

Children played along the edge of the rocks.

None of them realized that the quiet woman standing there had just moved pieces in a war that stretched across continents.

She turned and walked slowly toward the forest trail.

Before disappearing among the trees, she glanced once more toward the waterfall.

“Let the game begin.”

Far away from Aceh.

Far away from the peaceful valley.

The real game was already moving.

Night had fallen again over Arlein.

The skyline of the city shimmered beneath thousands of lights, but inside the towering headquarters of the Van Declaoria family, the atmosphere felt far colder.

Inside the council chamber, five figures sat around the long marble table.

The air was heavy with tension.

A large screen on the wall displayed multiple surveillance feeds.

Satellite tracking.

Security reports.

Search grids expanding across several regions.

The hunt had begun.

And yet the prey was still missing.

Ewan Van Declaoria slowly stood from his chair.

The movement alone was enough to silence the room.

His sharp eyes scanned the others seated around the table.

Luke leaned forward slightly, arms crossed.

Leticia tapped her fingers impatiently on the table.

Lucia remained quiet as always, studying the data on the screen.

Amy spun a small silver coin between her fingers.

Ewan clasped his hands behind his back.

For a moment he said nothing.

Then he spoke.

“Proceed with the next plan.”

His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of command.

“As we are now, we cannot afford another mistake.”

No one responded.

Everyone in the room remembered the explosion.

Everyone remembered the failure.

Ewan’s eyes hardened slightly.

“Do not let a single mistake happen again.”

He turned toward the large screen showing the map.

Multiple red markers appeared across the region.

Private operatives.

Surveillance teams.

Informants.

The network of the Van Declaoria family was vast.

And now it was fully activated.

Ewan continued.

“We must move now.”

His voice dropped slightly.

“Because if we hesitate…”

“…we lose our chance.”

Luke finally spoke.

“The prize.”

Ewan nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

Not revenge.

Not power.

Something far more valuable.

The result of decades of experimentation.

The culmination of Project Argentum.

Generation Four.

Silence returned to the room.

Then Ewan gave the final command.

“Find the girl.”

His eyes moved toward the dark skyline outside the window.

“And bring her to us.”

The council members rose from their seats.

The meeting was over.

The hunt had truly begun.

But somewhere far away, beyond their reach…

Two people who were supposed to be dead were already preparing their next move.

And hidden in the mountains of Aceh…

Someone else was quietly watching the board.

Waiting.

For the moment when the maze would finally close.

And the hunters…

Would realize they were never the ones controlling the game.