Chapter 99 The unmasking

Chapter 99 The unmasking
Chapter 99: The Unmasking

The mansion had not known peace for days, but that morning arrived carrying something far worse than tension.

It arrived with sirens.

Black SUVs pulled up to the gates one after another, engines humming with authority. Armed officers stepped out in coordinated movements, badges flashing, weapons secured but ready. Reporters followed almost immediately, cameras hoisted, voices rising as the iron gates creaked open.

Inside the mansion, panic spread faster than fire.

“Sir!” a guard rushed into the sitting room where Izo stood by the window, staring blankly at the garden he had searched too many times already. “There are government vehicles outside. A full unit.”

Izo turned slowly. “For what?”

Before the guard could answer, the front doors burst open.

Men and women in dark jackets flooded in, their presence commanding instant silence. At the center was a tall woman with sharp eyes and a badge clipped openly to her belt.

“Mr. Izo,” she said clearly. “You are under arrest.”

The words hit the room like a gunshot.

Gwen gasped. “Arrest? For what?”

Izo didn’t move. “On what grounds?”

“For the disappearance of a federal agent,” the woman replied. “Audrey Whitmore.”

The name rippled through the room.

“What?” Tennessee stepped forward instinctively. “That’s impossible. She was just a young lady without an actual job.”

The agent held up a folder. “Audrey was an active field operative under the International Crime Investigation Agency. Badge number classified. Assignment classified. Her last known location was this mansion.”

The world tilted.

Izo staggered back a step. “Audrey… an agent?” His voice broke despite himself. “That’s a lie.”

“It’s not,” the agent said. She opened the folder, revealing photos—Audrey in different disguises, different cities, different lives. Documents followed. Credentials. Reports.

Tennessee stared at the images, disbelief etched into his face. “No… this can’t be real.”

Thomas felt his stomach drop. Scar Face went still, his jaw tightening so hard a muscle jumped in his cheek.

Yvonne pressed a hand to her chest. “An agent?” she whispered. “My sister?” 

Lorrine’s knees nearly buckled.

The agent continued, her voice unwavering. “Agent Audrey was assigned to investigate historical disappearances tied to Mr. Izo Whitmore. Specifically, the unresolved case of your first wife, who vanished ten years ago under suspicious circumstances.”

Cameras flashed from the doorway as reporters shouted.

“Mr. Izo! Is it true your bride disappeared like your first wife?”

“Is history repeating itself?”

“Are you hiding something, sir?”

Izo raised his hands slowly. “I have nothing to hide. Audrey is my wife. I have been searching for her day and night.”

“Then why didn’t you inform authorities she was an agent?” the agent asked.

“I didn’t know!” Izo shouted. “None of us did.”

Gwen scoffed sharply. “I knew it.”

Every head turned to her.

“I knew she was bad news,” Gwen said, stepping forward, her eyes blazing. “I warned everyone. She was unstable, secretive. This is exactly the kind of thing someone like her would do.”

“What are you saying?” Tennessee snapped.

Gwen pointed accusingly. “Maybe Audrey is hiding. Maybe she staged this disappearance to frame our father. To pin him down the same way she pinned others in the past.”

The agent’s eyes narrowed. “You’re accusing a federal agent of fabricating her own disappearance?”

Gwen crossed her arms. “Why not? She infiltrated our family under false pretenses. Married my father under a lie. Who’s to say this isn’t another operation?”

“That’s enough,” Izo said sharply. “You will not speak about my wife like that.”

“She wasn’t your wife,” Gwen shot back. “She was watching you.”

Tennessee clenched his fists. “Stop.”

The agent raised a hand, restoring order. “We’ll determine motive later. For now, Mr. Izo, you are under arrest for obstruction and suspected involvement in the disappearance of a federal agent.”

She gestured. Officers moved forward, cuffing Izo.

Yvonne cried out. “This is madness!”

Lorrine let out a sob, trembling violently.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no…”

The agent’s gaze snapped to her. “You. Step forward.”

Lorrine shook her head, tears streaming. “I didn’t mean…”

“What is she talking about?” Gwen demanded.

Lorrine collapsed to her knees. “I poisoned her,” she cried. “I swear I didn’t know what it was. Miss Gwen told me to put it in her drink. She said it would make her sleep, that it was nothing serious.”

The room exploded.

Gwen recoiled. “You’re lying!”

“I swear!” Lorrine sobbed. “You said Audrey was dangerous. You said she needed to be weakened.”

The agent’s eyes hardened. “Miss Gwen, you’re under arrest as well.”

“What?” Gwen shrieked. “This is ridiculous!”

Officers moved in immediately.

Gwen struggled. “Dad! Say something!”

Izo stared at her, devastation replacing shock. “You did this?”

“She’s lying!” Gwen screamed. “She’s trying to save herself!”

Lorrine buried her face in her hands. “I’m sorry… I was scared…”

Both women were cuffed and pulled apart.

Tennessee felt sick. “This… this has gone too far.”

Scar Face watched silently, his mind racing. Thomas avoided everyone’s gaze.

The agent turned back to Izo. “You will be taken in for questioning. Full cooperation may work in your favor.”

As Izo was led away, he looked around the mansion one last time. “Find her,” he said hoarsely. “Please.”



Later that evening, the mansion felt hollow.

Reporters still camped outside, shouting questions, broadcasting headlines across the world:

IZO’S BRIDE MISSING—JUST LIKE HIS FIRST WIFE TEN YEARS AGO

DARK SECRETS RESURFACE IN IZO DYNASTY

Inside, Tennessee stood in the main hall, exhausted, angry, frightened.

He turned to Yvonne. “You need to leave.”

Yvonne stiffened. “What?”

“For now,” Tennessee said firmly. “Until this is resolved.”

“You think I had something to do with this?” she asked, wounded.

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” he replied. “Everyone close to Audrey had secrets.”

Yvonne’s eyes filled with tears. “I swear, Tennessee, I didn’t know she was an agent. I didn’t know any of this. Yes she’s my baby sister but I didn’t know.” 

He studied her face. “You’ll stay somewhere safe. Away from here.”

She nodded slowly. “I understand.” Then walked away.