Chapter 5 - What His Father Injected

Dante did not speak for a full minute.

Then:

“My father poisoned me.”

Cole answered:

“No.”

Dante laughed once.

“You just said—”

“He injected you.”

“Same thing.”

“No.”

Cole’s voice sharpened.

“He injected the wrong drug on purpose.”

Price frowned.

“What does that mean?”

Cole continued.

“The toxin had already been ordered.”

Silence.

“By Gabriel?”

“Yes.”

Dante stared.

Cole explained.

Gabriel arranged the yacht explosion.

Not to kill Dante.

To injure him badly enough that the hospital became predictable.

Then someone on the inside was supposed to administer a permanent neurotoxin.

Dante whispered:

“And my father found out.”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Hours before surgery.”

Price sat down.

Cole said:

“Your father replaced the toxin.”

“With what?”

“A temporary paralytic compound.”

Dante stared.

Price’s face changed.

“That explains the old lab values.”

Cole continued.

“He made it look like the planned injection happened.”

Dante’s voice became quiet.

“So Gabriel believed I had been permanently damaged.”

“Yes.”

“But Dad still told everyone I would never walk.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because if Gabriel knew the drug failed, he would try again.”

Dante looked at Vivienne.

Then Lena.

His father had lied.

But not for the reason Dante thought.

Still a prison.

Still fear.

But not betrayal in the same way.

Dante asked:

“Why did the paralysis last seven years?”

Cole hesitated.

“Because you were genuinely injured.”

Price answered now.

“Severe swelling. Scar tissue. Nerve compression.”

Cole said:

“Your father believed recovery was possible.”

Dante’s jaw tightened.

“Then why stop rehab?”

“Because movement would reveal it.”

Silence.

Lena whispered:

“He protected the secret by protecting the injury.”

Cole replied:

“Yes.”

Dante looked at her.

“That is the cruelest sentence I have heard tonight.”

Lena nodded.

“It can still be true.”

Dante looked at Price.

“Did my father tell you about the drug replacement?”

Price shook his head.

“No.”

“Then you honestly believed I was worse than the scans suggested.”

“Yes.”

“Until six months ago.”

“Yes.”

Dante turned to Vivienne.

“And you knew none of this.”

“No.”

Only the sensation.

The threats.

The fear.

Dante closed his eyes.

Then asked Cole:

“Where is Marco?”

“He wants to meet.”

“Where?”

“Old shipyard.”

Vivienne said:

“No.”

Dante looked at her.

“He threatened you.”

“Yes.”

“And maybe knows who tried to destroy me.”

“He is unstable.”

Dante nodded.

“So am I.”

Lena stepped forward.

“You can’t go alone.”

Everyone looked at her.

She almost regretted it.

Dante asked:

“Why do you care?”

Lena answered honestly.

“Because you just learned half your life may have been built around someone else’s decision.”

Silence.

“And if you go angry, they make the next decision too.”

Dante stared at her.

Vivienne looked between them.

Something hurt in her face.

Jealousy.

Fear.

Both.

Then she said:

“She’s right.”

Dante looked surprised.

Vivienne continued.

“I hate that she’s right.”

Lena almost smiled.

Dante did.

Barely.

They went to the shipyard with security.

Not police.

Dante stayed in the armored vehicle.

Marco came alone.

Fifty-two.

Gray beard.

Scar along his jaw.

He looked at Dante through the open door.

“You look like your father.”

Dante’s face hardened.

“Get in.”

Marco did.

Dante asked:

“Did you watch my father switch the injection?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you stop him?”

“I helped him.”

Silence.

“You knew Gabriel’s plan.”

“Yes.”

“Then why disappear?”

“Because Gabriel found out someone interfered.”

Dante stared.

“Did he know it was Dad?”

“No.”

“Who did he suspect?”

“Me.”

Marco smiled bitterly.

“He was right about that part.”

Dante asked:

“Why threaten Vivienne?”

Marco looked ashamed.

“To keep you still.”

“Like everyone else.”

“Yes.”

“You put a man in my suite.”

“No.”

Marco’s face changed.

“I never sent anyone inside.”

Vivienne froze.

“The photograph.”

“I received it too.”

Silence.

Marco continued.

“Someone else is watching Dante.”

Dante asked:

“Gabriel.”

“No.”

“Then who?”

Marco looked at Price.

“His daughter.”

Everyone stared.

Dante frowned.

“Gabriel does not have a daughter.”

Marco looked at him.

“Yes, he does.”

“Who?”

Marco turned toward the hotel in the distance.

Then answered:

“Dr. Jenna Cole.”

Price went pale.

Vivienne whispered:

“No.”

Dante stared at the phone still in his hand.

The doctor helping expose Gabriel.

The woman who had just explained the entire sabotage.

Marco said:

“She is Gabriel Vale’s daughter.”

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

And suddenly the person leading them toward the truth might also have inherited the motive.

========================================================================