Chapter 6 - The Doctor Who Was Gabriel’s Daughter

Dante called Cole again.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

Marco looked at him.

“She knows we met.”

“How?”

“She knows everything that happens around you.”

Dante stared.

“Since when?”

“Since before the yacht.”

Price whispered:

“She was on the rehab team.”

Marco nodded.

“Because Gabriel placed her there.”

Vivienne looked sick.

“Was she part of the plan?”

Marco shook his head.

“At first.”

Dante’s eyes hardened.

“At first?”

“Gabriel raised her to believe the Vale organization belonged to him.”

Dante laughed bitterly.

“Family tradition.”

Marco continued.

“She was supposed to confirm permanent paralysis.”

Price said:

“She left after two months.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“She changed sides.”

Dante frowned.

“Why?”

Marco looked at him.

“Because she saw what Gabriel planned to do next.”

Silence.

“What?”

“If you recovered enough to speak publicly about the blast, Gabriel wanted you dead.”

Dante stared.

“And Cole stopped him?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“She falsified the follow-up reports.”

Price stood.

“What?”

Marco nodded.

“She made Gabriel believe there was no neurological improvement.”

Dante looked at Price.

“You did too.”

Price said:

“Without knowing why.”

Dante laughed softly.

“So everyone lied in different directions.”

Lena whispered:

“And you were still the last person told.”

Dante looked at her.

“Yes.”

Marco said:

“Cole has spent seven years trying to build a case against her father.”

Dante stared.

“Then why not come to me?”

Marco smiled sadly.

“Because she did not trust you.”

Dante’s face hardened.

“Why?”

“She thought you would protect Gabriel for the family name.”

Silence.

Dante looked at his own hands.

Would he have?

Seven years ago?

Maybe.

That was worse than a simple no.

Marco said:

“She also thought your father had turned you into a symbol.”

“The broken king.”

“Yes.”

Dante hated the phrase.

People said it.

Not near him.

But they said it.

Marco continued.

“Gabriel benefited from your image.”

“How?”

“You controlled operations publicly.”

“And privately?”

“He controlled logistics.”

Dante’s face changed.

“The ports.”

“Yes.”

“The cash movement.”

“Yes.”

“The weapons routes.”

“Yes.”

Dante stared.

His uncle had built power beneath the myth of Dante’s disability.

Vivienne asked:

“Where is Gabriel now?”

Marco replied:

“Hospital.”

Dante frowned.

“He’s sick?”

“No.”

Marco looked at him.

“He is visiting someone.”

“Who?”

Marco hesitated.

“Your father’s former nurse.”

Price went pale.

“Nurse Amelia.”

Dante remembered.

Amelia Grant.

The only nurse his father trusted after the yacht.

Retired.

Moved away.

Dante asked:

“Why?”

Marco said:

“She kept the medication log.”

Silence.

“The original?”

“Yes.”

“The one proving the toxin switch.”

“Yes.”

Dante’s face hardened.

“And Gabriel wants it.”

“Yes.”

Lena asked:

“Why now?”

Marco looked at Dante’s legs.

“Because somebody told him Dante can feel again.”

Everyone understood.

The towels.

The response.

The secret was no longer secret.

Dante called security.

“Find Gabriel.”

Then looked at Marco.

“You come.”

Marco nodded.

Vivienne said:

“I’m coming too.”

Dante looked at her.

“No.”

Her face changed.

“You don’t get to decide for me.”

Silence.

Lena looked down.

Dante noticed.

Then almost smiled.

“Fine.”

Vivienne looked surprised.

Dante turned to Lena.

“You stay.”

She nodded.

Then he paused.

“No.”

Lena looked up.

“What?”

“You come too.”

Vivienne stared.

Dante explained:

“You noticed the cable.”

Lena shrugged.

“I tripped over it.”

“You noticed Vivienne’s face.”

Lena said nothing.

“You notice things.”

Vivienne sighed.

“She does.”

They reached the hospital.

Amelia Grant was not a patient.

She worked in the records basement.

Seventy-one.

Part-time volunteer.

Dante found her standing beside a locked archive cabinet.

Gabriel Vale stood across from her.

Sixty-four.

Silver hair.

Perfect suit.

Uncle.

Mentor.

Family.

Gabriel looked at Dante’s wheelchair.

Then at the people behind him.

“You came.”

Dante said:

“You sound disappointed.”

Gabriel smiled.

“Never.”

Amelia held a folder.

Gabriel looked at her.

“Give it to me.”

“No.”

Dante moved forward.

Gabriel’s eyes changed.

“Dante.”

“Uncle.”

“Go home.”

“No.”

Gabriel sighed.

“You do not understand.”

Dante laughed.

“That sentence should be engraved on our family crest.”

Gabriel looked at Marco.

“You.”

Marco nodded.

“Me.”

Then Gabriel saw Vivienne.

His expression sharpened.

“You were told to keep him quiet.”

Dante stared.

Vivienne went pale.

“You sent the threats.”

Gabriel smiled faintly.

“Yes.”

Dante’s face went still.

The photograph beside his bed.

The message.

The fear.

All Gabriel.

Dante asked:

“Did you order the yacht explosion?”

Gabriel said nothing.

Amelia answered.

“Yes.”

Silence.

Dante looked at her.

“You know?”

She held up the folder.

“I signed the medication log.”

Gabriel’s face hardened.

Amelia continued.

“And I watched your father replace the poison.”

Dante looked at Gabriel.

“You wanted me paralyzed.”

Gabriel finally said:

“I wanted you controllable.”

There it was.

No excuse.

No family loyalty.

Control.

Dante’s hands tightened.

Gabriel continued.

“Your father ruined everything.”

Dante whispered:

“He saved me.”

Gabriel laughed.

“He trapped you in a chair.”

Dante looked down at his legs.

Then back up.

“No.”

His voice was calm.

“You did that.”

Silence.

“And he was too afraid to let me find out I could escape.”

Gabriel’s smile disappeared.

Dante nodded.

“That part belongs to him.”

Then pointed at Gabriel.

“But this belongs to you.”

Amelia handed the folder to Dante.

Original medication records.

Signatures.

Drug substitutions.

Gabriel stepped forward.

Marco blocked him.

Security entered behind.

Gabriel looked at Dante.

“You think this ends with me?”

Dante said:

“It starts with you.”

Gabriel smiled.

Then looked toward Lena.

“Ask her why her father was on the yacht.”

Lena froze.

Dante slowly turned.

“What?”

Gabriel’s smile returned.

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