Chapter 9 - What Victor Did That Night

Adrian hit Victor.

Hard.

Victor did not defend himself.

Catherine shouted:

“Stop.”

Adrian turned.

“You knew?”

She shook her head.

“No.”

Thomas looked destroyed.

“I saw Victor carry her to the car.”

Victor touched his bleeding lip.

“Yes.”

Adrian stared.

“You kidnapped her.”

Victor shook his head.

“No.”

“Then explain.”

Victor looked at Catherine.

“I drugged you.”

Silence.

Catherine stepped back.

Victor continued.

“Your father ordered men to take you.”

Adrian’s grandfather.

Victor had found out.

He did not trust Catherine to leave willingly.

So he put a sedative in her tea.

Carried her out.

Gave her to Thomas.

Thomas drove her to Maine.

Catherine stared at him.

“You never told me.”

“I was ashamed.”

“You should be.”

“I know.”

Adrian looked at Thomas.

“And you helped.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because if she stayed, she died.”

Adrian laughed bitterly.

“Everyone in this family has a reason for violating someone else.”

No one answered.

Victor looked at Catherine.

“I saved your life the wrong way.”

She stared at him.

“Yes.”

That was all.

No forgiveness.

No absolution.

Just truth.

At 11:40 p.m., we drove to the Bellini chapel.

Old stone building.

Family cemetery around it.

Mara’s team stayed beyond the tree line.

Adrian carried a copy of the drive.

Not the original.

Thomas stayed with Catherine.

Victor came.

My father came.

I came.

Adrian did not ask me to.

He had stopped doing that.

Inside the chapel, Daniel stood beside Serena.

Richard sat tied to a chair.

Alive.

Daniel held a gun.

Serena looked at Adrian.

“I’m sorry.”

Daniel smiled.

“She says that a lot.”

Adrian held up the drive.

“Let them go.”

Daniel laughed.

“First, Victor.”

Victor stepped forward.

Daniel’s face changed.

“You lived too long.”

Victor looked at him.

“So did you.”

Daniel aimed at him.

Adrian said:

“You shoot him, the drive gets destroyed.”

Daniel looked at the flash drive.

Then at Adrian.

“Give it to Serena.”

Adrian frowned.

“Why?”

“Because she is the only person here I trust to walk it over.”

Serena stared.

“You trust me?”

“No.”

Daniel smiled.

“I trust fear.”

Adrian held the drive toward her.

Serena walked.

Slowly.

When she reached him, Daniel grabbed her arm.

Then he pressed the gun against her side.

“Good.”

Adrian stared.

Daniel plugged the drive into a laptop.

Files opened.

He smiled.

Then stopped.

Password request.

He looked at Adrian.

“Password.”

Adrian answered:

“ROSES.”

Daniel typed.

Access denied.

He looked up.

Adrian smiled.

“Wrong drive.”

Daniel’s face changed.

Mara’s voice came from outside.

“Federal agents!”

Daniel fired.

Victor shoved Adrian aside.

The bullet hit the stone wall.

Serena drove her elbow into Daniel’s ribs.

Richard kicked the chair backward.

Daniel fell.

My father grabbed Serena.

Adrian tackled Daniel.

Gun slid across the floor.

I kicked it away.

Agents entered.

Daniel screamed.

“You think this ends me?”

Adrian held him down.

“Yes.”

Daniel laughed.

“You still own the accounts.”

Adrian stared.

Daniel continued.

“You still signed.

You still benefited.

You still inherited everything.”

Adrian looked at Mara.

She did not deny it.

He could still be charged.

Maybe not for Daniel’s crimes.

But for what carried his name.

Adrian looked at Serena.

Then Victor.

Then Catherine entering behind the agents.

Then Thomas.

Then my father.

Every person here had hidden something.

Every person had paid for it.

Adrian stood.

“Then charge me if you have to.”

Daniel stopped laughing.

Adrian continued.

“I will testify.

I will open every account.

I will surrender every company involved.”

Victor stared.

“You could lose everything.”

Adrian looked at him.

“I already did.”

Then he looked at Serena.

“And I’m done protecting the version of my life everyone else built.”

Mara handcuffed Daniel.

Richard held Serena.

Catherine looked at Victor.

Thomas looked at me.

My father stood beside me.

The chapel door opened to rain.

And Adrian walked outside.

Not free.

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...

Not yet.

But finally not owned by the secret.