Chapter 7 - BLOOD BENEATH THE FAMILY NAMEVictor had taken Evelyn's mother to a private estate in Virginia.
We found the location through an old bank account.
But before we could move, Adrian contacted us.
“Bring the ledger.”
His voice was tired.
“Come alone.”
I laughed.
“You've never known me very well.”
“Come alone or she dies.”
He sent a photograph.
Evelyn's mother.
Alive.
Older.
Weak.
But alive.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
“I have to go.”
“No.”
“Roman—”
“You're not going.”
“She is my mother.”
“And you're not walking into a trap.”
She looked at me.
“Then come with me.”
We went.
The estate was heavily guarded.
Victor appeared on the balcony.
Adrian stood beside him.
For the first time, I saw my brother clearly.
He looked older.
Exhausted.
Almost ashamed.
“Roman.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
Adrian's face changed.
“I didn't hurt him.”
“You terrified him.”
“I needed the dog.”
“You murdered our father.”
Adrian looked away.
Victor laughed.
“Family reunion.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Where is my mother?”
Victor smiled.
“Still alive.”
He pointed toward the house.
Then everything happened at once.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Lights exploding.
We moved.
Marcus's team attacked from the rear.
Evelyn reached the house.
I followed.
We found her mother chained inside a bedroom.
Evelyn collapsed beside her.
“Mom.”
The older woman opened her eyes.
“Evelyn?”
They embraced.
I stood at the door.
For one moment, there was no empire.
No violence.
No Reaper.
Only a daughter finding her mother.
Then Victor appeared.
He fired.
I pushed Evelyn down.
The bullet struck my shoulder.
Pain exploded.
Marcus shot Victor's weapon from his hand.
Adrian tackled Victor.
They crashed through the doorway.
For several seconds, the brothers who had destroyed our family fought side by side.
Then Adrian looked at me.
“Roman.”
I raised my gun.
He shook his head.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“I didn't kill Father.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Victor did.”
Victor screamed.
“Liar!”
Adrian continued.
“I helped cover it up.”
He looked at me.
“I thought Father was going to destroy everything.”
“You betrayed him.”
“Yes.”
His eyes filled with regret.
“But I didn't kill him.”
Victor fired again.
Adrian stepped in front of the bullet.
He collapsed.
I caught him.
For the first time since childhood, I held my brother in my arms.
He whispered:
“I was jealous of you.”
I said nothing.
“You were always the son he loved.”
“You could have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
He died before I could answer.
Victor was arrested.
The ledger was recovered.
The organization began collapsing.
But one mystery remained.
Why had my father hidden everything?
The answer came from Evelyn's mother.
She whispered:
“Because he knew you would eventually become exactly like him.”
I stared at her.
“He wanted you to choose differently.”
I looked toward Noah.
He was outside with Goliath.
Laughing.
For the first time, I understood.
May you like
My father hadn't built the vault to protect an empire.
He had built it to destroy one.
