Chapter 7 - THE BETRAYAL
Victor moved Tessa into a secure apartment.
She hated it.
“You're locking me away.”
“I'm keeping you alive.”
“There's a difference.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Victor stared at her.
“I've spent my entire life protecting people by controlling their choices.”
“And?”
“I don't know how to do anything else.”
Her expression softened.
“That is the first honest thing you've said to me.”
They stood in silence.
Then Victor kissed her.
It was brief.
Careful.
He immediately stepped back.
“If you don't want this—”
“I do.”
She kissed him again.
For a few seconds, the world disappeared.
Then Tessa's phone rang.
Liam.
She answered.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
Then:
“I'm sorry.”
The line disconnected.
Victor's expression changed.
“Something's wrong.”
They found Liam at the old harbor warehouse.
He was standing beside Richard.
Tessa's heart broke.
“You betrayed us.”
Liam shook his head.
“I had no choice.”
Richard smiled.
“You always have a choice.”
Tessa stared at her brother.
“Why?”
Liam looked at her.
“They have the medical records.”
“What?”
“Mom wasn't the only one.”
He swallowed.
“They threatened to expose Dad's involvement. If I didn't cooperate, they would charge me with everything.”
Tessa stepped closer.
“You should have trusted me.”
“I was scared.”
Richard raised his gun.
Victor moved instantly.
A shot rang out.
Liam fell.
Tessa screamed.
Victor caught her before she ran forward.
“Wait!”
Richard disappeared into the warehouse.
Liam was alive.
The bullet had grazed his side.
He whispered:
“There's another ledger.”
Victor crouched.
“Where?”
“Inside the house.”
Tessa looked confused.
“Which house?”
Liam stared at Victor.
“Your house.”
Victor froze.
His estate.
The place he had searched a hundred times.
The place Richard had controlled from inside.
Liam continued.
“Your father didn't hide the ledger in a vault.”
He coughed.
“He hid it where nobody would search.”
“Where?”
“In the nursery.”
Victor's face changed.
His childhood nursery had been sealed for twenty years.
Nobody entered.
Not even him.
They returned to the estate.
Victor opened the door.
Dust covered everything.
Old toys.
A wooden train.
A broken music box.
Tessa noticed something.
The music box was playing.
Nobody had touched it.
She lifted it.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a small key.
Victor stared at it.
He knew exactly what it opened.
May you like
His father's private safe.
And inside that safe was a letter addressed to him.
