Chapter 5 - THE DAUGHTER HE NEVER WANTEDMaya stared at the screen.
“No.”
Grant smiled.
“You inherited that from your mother.”
“Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
Maya’s stomach twisted.
“You’re my father.”
“Biologically.”
The distinction told her everything.
Grant continued.
“Do not romanticize it.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
Maya looked at Orpheus.
“What do you want?”
“You know.”
“Then come get it.”
Grant laughed.
“You’re braver than Evelyn.”
“I had a better mother.”
For the first time his smile tightened.
Maya meant Ruth.
And Grant knew it.
“Bring Orpheus to the north terrace.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“You tried to kill my mother.”
“I moved Ruth precisely because I needed her alive.”
“You threatened her.”
“Threats are cheaper than funerals.”
Maya felt disgust.
Grant continued.
“Bring me the case, or I begin killing guests individually.”
The screen switched.
A security camera showed the ballroom.
One of Grant’s gunmen held a weapon against Sophie’s head.
Nathan stood ten feet away.
Helpless.
“Five minutes,” Grant said.
The screen went dark.
Maya grabbed Orpheus.
Then stopped.
She opened the case.
Inside was no ledger.
Only a small glass key.
And a photograph.
Evelyn.
Young.
Pregnant.
Standing beside Grant Harrow.
On the back:
MAYA — IF YOU FIND THIS, TRUST THE MAN EVERYONE CALLS A MONSTER. BUT MAKE HIM TELL YOU ABOUT SAN PEDRO.
Maya closed her eyes.
Nathan.
She crawled back.
When she dropped into the ballroom, Nathan caught her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good. Neither am I.”
She handed him the photograph.
Nathan read it.
His expression collapsed.
“What happened in San Pedro?”
He looked away.
“No more later.”
“Maya—”
“Tell me.”
Gunmen surrounded them.
Nathan spoke quietly.
“Grant ordered me to burn a warehouse.”
“Why?”
“He said traffickers were using it.”
“But?”
“There were families inside.”
Maya went still.
“Thirty-two people.”
“Yes.”
“You killed them.”
“I gave the order.”
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“That doesn’t make them less dead.”
“I know.”
His voice broke on the last word.
Maya saw then what the newspapers never showed.
Nathan Cole did not excuse himself.
That mattered.
Not enough for forgiveness.
But enough for truth.
“What did you do afterward?”
“I started collecting evidence against Grant.”
“Orpheus.”
He nodded.
“San Pedro made you turn.”
“San Pedro made me realize what I had become.”
Maya looked at him.
“And you expect forgiveness?”
“No.”
The answer surprised her.
“I expect to spend the rest of my life paying a debt I can never finish.”
Maya studied him.
Then handed him the glass key.
“Help me stop Grant.”
Nathan closed his fingers around it.
“That I can do.”
Celeste approached with Sophie.
Sophie stared at Nathan.
“You’re Nathan Cole.”
“Yes.”
“You’re supposed to be dead.”
“I’ve had a confusing month.”
Maya almost smiled.
Sophie didn’t.
“My mother says you’re my father.”
Nathan’s humor vanished.
“Yes.”
Sophie slapped him.
Nathan accepted it.
Then Sophie burst into tears.
“You weren’t there.”
“I didn’t know.”
“That’s convenient.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to say that.”
“Okay.”
Nathan looked at Celeste.
“She’s definitely mine.”
Sophie slapped him again.
Maya covered her mouth.
“This is not funny.”
“It’s slightly funny.”
Celeste glared.
Then an alarm sounded.
Nathan checked the time.
11:55.
“Grant gave us five minutes.”
Maya looked at Orpheus.
“North terrace.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Trap.”
“Obviously.”
“We need leverage.”
Maya looked at the ballroom.
Hundreds of witnesses.
Then the charity livestream cameras.
“Grant loves publicity.”
Nathan followed her gaze.
Slowly smiled.
“Oh.”
“What?”
“I like you.”
“You found out I was your niece twenty minutes ago.”
“I’m adapting.”
They moved toward the production booth.
Maya pulled a terrified cameraman from beneath the desk.
“Can you restore the livestream?”
“They cut the uplink.”
Nathan examined the equipment.
“Not all of it.”
He pointed toward a satellite transmitter.
The cameraman blinked.
“How do you know?”
“I used to smuggle information out of dictatorships.”
Maya stared.
“You have an alarming résumé.”
“I’ve been told.”
Thirty seconds later, the livestream returned.
Millions of viewers expecting a charity gala instead saw Maya Bennett.
A frightened maid with tangled hair.
Blood on her uniform.
Nathan standing beside her.
Maya looked into the camera.
“My name is Maya Bennett.”
Nathan whispered, “Harrow.”
She looked at him.
Then back at the lens.
“My name is Maya Bennett.”
Ruth heard.
Her eyes filled.
Maya continued.
“And the people who own this mansion have been holding a prisoner underneath it.”
Nathan stepped into frame.
The cameraman gasped.
Across America, phones began exploding with notifications.
Nathan Cole.
Alive.
Maya held up Orpheus.
“This contains evidence connected to murders, corruption, blackmail, and trafficking.”
Nathan whispered, “Careful.”
Maya ignored him.
“If anything happens to anyone in this mansion tonight, the people responsible cannot hide it.”
The feed suddenly cut.
Grant’s voice came from behind her.
“Excellent speech.”
Maya turned.
Grant Harrow stood in the doorway.
Alone.
No bodyguards.
No fear.
He applauded slowly.
Nathan stepped in front of Maya.
Grant smiled.
“Brother.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“You knew.”
“That Mother was yours too? Of course.”
Grant looked at Maya.
“My daughter.”
Maya’s stomach turned.
Grant continued.
“And Sophie.”
Sophie recoiled.
Grant laughed.
“One happy family.”
Celeste moved protectively in front of her.
Grant looked amused.
“You really never told him?”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“Told me what?”
Celeste went pale.
Grant looked delighted.
“Sophie isn’t Nathan’s daughter.”
Silence.
Sophie stared at Celeste.
“What?”
Grant smiled.
“She’s mine.”
Celeste whispered, “Don’t.”
Nathan looked at her.
“You told me—”
“I needed you to protect her.”
Nathan recoiled.
Grant laughed.
“She always knew how to manipulate you.”
Sophie looked shattered.
“My father is Grant?”
“No,” Celeste whispered.
Grant raised an eyebrow.
Celeste turned to Sophie.
“You were born through IVF.”
Grant’s smile disappeared.
Celeste continued.
“I used Nathan’s stored genetic material.”
Nathan stared.
“What?”
“So yes.”
Celeste looked at Nathan.
“You are her biological father.”
Grant’s expression became murderous.
Celeste smiled through tears.
“And Grant spent seventeen years raising the child of the man he hated most.”
Maya whispered:
“Okay. That’s actually funny.”
Nathan stared at Celeste.
Then began laughing.
It hurt.
Badly.
But he could not stop.
Grant pulled a gun.
The laughter ended.
He aimed at Sophie.
Nathan moved immediately.
The gunshot thundered.
Nathan fell.
Sophie screamed.
Maya dropped beside him.
Blood spread across his jacket.
Grant stepped backward.
“Bring me Orpheus.”
Maya looked down.
The case was gone.
Grant looked around.
So did Maya.
Then Ruth Bennett rolled past the doorway in her wheelchair.
Orpheus sat in her lap.
Everyone stared.
Ruth smiled sweetly.
“Looking for this?”
Grant raised his gun.
Ruth threw the case over the balcony.
Grant screamed.
He ran after it.
The glass key spun through the air.
Down.
Down.
Into the dark canyon.
Grant stared over the railing.
Behind him, Ruth said:
May you like
“You should never underestimate the help.”
And Maya realized her mother had just declared war.
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