Chapter 26 - THE RECORDING
Victor ordered Marlo to sit.
She did.
But the microphone remained active.
He began confessing.
Not everything.
But enough.
He admitted his father ordered the murder.
He admitted paying Vivian.
He admitted manipulating Daniel.
He admitted arranging Adrian's disappearance.
Every word was recorded.
Then Victor realized.
His eyes shifted toward Marlo's jacket.
“You recorded me.”
Marlo smiled.
“Yes.”
He lunged.
Police stormed the building.
Victor was arrested.
Sable was freed.
For the first time in decades, the Hale network collapsed.
But Marlo wasn't celebrating.
She had one final question.
“What happened to Adrian?”
Victor looked at her.
“Alive.”
Marlo froze.
“What?”
Victor smiled.
“Your friend didn't die.”
The police searched an abandoned medical facility.
They found Adrian.
Weak.
Older.
But alive.
He had been kept hidden for years.
When Marlo saw him, she couldn't speak.
Adrian smiled.
“You finally found me.”
She hugged him.
“You idiot.”
He laughed weakly.
“I deserved that.”
Sable joined them.
For the first time, the entire family stood together.
The old war was finally over.
But Adrian handed Marlo a small envelope.
“One last thing.”
She opened it.
Inside was a letter from Elliott.
Written before his death.
Marlo,
If Adrian is standing beside you when you read this, then everything happened exactly as I feared.
But don't make my mistake.
Don't spend your life fighting ghosts.
Let the dead stay dead.
Build something better.
Marlo folded the letter.
She understood.
May you like
The final chapter wasn't revenge.
It was freedom.
