Chapter 8 - The Price of Betrayal
I looked at the document.
Then at Adeline.
“Let her go first.”
Richard shook his head.
“You haven't changed. Always negotiating.”
“I'll sign.”
My father stepped forward.
“Marcus, don't.”
Richard's gunman pointed his weapon at him.
“Stay where you are.”
I picked up the pen.
My hand trembled.
Not because I was afraid of losing the company.
I didn't care about the company anymore.
I was afraid of losing my daughter.
Richard placed the document in front of me.
“Sign your full name.”
I lowered the pen.
Then stopped.
“Before I do, tell me one thing.”
He sighed.
“What?”
“Why did you let Vincent live this long?”
Richard's expression hardened.
“Because Vincent was useful.”
“He was your brother.”
“He was a coward.”
“You attacked him because he finally told the truth.”
Richard leaned closer.
“He should have remembered who kept this family together.”
I looked at the gunman.
Then at the small security camera above the staircase.
My father had been recording everything.
Richard hadn't noticed the device.
Neither had the man holding Adeline.
I deliberately dropped the pen.
It rolled beneath the table.
As Richard bent to retrieve it, my father slammed the emergency switch hidden beneath the desk.
The lights went out.
A deafening alarm filled the basement.
I lunged toward Adeline.
The gunman fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Richard grabbed my shoulder, but I twisted free and pulled Adeline behind me.
Then the basement door burst open.
Detective Harper's officers stormed inside.
“POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
The gunman surrendered.
Richard didn't.
He ran toward the rear exit.
I chased him through the old garage.
He reached the courtyard before I caught up.
We fell against the stone fountain.
For a moment, I had him.
Then he pulled a small knife from his sleeve.
“You should have stayed away,” he hissed.
I knocked the weapon aside.
We struggled until Detective Harper arrived and forced him to the ground.
Richard was handcuffed.
For the first time in my life, he looked old.
Not powerful.
Not untouchable.
Just a frightened man whose lies had finally collapsed.
But the victory lasted only seconds.
My phone rang.
It was the hospital.
Vincent had regained consciousness.
And he was asking for me.
I rushed back with Adeline.
Vincent looked terrible, but he was alive.
He squeezed my hand.
“Marcus,” he whispered.
“I'm here.”
His eyes moved toward Adeline.
“Is she safe?”
I nodded.
“She's safe.”
He closed his eyes.
“Good.”
Then he reached beneath his pillow and removed something.
A wedding ring.
Elena's wedding ring.
I stared at it.
“Where did you get this?”
Vincent's voice cracked.
“She gave it to me.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
My heart stopped.
“Vincent, where is Elena?”
He looked toward the hospital door.
May you like
Then whispered:
“She wasn't the only one who escaped.”
