Chapter 9 - ONE LAST WAR
Adrian contacted Harper directly.
She answered.
“Why are you doing this?”
His voice was cold.
“Because Dominic stole the life that belonged to me.”
“He didn't know you were alive.”
“He should have looked.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere you can't reach.”
“What do you want?”
Silence.
Then:
“Your father knew the truth.”
“What truth?”
“He didn't die because of the Russo family.”
Harper froze.
“Then who killed him?”
“You did.”
She couldn't breathe.
“What?”
“You were sixteen.”
“I was a child.”
“You gave him the information that got him killed.”
Harper's mind raced.
“I don't remember.”
“Because someone erased the evidence.”
The call ended.
Harper turned to Dominic.
He had heard everything.
“I don't believe him.”
“I do.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because my father left a letter.”
“What did it say?”
“That I was never supposed to marry you.”
Dominic's face tightened.
“Maybe he knew this would happen.”
They found another hidden document inside the old safe.
It revealed the truth.
Harper's father had discovered that Carmine planned to eliminate both Russo brothers and seize control of the organization.
He had secretly protected Adrian.
But Carmine intercepted him.
Harper's father had staged his own death to protect her.
The person who killed him wasn't Carmine.
It was Adrian.
Adrian had believed his father betrayed him.
Harper broke down.
Dominic held her.
“I should have known.”
“You were sixteen.”
“I should have remembered.”
“You survived.”
He kissed her forehead.
“That's enough.”
Then the windows shattered.
Gunfire erupted.
Adrian's men attacked.
Dominic pushed Harper into the safe room.
“I'll come back.”
“No.”
“I have to.”
She grabbed his hand.
“Come back to me.”
“I will.”
The battle lasted twenty minutes.
Dominic fought through the mansion.
One by one, Adrian's men fell.
Finally, Dominic found Adrian.
They stood facing each other.
“You could have come home,” Dominic said.
Adrian laughed.
“There was no home.”
“There could have been.”
“You were always Father's favorite.”
“I was his prisoner.”
Adrian raised his weapon.
Dominic lowered his.
“I won't kill you.”
Adrian hesitated.
“You're weak.”
“No.”
Dominic looked toward Harper.
“I finally learned the difference between mercy and weakness.”
Adrian lowered his weapon.
Federal agents entered.
The war was over.
Months later, Dominic and Harper stood before a judge.
Their original marriage contract had been destroyed.
The judge asked:
“Do you wish to remain married?”
Dominic looked at Harper.
“No contract.”
Harper smiled.
“No money.”
“No obligation.”
“No pretending.”
Dominic took her hand.
“Then yes.”
Harper smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
They kissed.
For the first time, there were no cameras.
No enemies.
May you like
No commission.
Only them.
