Chapter 9 - The Man Who Should Have Been DeadWe escaped through an underground service tunnel.
Victor knew every turn.
“How?”
I demanded as we ran.
“I built it.”
“For Vanguard?”
“For Hawthorne.”
That answer stopped me emotionally even though my feet kept moving.
We emerged behind an abandoned rail station.
Arthur's security team was waiting.
He had disobeyed me.
I should have been angry.
Instead, I was relieved.
Victor looked at the vehicles.
“Sterling.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“Victor.”
The two men stared at each other.
Three years of silence passed between them.
Arthur finally said:
“You should have contacted us.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
Arthur's expression changed.
“What happened?”
Victor looked at me.
“I was told you ordered me to disappear.”
I stared at Arthur.
He looked genuinely shocked.
“I never gave that order.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“Then someone used your name.”
That was the beginning of the truth.
Someone inside Vanguard had impersonated Arthur.
Someone with access to internal systems.
Someone who knew everything.
Back at the penthouse, Victor explained.
Three years earlier, Vanguard's acquisition of Hawthorne wasn't simply about saving Daniel.
Someone had deliberately pushed Hawthorne Real Estate toward collapse.
Someone wanted Vanguard to purchase it.
Someone wanted me involved.
“Why?”
Victor looked at me.
“Because you were the only person powerful enough to uncover what Charles Hawthorne had been doing.”
“What was he doing?”
“Blackmail.”
He opened another folder.
Photographs.
Politicians.
Developers.
Bankers.
Judges.
Private meetings.
Hidden payments.
Charles Hawthorne had spent decades collecting secrets.
Then Victor showed me the final photograph.
A woman.
Standing beside Charles.
I recognized her immediately.
Margaret.
My stomach turned.
“How long?”
Victor answered:
“Since before Daniel met you.”
I sat down.
Margaret hadn't simply been protecting her son.
She had been protecting something much bigger.
Meanwhile, Daniel met Richard Cross again.
Richard placed another file before him.
“You said you wanted your family back.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then tell me everything about Margaret.”
Daniel frowned.
“My mother?”
Richard leaned forward.
“Your mother is the reason Evelyn is dangerous.”
Daniel stared.
For the first time, doubt entered his mind.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard smiled.
“You married the wrong woman.”
May you like
Then he added:
“And you were born into the wrong family.”
