Chapter 10 - The Bodyguard’s ConfessionDamien didn't move.
Evelyn's voice was barely audible.
“Tell me I'm wrong.”
He looked at her.
“You're not.”
Mara grabbed Evelyn's arm.
“Get away from him.”
Damien raised both hands.
“I never wanted you hurt.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“You helped them.”
“I was twenty-two.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
Damien looked exhausted.
“I was ordered to sabotage the car.”
Noah stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because Victor had something on my family.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Everyone has an excuse.”
Damien didn't defend himself.
“I loosened the brake line.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
That tiny admission changed everything.
“You killed Daniel.”
Damien looked down.
“No.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
Damien swallowed.
“Daniel caught me.”
He continued.
“He attacked me. We fought. Victor arrived.”
Evelyn watched him carefully.
“What happened next?”
“Daniel got into the car.”
“He drove it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Damien's voice broke.
“To stop Victor.”
Evelyn froze.
Damien reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old drive.
“I've kept this for seven years.”
Mara stared.
“What is it?”
“The original security recording.”
He connected it.
The video showed the night of the accident.
Daniel opened the limousine door.
Victor argued with him.
Evelyn stepped outside.
She heard them.
Daniel pointed toward Victor.
“You've been stealing from the foundation.”
Victor moved closer.
Daniel backed away.
Then Evelyn's mother appeared.
She had followed them.
Victor shouted.
Daniel turned.
A vehicle approached.
Someone had tampered with the brakes.
Daniel got behind the wheel.
Evelyn climbed inside.
The limousine pulled away.
Damien stayed behind.
Then another car followed.
A black sedan.
Mara whispered,
“Who was driving that?”
Damien answered,
“Julian.”
The video ended.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
“Why did Daniel die three days later?”
Damien hesitated.
“Because he survived.”
Silence.
“He was taken to a private clinic.”
“By whom?”
“Victor.”
Noah's fists clenched.
“What did he do?”
Damien looked at him.
“He wanted Daniel to tell him where your mother had hidden the evidence.”
“And Daniel?”
“He refused.”
Evelyn whispered,
“Then how did he die?”
Damien's face hardened.
“Daniel escaped the clinic.”
Mara stepped forward.
“And?”
“He got to my apartment.”
Damien reached into the drive case.
There was a photograph.
A handwritten note.
Mara grabbed it.
Daniel's handwriting.
If anything happens to me, protect Noah.
Mara began to cry.
Damien continued.
“I helped Daniel disappear.”
Noah looked at him.
“You knew me?”
“Yes.”
“You watched me grow up.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell my mom?”
“Because Victor was watching every person connected to Daniel.”
Noah looked away.
Evelyn asked the question that mattered.
“Where is the evidence?”
Damien looked at Lena.
Lena stepped forward.
“Some of it is still in the Hartwell underground vault.”
Evelyn stared.
“Underground?”
Lena nodded.
“The place where Project Eden began.”
Suddenly the alarm sounded.
All lights turned red.
A voice came over the intercom.
Victor.
“You should have stopped digging.”
Then the archive doors locked.
Gas began pouring into the room.
May you like
Victor's voice returned.
“Now nobody leaves.”
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