Chapter 13 - The Last MotherEvelyn ran toward the sound.
Her mother stood in the upstairs hallway.
Alive.
Holding a gun.
Adrian was on the floor below, wounded but conscious.
“You.”
Her mother's face was devastated.
“I had no choice.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You always say that.”
Her mother lowered the weapon.
“I was twenty-two when I met Adrian.”
She began telling the truth.
Adrian had tried to leave the criminal world.
Michael offered to hide him.
Vivian wanted his empire.
Damen's father wanted his territory.
Everyone betrayed everyone.
But Evelyn's mother had made the worst choice.
She gave away Adrian's location.
“For what?”
Her mother cried.
“To save you.”
Evelyn froze.
“You were going to kill him.”
“Yes.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes.”
Damen rushed toward Adrian.
He was alive.
Barely.
Evelyn looked at her mother.
“Who gave you the order?”
Her mother whispered:
“Me.”
Evelyn stared.
“You?”
“I created the Black Crown.”
Silence.
Damen looked up.
“No.”
Her mother nodded.
“Yes.”
She had built the network as a protection system.
Then it became an empire.
One she could no longer control.
“Victor was my weapon.”
“Vivian was my weapon.”
“Michael was my shield.”
“And Adrian…”
She looked at him.
“…was the man I could never control.”
Evelyn could barely speak.
“Then why bring me into this?”
“Because the trust recognized you.”
“What does that mean?”
Her mother smiled sadly.
“You are the only person who can dismantle everything.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
“Evelyn…”
Her mother looked at him.
“We're running out of time.”
Sirens approached outside.
Police.
FBI.
Damen looked through the window.
“They're coming for all of us.”
Her mother nodded.
“Exactly.”
Evelyn frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I sent them.”
Everyone stared.
She pulled a small device from her pocket.
A transmitter.
“I've given them the ledger.”
Damen shook his head.
“The ledger can destroy innocent people too.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because there is no way to end the Black Crown without burning it down.”
She looked at Evelyn.
“I need you to choose.”
Evelyn stared.
“Choose what?”
“Power or freedom.”
Her mother placed the transmitter in her hand.
“If you activate it, every protected name goes public.”
“Judges.”
“Police.”
“Politicians.”
“Everyone.”
“And what happens to us?”
“Some go to prison.”
“Some die.”
Evelyn looked at Damen.
He said nothing.
She looked at Nolan.
He shook his head.
“Don't let them decide your life again.”
Her mother whispered:
“Choose.”
Evelyn looked at the transmitter.
The entire city was waiting.
She could expose everything.
Or protect the people she loved.
Then she heard a gunshot.
Her mother collapsed.
Evelyn caught her.
“No!”
Blood spread across her coat.
Damen turned toward the window.
A sniper.
He saw the shooter.
Too late.
Another shot.
Adrian fell again.
Nolan dragged Evelyn behind a wall.
Then a phone rang.
Damen answered.
Victor.
His voice was laughing.
“You finally found Adrian.”
Damen said nothing.
Victor continued.
“But there is one thing you never understood.”
“What?”
“Adrian didn't build the Black Crown.”
A pause.
“He inherited it.”
Damen frowned.
“From whom?”
Victor laughed.
“Ask Evelyn's mother.”
Evelyn looked down.
Her mother's eyes were fading.
She whispered:
“His name…”
Evelyn leaned closer.
“Whose?”
Her mother smiled through blood.
“The first Voss.”
Damen froze.
“What?”
His mother's last words were:
“He isn't dead either.”
Then her eyes closed.
Evelyn looked at Damen.
“What does that mean?”
May you like
Damen stared into the darkness.
And for the first time since she had met him, fear appeared on his face.
