Chapter 10 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be DeadThe Vale Family's Biggest Lie

I stared at the man beside David.

He was older.

Silver hair.

Dark eyes.

The same jawline as Roman.

Roman's father.

Victor Vale.

The man who had supposedly died eight years ago.

My mother stepped backward.

Martha whispered:

"You weren't supposed to be here."

Victor smiled.

"Neither were you."

Roman raised his weapon.

David raised his.

"Put yours down," Victor said.

Roman didn't move.

"You killed Ethan."

Victor's expression didn't change.

"Ethan was weak."

Roman's jaw tightened.

"You murdered your own son."

"He betrayed the family."

Megan?

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Victor looked at me.

"And this must be the mother."

I instinctively pulled Leo closer.

Victor smiled.

"Don't worry. I don't want the boy dead."

"Then what do you want?"

"The trust."

Roman laughed bitterly.

"Sixty million."

Victor shook his head.

"Much more than that."

He pointed toward the vault.

"Ethan discovered what sits behind these accounts."

"What?"

"Control."

He explained that Vale Development wasn't simply a real estate company.

It controlled shell corporations.

Political donations.

Construction contracts.

Private lending networks.

And Laura was one of dozens of fronts used to move money.

Ethan had found everything.

So he created the trust.

He made Leo the beneficiary.

Because once Leo turned eighteen, the hidden records would become accessible.

Victor needed the child alive.

But he also needed him legally controlled.

That's why David had been appointed guardian.

That's why my records had been altered.

That's why my mother had disappeared.

Everything suddenly fit.

Except one thing.

"Why did you let me raise Leo?"

Victor looked at me.

"Because nobody suspected you."

I realized the truth.

I hadn't been protected.

I had been used.

A hidden hiding place.

A disposable mother.

A shield.

I looked at my mother.

"Did you know?"

She cried.

"I knew part of it."

"And you let me live like this?"

"I thought it was the only way."

Victor laughed.

"Sentimental nonsense."

Roman moved.

The gunshot came instantly.

His shoulder jerked.

He fell against the vault.

"Roman!"

I screamed.

David stepped toward Leo.

I grabbed my son and ran.

Victor shouted:

"Take the boy!"

Two men rushed toward us.

I pushed Leo behind me.

Then the lights went out.

Complete darkness.

A fire alarm exploded.

Sprinklers activated.

People shouted.

Guns fired.

I crawled through the dark, dragging Leo.

We reached the cellar stairs.

Someone grabbed my ankle.

I kicked.

Hard.

The grip released.

I reached the dining room.

Emergency lights glowed red.

Then Roman emerged from the cellar.

Blood covered his shirt.

But he was standing.

"Go!"

We ran.

Outside, sirens screamed.

Police cars surrounded the block.

I thought we were saved.

Then an officer approached.

"Mrs. Bennett?"

"Yes?"

He pulled out handcuffs.

"I'm sorry."

He looked at Leo.

"You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Roman Vale."

I stared at him.

"What?"

He grabbed my wrist.

Then another officer seized Leo.

"Mama!"

I screamed.

Roman tried to move.

A gun was pressed against his injured shoulder.

The officer leaned toward me.

"David Kesler has witnesses."

I looked around.

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