Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO SIGNED MY FATHER'S DEATHI couldn't breathe.
My mother watched me.
She didn't deny it.
“Why?”
She sat at the edge of the desk.
“Because your father was going to kill Noah.”
Tessa burst into the room.
“What?”
My mother looked at her.
“He believed the boy was a threat.”
Tessa's face hardened.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
My mother explained that my father had discovered Noah's existence.
He feared Victor would use the boy.
He considered sending Noah away permanently.
My mother had panicked.
She made a deal.
Victor promised to protect Noah.
In exchange, she gave him access to the trust.
“I thought I was saving him,” she said.
“And my father?”
She lowered her eyes.
“I didn't order his murder.”
“The ledger says you did.”
“No.”
“What did you sign?”
“A protection order.”
“Then why does it look like a murder authorization?”
“Because Arthur changed the document.”
I stared.
Arthur had forged her signature into something darker.
He had manipulated both sides.
My mother had been used.
My father had been used.
Tessa's mother had been used.
Daniel had been used.
Everyone.
Except Victor.
And Arthur.
But Arthur was dead.
Or nearly dead.
Then Marcus entered.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Victor escaped.”
My mother froze.
“How?”
“He was never arrested.”
“What?”
Marcus looked at me.
“The man we arrested at the theater wasn't Victor.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“Then who was he?”
“A decoy.”
We checked the hospital.
The body belonged to an unidentified man.
Victor was gone.
And he had the original ledger.
I looked at my mother.
“Where would he go?”
She answered instantly.
“Where he started.”
“Where?”
“The old Rossi warehouse.”
We drove there.
The warehouse was empty.
But a projector was waiting.
The screen flickered on.
Victor appeared.
He was sitting behind a desk.
No fear.
No panic.
Just confidence.
“Zo.”
“You stole the ledger.”
“I improved it.”
“What does that mean?”
“You found the family secrets.”
He smiled.
“Now everyone will think you are guilty.”
I frowned.
“What?”
He pressed a button.
Documents appeared.
Transfers from my account.
Payments to shell companies.
Bribes.
All under my signature.
He had forged everything.
“You've spent years building the perfect villain,” Victor said. “Now I only have to make the world believe it's you.”
My mother went pale.
“You can't.”
Victor laughed.
“You taught me.”
Then another screen appeared.
Live video.
Tessa's apartment.
Noah was there.
Alone.
Tessa screamed.
“NOAH!”
Victor looked at the screen.
“Come to the warehouse.”
He leaned toward the camera.
“Bring the ledger.”
“Or?”
He smiled.
“You'll watch him disappear.”
The screen went black.
I grabbed Marcus.
“How do we get him?”
Marcus looked at the building.
“There are tunnels.”
I stared.
“How many?”
“Three.”
“Which one?”
Marcus smiled grimly.
“The one Victor doesn't know about.”
We descended through an underground passage.
At the end was a steel door.
Behind it, Noah was tied to a chair.
Tessa ran.
Victor appeared from the shadows.
Gun in hand.
“Stop.”
We froze.
He placed the barrel against Noah's head.
“Give me the ledger.”
I held it up.
“Here.”
Victor smiled.
“Drop it.”
I did.
He kicked it toward himself.
Then he looked at me.
“You know what your problem is, Zo?”
“What?”
“You always believed money made people loyal.”
He bent down.
“Money only teaches people what you can take away.”
He raised his gun.
Then Noah spoke.
“You're scared.”
Victor stopped.
“What?”
Noah looked directly at him.
“Because you keep stealing other people's names.”
Victor's expression changed.
Tessa stared.
I looked at Noah.
“What did he mean?”
Victor moved closer.
Noah continued.
“My mom told me.”
“What?”
“Your real name isn't Victor.”
The man's face went white.
May you like
Noah smiled.
“It's Arthur.”
