Chapter 10 - THE WAREHOUSEThe warehouse smelled like dust and gasoline.
I parked outside.
Every instinct told me to leave.
Instead, I walked inside.
“Lauren?”
Nothing.
Then a light switched on.
She stood near a stack of boxes.
Her face looked different.
No makeup.
No expensive clothes.
No smug smile.
Just fear.
“You came.”
“You said you wanted to tell me the truth.”
“I do.”
“What happened?”
She shook her head.
“Dad knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That I told you.”
“Where's Matt?”
“I don't know.”
“Lauren.”
She stepped closer.
“I never wanted this.”
“You still used my card.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You let them steal my identity.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
I clenched my jaw.
“Why?”
She whispered:
“Because Victor threatened me.”
“With what?”
“Matt.”
I stared at her.
“He threatened your husband?”
“He had proof Matt owed him money.”
“How much?”
“$74,000.”
I remembered the ledger.
“That was your debt.”
She nodded.
“Dad had been borrowing money from Victor.”
“And you?”
“I borrowed money too.”
“For what?”
She looked down.
“To cover Dad's gambling.”
I closed my eyes.
“So you were all trapped.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Dad said Victor would come after you.”
“That's what everyone's been saying.”
Lauren looked at me.
“Because it's true.”
Then she pulled a folder from her bag.
“This is everything.”
I took it.
Inside were messages between Dad and Victor.
Bank transfers.
Account numbers.
Photos of documents.
And one email.
I read it.
Subject: FINAL TRANSFER
Victor had written:
Once the trust activates, the inheritance will be transferred through Blackridge. The son will be responsible for the liabilities.
I looked at Lauren.
“They planned to transfer my inheritance.”
“Yes.”
“Into Blackridge.”
“Yes.”
“And saddle me with the debt.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because once everything was under your name, Victor could claim the assets to settle the debts.”
I felt sick.
“And Dad?”
Lauren started crying.
“He agreed.”
I closed the folder.
“How much was Victor supposed to get?”
“All of it.”
Every penny.
Four million dollars.
I looked at her.
“How do I stop him?”
She shook her head.
“You already did.”
“What?”
“The cruise.”
I frowned.
“What does a cruise have to do with this?”
“Your cancellation triggered a review.”
“What?”
“The cruise company noticed the suspicious account activity.”
I stared at her.
“That investigation connected the financial records.”
“To Victor?”
“Yes.”
“And that's why everyone's panicking.”
Lauren nodded.
“He's losing control.”
Then headlights appeared outside.
Lauren's face went white.
“He's here.”
“Victor?”
She nodded.
“How did he find us?”
“He always knows.”
The warehouse door slammed.
Footsteps echoed through the building.
Lauren grabbed my arm.
“Run.”
We moved toward the back exit.
Then a man's voice echoed through the warehouse.
“You should have stayed out of this.”
Victor.
We stopped.
His voice was calm.
Almost polite.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
I held the folder tighter.
“No.”
He laughed softly.
“That's the problem.”
The lights went out.
Something crashed nearby.
Lauren screamed.
Then a flashlight clicked on.
Victor stood twenty feet away.
May you like
And he wasn't alone.
Dad stood beside him.
