Chapter 6 - THE BULLETI ran toward him.
“KYLe!”
Thalia grabbed my arm.
“Don't touch him!”
I ripped my arm free.
“He's bleeding.”
“It isn't his blood.”
I froze.
Kyle lifted his head.
His shirt was soaked red.
But the wound wasn't visible.
Mercer and my father's security team arrived seconds later.
The front doors were kicked open.
They swept the building.
No shooter.
No body.
No mother.
Kyle was taken to the medical room.
The blood came from a hidden pouch beneath his shirt.
He had staged the shooting.
“Why?”
Kyle looked at me.
“Because I needed you to come.”
I stared at him.
“You used my mother.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
He looked away.
“Not with Nathan.”
I stepped closer.
“What does he want?”
Kyle swallowed.
“The Calder archive.”
“What is that?”
“Everything your father knows about him.”
Mercer entered.
“Then tell us everything.”
Kyle laughed weakly.
“You think I'm going to help the government?”
Mercer leaned closer.
“You're already helping us.”
Kyle looked at me.
“Isabella.”
I waited.
“You don't know what Nathan is planning.”
“Then tell me.”
“He wants to collapse Calder Dominion.”
“Why?”
“Because your father took something from him.”
“What?”
Kyle's voice dropped.
“You.”
Silence.
My father entered the room.
Kyle stared at him.
“He blames you for everything.”
My father said nothing.
Kyle continued.
“You stole Isabella from him.”
My father’s expression hardened.
“He would have killed her.”
“But now he wants her back.”
I looked between them.
“Why?”
Kyle looked at me.
“Because you're the legal heir to both empires.”
My breath caught.
“What?”
“Your mother's family left you shares.”
“Shares in Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
Kyle hesitated.
Then:
“Northstar.”
I froze.
“The trust?”
“Yes.”
My father looked shocked.
“Who told you?”
“Nathan.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
Kyle lowered his voice.
“He said that once Isabella discovers the truth, she'll inherit enough control to take both companies.”
I stared.
“And that's why he wanted me dead.”
Kyle nodded.
“Not just you.”
“Who else?”
Kyle looked at my father.
“Your father.”
The room went silent.
Then Kyle added:
“And Thalia.”
I turned.
Thalia was standing at the doorway.
She looked terrified.
“You said Nathan wanted Isabella.”
Kyle nodded.
“He does.”
“And me?”
“He wants you dead.”
Thalia's face collapsed.
“Why?”
Kyle looked at her.
“Because you're the only person who knows where his money is hidden.”
She staggered backward.
I stared at her.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“You knew!”
She began crying.
“I didn't know what he was planning.”
“Then why betray me?”
“Because he threatened my child.”
Everyone fell silent.
Kyle looked toward her stomach.
“Is the baby mine?”
Thalia said nothing.
Kyle's eyes widened.
“No.”
She looked away.
“Thalia.”
“Please.”
“Is the baby mine?”
She whispered:
“No.”
Kyle stood abruptly.
“Whose is it?”
Thalia cried.
“Nathan's.”
The room exploded into silence.
My father stepped forward.
“What?”
Thalia covered her face.
“Nathan promised to protect me.”
Kyle stared at her.
“You slept with my father?”
“Nathan wasn't dead.”
“How long?”
“Almost two years.”
Kyle looked sick.
Then he laughed.
A hollow, broken sound.
“So the baby…”
“Is Nathan's.”
Suddenly every light in the estate turned on.
A voice came through the speakers.
“Nobody leaves.”
Nathan Whitmore.
His voice echoed through every room.
My father reached for his weapon.
Nathan laughed.
“Victor.”
Then his voice softened.
“Did you enjoy hearing the truth?”
I looked up.
“Where is my mother?”
A pause.
Then Nathan answered:
“She's closer than you think.”
The ceiling speaker crackled.
Then a woman's voice came through.
My mother's voice.
“Isabella?”
My knees nearly gave out.
“Mom?”
She whispered:
“Don't trust your father.”
The line went dead.
I turned toward my father.
May you like
His face had gone completely white.
And for the first time, I wondered whether Nathan had been telling the truth.
