Chapter 8 - THE CALDER QUEENI didn't understand what Kyle meant.
Then my father did.
His face changed.
“You heard him?”
“Yes.”
“The Calder queen.”
My father sat down.
“That's what they called your mother.”
“Why?”
“She was the only person capable of exposing them.”
“Who?”
“The people behind Nathan.”
My father opened a classified file.
Inside were photographs of executives, politicians and financiers.
At the center was a symbol.
A black crown.
I stared.
“What's that?”
“The Calder Queen.”
“It isn't a person?”
“It is.”
He flipped the page.
A photograph appeared.
A woman in her sixties.
Silver hair.
Black suit.
Cold expression.
My father whispered:
“Eleanor Voss.”
I had heard the name.
Everyone had.
Eleanor Voss controlled an international investment network.
She was known as the woman who could destroy a corporation without ever appearing in public.
“What does she want?”
My father answered:
“Our family.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather refused to give her control of Calder Dominion.”
I stared.
“And Nathan works for her?”
“He used to.”
“Used to?”
My father nodded.
“Now he's trying to become powerful enough to replace her.”
I suddenly understood.
Nathan wasn't the final enemy.
Eleanor was.
And she wanted the empire my father built.
The next morning, Kyle was brought to the Calder Tower under guard.
He looked exhausted.
I faced him.
“You know about Eleanor.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was behind Nathan.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of her?”
“Of what she'd do to my family.”
“You already destroyed our family.”
Kyle looked down.
“I know.”
I studied him.
“Why did you really marry me?”
He hesitated.
“Because your father told me you were wealthy.”
“My father?”
“No.”
Nathan.
“He told me you were the secret heir.”
“So you knew?”
“I knew there was a fortune attached to you.”
“Did you love me?”
Kyle's eyes filled with regret.
“At first.”
I said nothing.
“Then I did.”
“You still cheated on me.”
“Yes.”
“You hit me.”
“Yes.”
“And now you want forgiveness?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I want to survive.”
At that moment, Thalia entered.
She was pale.
Her hand rested over her stomach.
“I know where Eleanor will be tonight.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Where?”
“Whitmore Tower.”
My father frowned.
“That's where Nathan wanted Isabella.”
Thalia nodded.
“It's a trap.”
“For whom?”
“For everyone.”
She pulled out a small envelope.
“I stole this from Nathan.”
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Eleanor.
Nathan.
And another person.
I stared.
My heart stopped.
The third person was my father's closest adviser.
Adrian Cole.
The man who had worked beside Victor for twenty-five years.
My father went pale.
“No.”
Thalia whispered:
“He's been working for Eleanor for decades.”
Silence.
Then every security alarm in the building activated.
Mercer ran in.
“We've been breached.”
“What?”
“Someone accessed the Calder central network.”
My father turned toward Adrian's empty office.
“Where is Adrian?”
No one answered.
Mercer checked his phone.
“Gone.”
Then the main screen switched on.
Eleanor Voss appeared.
She smiled.
“Victor.”
My father stepped forward.
“Eleanor.”
“You have something I want.”
“My empire?”
“No.”
Her eyes shifted.
“To the woman standing beside you.”
I looked at the screen.
Eleanor's smile widened.
“Isabella.”
She said my name like she had known me all my life.
“You finally grew up.”
I stared.
“How do you know me?”
She laughed softly.
“Because I chose your mother.”
My stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?”
Eleanor leaned toward the camera.
“Ask your father why your mother disappeared.”
The screen went black.
My father stood frozen.
I turned toward him.
“Dad.”
He didn't speak.
“Tell me the truth.”
He closed his eyes.
Then he whispered:
“Your mother didn't disappear.”
He looked at me.
“She escaped.”
“From whom?”
He took a breath.
“From Eleanor.”
Before I could ask more, a gunshot exploded from the hallway.
Security shouted.
Mercer drew his weapon.
I ran toward the door.
Someone screamed.
Then silence.
When we reached the hall, Adrian was standing there.
Blood covered his shirt.
In his hand was a gun.
He looked at me.
And smiled.
“Your mother was never the target.”
May you like
He raised the weapon.
“You were.”
