Chapter 9 - For several seconds, nobody moved.Then I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because I had reached the point where reality itself sounded insane.
“She isn't my sister?”
Charles nodded.
“Ask Daniel.”
I turned.
Daniel looked broken.
“Tell me he's lying.”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Dad.”
That word felt strange.
I'd never called him that before.
He closed his eyes.
“Claire…”
“Tell me.”
“She is not your biological sister.”
I stepped backward.
“Then who is she?”
He looked at Maya.
Maya whispered,
“Evelyn's daughter.”
“But you said she was my mother's daughter.”
“I said she was your sister.”
“You let me believe…”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Charles laughed.
“Protection. Everyone in this family uses that word when they mean control.”
The detective pointed his weapon.
“You're under arrest.”
Charles didn't even look at him.
“Not yet.”
He held up another photograph.
This one showed me.
Standing in my condo.
Three days earlier.
My face was circled in red.
“Claire was selected because she has access.”
“To what?” the detective demanded.
Charles finally looked at him.
“To the ledger.”
“You already searched her condo.”
“We searched where we thought her mother hid it.”
I remembered the empty space where my dining table had been.
Charles saw recognition on my face.
“Yes.”
“You took my table.”
“Because your mother hid a key beneath it.”
I stared.
He continued.
“She was clever.”
“What does the key open?”
He smiled.
“The truth.”
Suddenly Evelyn's voice came from the hallway.
“Charles.”
Everyone turned.
She stood in the doorway.
Alive.
Free.
Blood on her sleeve.
An officer moved toward her.
“Stay back.”
She raised both hands.
“I'm not armed.”
Adrian appeared behind her.
He was holding one hand against his face.
He looked at Evelyn.
His expression shattered.
“Evelyn.”
She looked at him.
“Hello, Adrian.”
He couldn't speak.
“You're alive.”
“I've been alive for twelve years.”
“Why didn't you come back?”
She stared at him.
“Because your father convinced me you would help him find me.”
Adrian began crying.
“I would never.”
“You already did.”
He looked confused.
“What?”
“When Claire entered your life, you gave him everything he needed.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Evelyn looked at me.
“They weren't after your money.”
She touched her sleeve.
“They were after access to your mother's final account.”
My heart raced.
“What account?”
“An account that contains the only surviving copy of the ledger.”
Charles suddenly moved.
He reached for the gun of one of his men.
The detective tackled him.
Everything erupted.
Shots.
Shouting.
Glass breaking.
Maya pulled me behind a wall.
Adrian tackled another gunman.
Evelyn ran toward Daniel.
The detective finally pinned Charles to the floor.
“It's over!”
Charles laughed.
“No.”
He looked directly at me.
“You still don't understand.”
He pointed toward the mansion.
“Your mother never hid the ledger from me.”
He smiled.
“She hid it from everyone.”
“Where?”
Charles's smile disappeared.
“In you.”
I froze.
“What?”
He said,
“She made you the password.”
May you like
Then his smile returned.
“Your blood is the key.”
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