Chapter 10 - ALEXANDERWe found him in an underground restaurant beneath an abandoned theater.
He was sitting alone.
Black suit.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
The scar above his eyebrow.
I stopped ten feet away.
He looked at me.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then he stood.
"You look like her."
"Who?"
"Our mother."
I swallowed.
"You don't look dead."
He smiled.
"They tried."
I stepped closer.
"Why did you never find me?"
"I did."
My stomach twisted.
"What?"
"I've been watching you for twelve years."
"Twelve?"
"Since your wedding."
I stared.
"Why?"
"Because Flynn Vance was dangerous."
I turned toward Flynn.
Alexander smiled.
"He was supposed to recruit you."
Flynn didn't deny it.
"Then what happened?"
"He fell in love with you."
Alexander laughed.
"That's the problem with loyalty."
He looked at the necklace lying in a evidence bag beside me.
"The $110,000 necklace."
"What about it?"
"It wasn't the first."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Flynn has bought Selina jewelry for years."
My face tightened.
"Why?"
"Every piece carried surveillance technology."
Selina looked down.
Alexander continued.
"He wasn't sleeping with her every time you thought he was."
"Every time?"
"Most."
I stared at him.
"Most?"
He sighed.
"The affair was real."
Silence.
Even Flynn looked down.
I felt my chest tighten.
Alexander continued.
"Flynn loved you."
"But he betrayed me."
"Yes."
"He lied."
"Yes."
"He slept with her."
"Yes."
I looked at Flynn.
"Then what was fake?"
"The motive."
I shook my head.
"You don't get to make betrayal romantic."
Alexander nodded.
"I'm not."
He pulled a file from his coat.
"I'm showing you the truth."
He opened it.
Inside were financial records.
I recognized dates.
The necklace purchase.
Selina's apartment.
Every expensive gift.
But beside each payment was another transaction.
The money came from a Vance Global security account.
Not Flynn's personal account.
The purchases had been authorized by someone else.
Victor Hale.
My jaw tightened.
"The affair was staged."
Alexander shook his head.
"Not entirely."
"Then what?"
"Victor demanded Flynn make you believe he was unfaithful."
"Why?"
"Because they wanted you emotionally isolated."
He handed me another document.
A psychological assessment.
My name was on it.
TARGET RESPONSE: DEPENDENT, FINANCIALLY RESTRICTED, SOCIALLY ISOLATED.
I stared at the report.
They had studied me.
They had designed my life.
My career.
My allowance.
My isolation.
My marriage.
Maybe even the necklace.
I looked at Flynn.
"Did you know they were doing this?"
"I knew some."
"Some?"
"I discovered the full plan six months ago."
"Why didn't you leave?"
"Because if I left, they would have taken you."
I hated that answer.
But part of me believed it.
Alexander leaned forward.
"The problem is bigger than Victor."
"Who?"
He looked at me.
"Someone inside your father's estate."
"Who?"
Alexander's gaze shifted toward Richard.
The lawyer's face went pale.
I turned.
"Richard?"
Alexander smiled.
"Ask him about the night your father died."
Richard stopped breathing.
I felt my heart drop.
"Richard?"
He didn't answer.
Alexander stood.
Then he placed a small recorder on the table.
"This is the last conversation your father ever had."
He pressed play.
My father's voice filled the room.
"Richard, if anything happens to me, protect my daughter."
Richard's younger voice answered:
"I will."
My father continued.
"And if Eleanor comes back..."
Richard interrupted.
"You can't let her."
Silence.
My father's voice became hard.
"Why?"
Richard whispered:
"Because she is the one who betrayed you."
The recording stopped.
I stared at Richard.
My mother's lawyer.
My father's friend.
The man who had helped me all night.
He had been lying too.
Richard looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
May you like
Then he reached inside his jacket.
And pulled out a gun.
