Chapter 12 - The Man Behind the CurtainBullets tore through the room.

Mom dragged me behind a concrete wall.

Ryan returned fire.

Bennett disappeared.

Andrew collapsed.

I crawled toward him.

"Andrew!"

His eyes were open.

"Emma..."

"I'm here."

"He's coming."

"Who?"

He swallowed.

"Victor."

Mom looked toward the entrance.

"How did he find us?"

Andrew whispered:

"Bennett."

I stared toward the doorway.

My father's lawyer had betrayed us.

Again.

The facility began flooding with smoke.

Security doors slammed shut.

Ryan grabbed my arm.

"We have to go."

"What about Andrew?"

"We take him."

Andrew tried to stand.

"I can walk."

"You were shot."

"Not badly."

We moved through the underground passage.

Behind us, voices echoed.

Victor's men.

Mom knew a second route.

She led us through an old maintenance corridor.

But when we reached the exit, someone was waiting.

Bennett.

He pointed his weapon at Ryan.

"Drop it."

Ryan did.

Bennett looked at me.

"Come with me."

"No."

"Then Andrew dies."

I looked behind him.

Victor appeared.

Older.

Silver-haired.

Smiling.

And beside him stood my father.

Alive.

But bound.

I cried out.

"Dad!"

Dad looked at me.

"Emma, listen to me."

Victor pressed a gun against his head.

"One more word and this ends."

I looked at Victor.

"What do you want?"

"Your cooperation."

"I'll never give you the trust."

"You misunderstand."

He pointed toward Andrew.

"I don't need the trust yet."

He pointed at my stomach.

"I need the child."

My mother stepped forward.

"Victor."

He looked at her.

"You should be dead."

"So should you."

Victor smiled.

"We've both been difficult to kill."

Ryan suddenly spoke.

"Why me?"

Victor looked at him.

"You were never supposed to fall in love with her."

Ryan went silent.

Victor continued.

"Your father's debt was enormous."

"He owed the network."

"So you were given a choice."

"Destroy Emma."

"Or marry her."

I stared at Ryan.

My chest tightened.

"Is that true?"

Ryan didn't answer.

Victor smiled.

"There it is."

I looked at Ryan again.

"Tell me."

Ryan's voice was barely audible.

"I was supposed to use you."

My heart shattered.

"Why didn't you?"

He looked at me.

"Because I fell in love with you."

Victor laughed.

"How romantic."

Then he looked at Dad.

"Richard knew."

My father closed his eyes.

"You knew?"

Dad nodded.

"I knew Ryan's assignment."

"And you still let me marry him."

"Because I thought I could use him to find the network."

I stepped backward.

Everyone had used me.

My father.

My husband.

My mother.

All of them had made decisions about my life without telling me.

Victor watched my face.

"You see?"

He smiled.

"Everyone around you has lied."

I looked at Ryan.

He looked broken.

Then Victor said the one thing that changed everything.

"But I haven't lied to you."

He held out a folder.

Inside was a photograph.

My mother and Victor.

Together.

Standing outside a hospital.

On the night she supposedly died.

I looked at Mom.

Her face went white.

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Victor said:

"Ask your mother who your real father is."