Chapter 11 - The Man Behind Twenty-Seven YearsVictor Mason Was Never Dead
Victor looked older than Claire remembered from old photographs.
White hair.
Thin face.
Black coat.
But the eyes were unmistakable.
Cold.
Precise.
Victor pressed the gun against Alexander's head.
“Drop your weapon.”
Elias slowly lowered his rifle.
Claire stared.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Victor smiled.
“So was your mother.”
Daniel stood beside him.
Claire understood.
Daniel wasn't the mastermind.
He was the son carrying on his father's work.
“Why?” Claire asked.
Victor's expression softened almost tenderly.
“Because your family possessed something mine deserved.”
“The trust.”
“The mine.”
“The land.”
Victor shook his head.
“Power.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You murdered my mother.”
“No.”
“You imprisoned her.”
“No.”
“You stole my brother.”
Victor's smile faded.
“I saved him.”
Noah moved.
Daniel raised his pistol.
“Don't.”
Victor continued.
“Your mother made one mistake.”
“What?”
“She believed blood was more important than loyalty.”
Victor pointed toward Noah.
“That boy was never supposed to survive.”
Noah stared.
“Then why did you keep me?”
Victor answered:
“Because I needed an heir.”
Claire understood.
“You wanted a Bennett child.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To legitimize the trust.”
Daniel looked irritated.
“Father.”
Victor ignored him.
“The Bennett trust required a direct descendant.”
Claire's voice shook.
“And when you couldn't control one?”
“I created one.”
The room went silent.
Victor turned toward Alexander.
“This boy is my blood.”
Claire looked at him.
“No.”
Victor nodded.
“His mother was a Bennett.”
Claire's mind raced.
Who?
Victor smiled.
“Your aunt.”
Claire froze.
“My aunt died unmarried.”
“That's what the records say.”
Noah stepped forward.
“What about me?”
Victor looked at him.
“You were the wrong baby.”
Noah's face fell.
Victor laughed quietly.
“Your mother meant to sacrifice Alexander.”
“She gave you the wrong child.”
“Yes.”
“And you kept me anyway.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Because you were useful.”
The words hit Noah harder than any bullet.
Claire stepped between them.
“You're going to release him.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Daniel.
“Kill Claire.”
Daniel raised his gun.
He hesitated.
For the first time.
Claire saw it.
He couldn't do it.
Victor noticed.
“You loved her?”
Daniel said nothing.
“You became weak.”
Claire stared at Daniel.
“Did you?”
His eyes met hers.
For one second, she saw the man she had married.
Then Victor fired.
Not at Claire.
At Daniel.
Daniel staggered.
Claire screamed.
Victor turned toward the door.
“Burn it.”
Gasoline had already been poured around the cabin.
Flames climbed the walls.
Smoke filled the room.
Elias tackled one of Victor's men.
Noah dragged Alexander toward the window.
Claire ran to Daniel.
He was bleeding.
Badly.
She knelt.
“Why did he shoot you?”
Daniel coughed.
“Because I...”
He grabbed her wrist.
“Your mother wasn't the only one he kept alive.”
Claire stared.
“Who else?”
Daniel whispered:
“Your grandmother.”
Then he passed out.
May you like
The roof caught fire.
And somewhere beneath the cabin floor, something exploded.
