Chapter 11 - What Bella SawThe hotel basement became a courtroom with no judge.
Rafael stared at Bella.
“Sweetheart, what do you remember?”
Bella looked at me.
Then at my father.
Then at Rafael.
“There was a loud noise.”
“What loud noise?”
“Bang.”
She covered her ears.
“Then Mommy was crying.”
Rafael looked broken.
“Was I there?”
Bella nodded.
“You were bleeding.”
My father closed his eyes.
“She saw everything.”
“Why doesn't she remember before?” I asked.
“Because Elena made sure she forgot.”
Rafael looked furious.
“You drugged my daughter?”
“No.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Elena did what doctors advised after the shooting. Trauma can fragment memories.”
I stared at him.
“What shooting?”
“Five years ago.”
Rafael froze.
“What?”
“The first attempt.”
Marcus pulled out a file.
Five years ago, Elena had been shot.
Bella had been in the car.
Rafael had arrived minutes later.
The official report said Elena was killed.
But she had survived.
Victor Hale had falsified the report.
Why?
Because Elena had discovered the conspiracy.
And Bella had witnessed the meeting that exposed it.
My father explained everything.
“Victor was building a financial network around the city. Vincent joined him. They intended to replace Rafael.”
“Why use me?”
“Because you were the only person outside the family who could verify the money.”
“Then why shoot me?”
“Because Vincent believed you copied the entire ledger.”
“I did.”
Marcus looked at me.
“You still don't understand.”
He placed another document on the table.
The ledger was not the important part.
The important part was the final page.
A list of names.
The people Victor planned to eliminate.
Elena.
Rafael.
Bella.
Me.
Marcus.
And Vincent.
I looked up.
“Vincent was on the list?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is he working with Victor?”
Marcus's expression darkened.
“He isn't.”
The basement went silent.
“Vincent has been pretending to serve him.”
I stared.
“For three years.”
“Yes.”
“To get close?”
“Yes.”
“To rescue Bella?”
“Yes.”
Rafael stepped toward Marcus.
“Then why did Vincent kidnap her?”
“To protect her.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It will.”
Marcus showed us a second recording.
Vincent stood in an underground room.
Bella was beside him.
This time, he wasn't threatening her.
He was feeding her.
Talking gently.
Then he looked at the camera.
“He thinks I kidnapped her.”
Vincent smiled bitterly.
“I did not.”
The video continued.
“Victor has people everywhere. Rafael's security is compromised. If I leave Bella with him, she'll be dead by morning.”
Vincent turned toward Bella.
“I'm sorry you had to be scared.”
Then he looked into the camera.
“Nora, if you see this, your father is telling the truth.”
The video ended.
Rafael stared at Marcus.
“You knew.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I suspected.”
Rafael's voice was low.
“Where is Vincent?”
Marcus looked at the door.
“He's coming here.”
Then the building shook.
Gunfire erupted above us.
Marcus grabbed Bella.
“They found us.”
We moved toward the emergency stairs.
Rafael was still injured.
I grabbed his arm.
“Can you run?”
“Yes.”
“Can you shoot?”
“Yes.”
“Then we're fine.”
We reached the rooftop.
Helicopter blades thundered overhead.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Vincent.
Rafael raised his gun.
Vincent raised both hands.
“I don't want to fight you.”
Rafael looked at him.
“You kidnapped my daughter.”
“I saved your daughter.”
“You lied to me.”
“I didn't know who I could trust.”
Rafael lowered his weapon slightly.
Then Vincent looked at me.
“Nora.”
“Yes?”
He pointed to my arm.
“You still have the bullet?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because the person who ordered your shooting is standing right behind you.”
I turned.
Nobody.
Then a voice came from the rooftop door.
“Not quite.”
Victor Hale stepped onto the roof.
He was smiling.
And behind him stood twenty armed men.
May you like
Victor slowly raised one hand.
“Bring me Bella.”
