CHAPTER 6 THE CHAPEL OF THE DEAD
The clock struck midnight.
One.
Two.
Three.
Each chime rolled through the mansion like a warning.
Dominic Vale stood before the fireplace, holding his mother's letter.
His eyes remained fixed on Victor.
“Don't trust the man who calls himself your father.”
The words were burned into his mind.
Victor looked almost amused.
“You finally found it.”
Dominic folded the letter.
“You knew it was here.”
“Of course.”
“You knew my mother left it.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she suspected you.”
Victor's smile faded.
“She suspected everyone.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Did you kill her?”
Silence.
For the first time, Victor didn't answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“You did.”
Victor looked at the floor.
“Your mother made a choice.”
“What choice?”
“She chose you.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“And you killed her for it?”
Victor sighed.
“She betrayed the family.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
“You're not my family.”
Victor smiled.
“You will understand eventually.”
“No.”
Dominic pointed the gun at him.
“I understand perfectly.”
He turned toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
Victor asked.
“To get my daughter.”
Victor laughed.
“You're walking directly into a trap.”
Dominic stopped.
“I know.”
“Then why go?”
“Because he's holding Harper.”
Victor's expression changed.
“You don't understand what Alexander will do.”
Dominic turned.
“You said you wanted Harper alive.”
“I do.”
“Then you know he'll need her.”
Victor nodded.
“Exactly.”
Dominic looked at him.
“What happens if I don't bring the key?”
Victor's voice became quiet.
“She dies.”
The room went silent.
Dominic walked toward the front entrance.
Nathan followed.
“Dom.”
Dominic stopped.
“Don't.”
Nathan looked at him.
“You can't go alone.”
“I have to.”
“Alexander expects you to come alone.”
“Yes.”
“That means he expects you to die.”
Dominic turned.
“Maybe.”
Nathan stepped closer.
“I shot Victor because he was going to kill Mia.”
Dominic didn't respond.
“I've spent seventeen years trying to undo what I did.”
“You locked Mia in the cellar.”
“To keep her alive.”
Dominic stared at him.
Nathan continued.
“She discovered the truth about Harper. Victor ordered her killed.”
“So you locked her away?”
“Yes.”
“Without food?”
“I was supposed to move her.”
“But you didn't.”
Nathan looked ashamed.
“Because Claire stopped me.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Claire.”
Nathan nodded.
“She brought food when no one was watching.”
Dominic looked toward Claire.
She was standing near the staircase.
Tears stained her face.
“I couldn't save everyone,” she whispered.
Dominic stared at her.
“Why did you stay with me?”
Claire looked at him.
“Because every time I planned to betray you…”
She swallowed.
“I remembered the first time you saved me.”
Dominic frowned.
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Claire smiled sadly.
“You don't remember.”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
“I know.”
She stepped closer.
“You pulled me out of a burning car.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“That accident…”
“Yes.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Was it really an accident?”
Claire didn't answer.
Dominic understood.
“Victor.”
Claire nodded.
“He ordered the car destroyed.”
“Why?”
“Because I refused to marry another man.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“Who?”
Claire whispered:
“Alexander.”
Silence.
Dominic stared at her.
“You were supposed to marry my grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“And you escaped.”
“Yes.”
“And then you met me.”
“Yes.”
Dominic's expression became bitter.
“So everything was planned.”
“No.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Meeting you wasn't.”
A pause.
“That was the one thing they didn't plan.”
Dominic looked away.
He couldn't afford emotion.
Not tonight.
Not with Harper in danger.
He opened the door.
Cold night air swept into the mansion.
The chapel stood beyond the gardens.
Its stone walls were barely visible through the fog.
Dominic walked alone.
Behind him, Nathan whispered:
“Good luck.”
Dominic didn't turn.
The chapel doors opened without resistance.
Inside, dozens of candles burned.
Dominic immediately raised his gun.
Nobody.
Only a wooden coffin sat in the center.
He approached it.
A silver plaque was attached to the lid.
ELEANOR VALE
His mother's name.
Dominic stopped.
He had buried her twenty years ago.
He had stood beside that coffin.
He had watched the earth cover it.
Yet now there was another coffin carrying her name.
He reached for the lid.
A voice came from behind him.
“You always were curious.”
Dominic spun.
Alexander Vale stood near the altar.
He wore the same black suit.
Calm.
Untouched.
Almost immortal.
Dominic pointed his gun.
“Where's Harper?”
Alexander smiled.
“Safe.”
“Bring her out.”
“First, the key.”
Dominic held it up.
Alexander's eyes immediately focused on it.
“Put it on the altar.”
Dominic didn't move.
“Harper first.”
Alexander laughed.
“You're negotiating with a man who has your entire family.”
“I don't care.”
“You should.”
Alexander raised his hand.
A screen descended from the chapel ceiling.
Video footage appeared.
Harper was sitting in a small room.
Mia was beside her.
Both were alive.
Dominic's eyes softened for half a second.
Then hardened again.
“Let them go.”
“Give me the key.”
Dominic placed it on the altar.
Alexander walked toward it.
He picked it up.
For the first time, his confidence disappeared.
He stared at the engraving.
Then whispered:
“She kept it.”
Dominic frowned.
“Who?”
“My daughter.”
“Your daughter?”
Alexander looked at the coffin.
“Eleanor.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“My mother.”
Alexander nodded.
“She stole the key from me.”
“Why?”
“To keep the Archive closed.”
Dominic stared at him.
“What is in the Archive?”
Alexander turned.
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
“That's what Victor said.”
Alexander smiled.
“Victor lies.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Alexander walked closer.
“The Vale family built an organization called the Black Circle.”
Dominic said nothing.
“For decades, we controlled governments from behind closed doors.”
“Wars were started.”
“Elections were manipulated.”
“Fortunes were destroyed.”
“People disappeared.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“And my mother discovered it.”
“Yes.”
“She tried to expose you.”
“Yes.”
“You killed her.”
Alexander shook his head.
“No.”
Dominic paused.
“Then who did?”
Alexander looked toward Victor's photograph hanging on the chapel wall.
“Your father.”
Dominic's blood ran cold.
Victor had killed Eleanor.
Not Alexander.
Alexander continued:
“But I stopped him from killing you.”
Dominic stared.
“You're lying.”
“Am I?”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Ask Victor why he abandoned you.”
Dominic's eyes flicked toward the door.
A shadow moved outside.
Nathan.
Then another shadow.
Claire.
Dominic realized they had followed him.
Alexander smiled.
“You didn't come alone.”
Dominic turned.
Nathan entered first.
Claire behind him.
Dominic looked at them.
“I told you to stay home.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I don't take orders anymore.”
Alexander smiled.
“Good.”
Then the chapel doors slammed shut.
Every candle went out.
A loud metallic click echoed through the darkness.
Dominic raised his weapon.
“Everyone stay still.”
Nathan whispered:
“Dom…”
“What?”
“The doors.”
Dominic turned.
A thin line of red light appeared beneath them.
Then smoke began filling the chapel.
Claire covered her mouth.
Dominic shouted:
“GET DOWN!”
An explosion rocked the building.
The altar shattered.
Stone rained from the ceiling.
Dominic was thrown across the floor.
His ears rang.
When he opened his eyes, the chapel was burning.
Alexander was gone.
The key was gone.
Nathan was bleeding.
Claire was unconscious.
Dominic crawled toward them.
Then he heard something.
A small voice.
Coming from beneath the floor.
“Daddy…”
Dominic froze.
“Harper?”
“Daddy…”
He looked down.
There was a hidden trapdoor beneath the altar.
Dominic ripped it open.
A ladder descended into darkness.
He climbed down.
At the bottom was a narrow underground chamber.
Harper was there.
Alive.
But she wasn't alone.
Mia was beside her.
And on the wall behind them was a giant black metal door.
Harper pointed at it.
“Daddy…”
Dominic stared at the door.
A small circular imprint sat in its center.
The exact shape of the key.
Then Harper whispered:
“Grandpa said you would open it.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Which grandpa?”
Harper's eyes filled with tears.
“The one who died.”
Dominic's blood ran cold.
“Alexander?”
Harper shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed toward the darkness behind Dominic.
“Your father.”
Dominic turned.
Victor stood at the bottom of the ladder.
Blood still stained his shirt.
His gun was pointed directly at Dominic.
“Open the door, son.”
Dominic slowly raised his weapon.
Victor smiled.
“Because once that door opens…”
May you like
He looked at Harper.
“…you'll finally learn why your mother had to die.”
