Chapter 18 - The Last Bargain“Mommy!”
Ellie's voice shattered me.
I ran forward.
Daniel raised one hand.
Two armed men appeared.
“Stop.”
I stopped.
Ellie was frightened.
But alive.
“Give her to me.”
Daniel smiled.
“Bring me the drive.”
I held it up.
“You get the drive.”
“And then?”
“She walks.”
Daniel laughed.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“The drive is only proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“Your mother's betrayal.”
My mother stepped forward.
“You don't get to rewrite history.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You chose them.”
“I chose my daughter.”
“You abandoned her.”
“To save her.”
He looked at me.
“And now she has created another daughter to inherit what she never should have.”
My stomach turned.
“What do you want?”
Daniel pointed to the floor.
A scanner.
“Bring Ellie here.”
“No.”
“Then she stays with me.”
I looked at my mother.
She whispered:
“Do it.”
I stepped forward.
Dad stopped me.
“Don't.”
I looked at him.
“If I don't, he hurts her.”
Daniel laughed.
“Your father finally understands.”
I took another step.
Then I heard Ben whisper:
“Wait.”
He looked at the ceiling.
I followed his gaze.
A red light blinked.
Camera.
Ben smiled.
“You're being recorded too.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“You're bluffing.”
“No.”
Ben held up his phone.
“I've been recording since we entered.”
Daniel's men moved.
Dad pulled me down.
Gunshots shattered the room.
Chaos erupted.
My mother grabbed Ellie.
I ran toward them.
Daniel escaped through a side door.
One of his men was injured.
Another fled.
We got Ellie.
But Ben collapsed.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Ben!”
He looked at me.
“Take her.”
I pressed my hands against the wound.
“No.”
He smiled weakly.
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't.”
“For all of it.”
“Don't you dare.”
My mother called emergency services.
Dad chased Daniel.
Then the fire alarm started.
Smoke filled the room.
We carried Ben outside.
Sirens approached.
Police cars.
Federal agents.
Fire trucks.
Then Victor arrived.
Handcuffed.
He looked at Daniel's mansion.
And laughed.
“You really think this is over?”
I stared at him.
“What else?”
He smiled.
“The account doesn't belong to Ellie.”
My heart stopped.
Victor leaned closer.
“It belongs to you.”
I felt the world tilt.
“What?”
He whispered:
“Your mother wasn't protecting Ellie from Daniel.”
May you like
He smiled.
“She was protecting Daniel from you.”
