Chapter 7 - Nobody moved.Emily stood beneath the fluorescent light.
Her face looked calm.
Far too calm.
I stared at my daughter.
“What did you just say?”
She glanced at Wesley.
“Tell her.”
He couldn't.
Emily sighed.
“Of course.”
She stepped closer.
“Mom, I've been trying to protect you.”
I felt a cold wave move through me.
“From what?”
“From the truth.”
Marcus smiled behind her.
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Step away from Mrs. Carter.”
Emily looked at him.
“You're still pretending you're protecting her?”
Daniel's expression changed.
“What does that mean?”
She laughed quietly.
“You should ask him.”
Her finger pointed toward Wesley.
I turned.
“Wesley?”
He stared at the ground.
Emily continued.
“Dad knew they were stealing money.”
“I know.”
“He knew Marcus wasn't alone.”
“I know.”
“He knew someone inside our family was helping them.”
I stared at her.
“Who?”
Emily looked directly at me.
“You.”
The room went silent.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“Not you intentionally.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Dad created the trust because he knew someone might try to take everything.”
I looked at Wesley.
“Then why did you say I couldn't be trusted?”
Emily shook her head.
“I never said that.”
Marcus laughed.
“She's not the one you should be questioning.”
Daniel stepped forward.
Marcus raised a gun.
“Stay where you are.”
Wesley whispered,
“Marcus, this was not the deal.”
“The deal changed.”
“What did you do?”
Marcus smiled.
“I found the drive.”
My heart stopped.
He had searched the house after leaving.
“How?”
He looked at Emily.
“She told us.”
I turned toward my daughter.
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“Mom, I'm sorry.”
The betrayal hurt more than Wesley's.
I had expected Wesley to lie.
But Emily?
She had been my confidante.
The one I called when I couldn't sleep.
The one who told me I was still too trusting.
“You gave them the location.”
Emily shook her head.
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
She looked away.
“They have my son.”
I stared.
“What?”
Emily's voice cracked.
“My little boy.”
I hadn't known.
She had a child.
She had kept him hidden from the family for years because of a complicated custody battle.
Marcus stepped closer.
“They have him.”
I looked at him.
“Who?”
Marcus smiled.
“The people you're trying to expose.”
My voice became cold.
“Bring him to me.”
Marcus laughed.
“You don't negotiate.”
“Then you don't get the drive.”
His smile vanished.
For the first time, Marcus looked uncertain.
I had finally found the balance of power.
He believed I was frightened.
He had mistaken fear for weakness.
I reached into my coat.
Pulled out a small device.
Wesley's eyes widened.
“Mom?”
I smiled.
“You said there was a digital archive.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
He raised his weapon.
Daniel moved.
I spoke first.
“The entire thing is already uploaded.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
“Your names. The transfers. The bribes.”
Wesley stared at me.
“You did what?”
“Daniel helped me.”
Marcus looked at Daniel.
Daniel nodded.
“Every file has been copied.”
I continued.
“The material is scheduled to be released if anything happens to me.”
Marcus's face changed.
He suddenly looked afraid.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
Nobody spoke on the other end.
Marcus listened.
Then looked at Emily.
“You lied to me.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“You said she didn't know.”
“I thought she didn't.”
Marcus looked at me.
“You're not who we thought you were.”
I smiled.
“You spent eight years underestimating me.”
A gunshot exploded.
The fluorescent bulb shattered.
Everyone screamed.
The room went black.
I felt Wesley grab my arm.
“Mom, run.”
We ran.
Through the corridor.
Past the storage cages.
Behind us, shouting erupted.
Daniel yelled,
“Down!”
Another shot.
Then another.
We reached a metal door.
Wesley kicked it open.
Cold air hit my face.
We stumbled outside.
Emily followed.
But Daniel didn't.
I turned.
“Where is Daniel?”
Wesley looked behind us.
His face changed.
“He's still inside.”
Then the building exploded with sound.
Glass shattered.
A red glow filled the night.
Fire.
We stood frozen.
Wesley whispered,
“Mom.”
I looked at the burning building.
Then I heard a phone ringing.
Not mine.
Emily's.
She answered.
The voice on the other end said one sentence.
“Your son is no longer safe.”
The call ended.
Emily collapsed.
May you like
And I realized this had stopped being about my house.
Now they were coming after the child.
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