Chapter 19: The Last Betrayal
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Daniel stood halfway up the stairwell with Ethan in his arms.
Claire held Emma tightly against her chest.
Victor stood below them.
And Evelyn stood several steps behind Daniel.
Daniel slowly turned.
“My mother?”
Evelyn's face remained expressionless.
“Victor has been lying to you for twenty-three years.”
Victor shook his head.
“I've spent twenty-three years trying to keep you alive.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Then prove it.”
Victor nodded.
“I will.”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small envelope.
“No tricks.”
He placed it on the floor.
Daniel descended one step.
Victor pushed the envelope toward him.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel stared.
It showed Evelyn standing beside a hospital bassinet.
Two newborn babies were inside.
Emma.
Ethan.
But the date on the photograph was five years earlier.
Daniel's face went cold.
“Where did you get this?”
“From the man Evelyn hired to watch them.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Is this true?”
Evelyn said nothing.
Claire's voice trembled.
“You were there.”
Evelyn finally looked at her.
“Yes.”
“You watched my babies.”
“I protected them.”
Claire shook her head.
“You stole them from me.”
“I saved them from Victor.”
Victor stepped forward.
“You saved them for yourself.”
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“Because you would have used them.”
“No.”
Victor's voice was calm.
“I wanted my son.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Why didn't you come for me?”
Victor's eyes filled with regret.
“Because your mother made me believe you were dead.”
Daniel froze.
“She told me you died in the crash.”
Victor nodded.
“She told me the same thing about you.”
Silence.
For twenty-three years, both father and son had believed the other was gone.
Evelyn had built an entire life on that lie.
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Why?”
Her expression finally broke.
“Because Victor was dangerous.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You mean because I discovered what you and Arthur had done.”
Daniel looked at Arthur.
He was standing at the end of the corridor, pale and exhausted.
“What did they do?”
Arthur answered.
“We took control of Victor's company.”
“Why?”
“Because Evelyn believed it was the only way to protect you.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You destroyed an entire family to protect me.”
Arthur lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
Then a gunshot exploded.
BANG!
Arthur collapsed.
“Dad!”
Daniel rushed toward him.
Claire screamed.
Victor immediately pulled Daniel behind the wall.
“Stay down!”
Another shot.
Glass shattered above them.
A sniper.
Michael looked through the stairwell window.
“He's on the roof!”
Victor nodded.
“Not my man.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Then whose?”
Victor looked toward Evelyn.
Her face had gone completely white.
“I don't know.”
Michael suddenly grabbed Daniel.
“Move!”
They rushed into the emergency corridor.
Arthur was still alive.
Barely.
Daniel knelt beside him.
“Dad.”
Arthur grabbed his wrist.
His breathing was shallow.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Save your strength.”
Arthur looked toward Evelyn.
“She didn't order the hit.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Arthur whispered:
“There is someone above her.”
Evelyn's eyes widened.
“No.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“The man who started everything.”
Daniel stared.
“Who?”
Arthur struggled to speak.
Then he whispered a name.
Victor Hale.
Daniel turned toward Victor.
Victor's expression didn't change.
Arthur's hand fell away.
He was unconscious.
Daniel stood slowly.
“You.”
Victor looked at him.
“Daniel—”
“You've been manipulating all of us.”
“No.”
“You knew the twins were in danger.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my mother would take the blame.”
Victor remained silent.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Why?”
Victor finally answered.
“Because I needed you to choose me.”
Daniel stared.
“You wanted me to turn against my family.”
“I wanted you to understand what they stole from me.”
“You used my children.”
Victor shook his head.
“I never touched them.”
“But you let this happen.”
“I had no choice.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You always have a choice.”
Victor looked at Claire.
Then at the twins.
“I know.”
For the first time, he looked genuinely broken.
Then Michael suddenly shouted:
“Daniel!”
Everyone turned.
A red laser dot appeared on Emma's chest.
Claire screamed.
Daniel grabbed his daughter and dropped to the floor.
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
“Get them out!”
A shot rang out.
The bullet struck the wall.
Victor pulled a concealed weapon and fired toward the upper window.
The sniper disappeared.
Daniel looked at Victor.
“You protected her.”
Victor nodded.
“She is my granddaughter.”
Emma clung to Daniel.
“Daddy…”
Daniel held her tighter.
“I've got you.”
Victor lowered his weapon.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A voice came through.
“You failed.”
Victor's face changed.
The caller continued:
“The children are no longer useful.”
Victor's eyes widened.
“What did you say?”
The line went dead.
Victor slowly looked at Daniel.
“Get them out of the hospital.”
“Why?”
“Because the sniper wasn't trying to kill them.”
Daniel frowned.
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
“He was trying to scare us away from the basement.”
Michael suddenly understood.
“The vault.”
They ran.
When they reached the basement, the steel door was open.
Inside, the hard drive was gone.
So was the evidence.
But on the floor was a single sheet of paper.
Daniel picked it up.
There was only one sentence:
THE TWINS ARE NOT THE HEIRS.
Claire stared at it.
“Then who is?”
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
A man's voice answered:
“Me.”
Daniel turned.
And the man standing there was someone nobody had suspected.
Arthur Carter.
Alive.
May you like
Holding a gun.
Smiling.
