CHAPTER 11 THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
The warehouse doors slammed shut.
The sound echoed through the steel structure.
Maya stared at the woman standing beside Thomas Reed.
Her mother.
Isabella.
Alive.
Older.
Thinner.
Her dark hair streaked with silver.
A scar crossed the left side of her jaw.
But those eyes—
Maya knew those eyes.
She had spent twelve years trying to remember them.
Twelve years wondering whether the woman in her dreams had been real.
Twelve years waking from nightmares with the same whispered sentence trapped inside her head.
Don't look back.
Now the woman from those dreams was standing thirty feet away.
And she was crying.
"Maya."
Maya took one step forward.
Julian caught her wrist.
"No."
She looked at him.
"That's my mother."
"I know."
"She's alive."
"I know."
"Let me go."
Julian didn't.
Isabella shook her head.
"Don't come closer."
Maya's voice broke.
"Why?"
"Because he wants you to."
She looked at Victor.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared from his face.
"Isabella."
She turned toward him.
"You promised."
Victor smiled.
"I promised you would see your daughter."
"You said you wouldn't hurt her."
"I haven't."
"You brought her into a warehouse full of armed men."
"She isn't hurt."
"Yet."
Victor's smile faded.
"Careful."
Isabella looked at Maya again.
"Run."
Maya shook her head.
"I've been running my whole life."
Her mother stared at her.
"I'm tired."
"So am I."
Maya's voice trembled.
"I'm tired of being afraid of people I don't even know."
She stepped forward again.
"I want answers."
Isabella closed her eyes.
"Then you're going to hate me."
Julian raised his weapon.
"Everyone lower your guns."
Victor laughed.
"You still give orders."
"They still work."
Victor looked around.
His men hesitated.
Julian's reputation was enough to make some of them uncertain.
Then Victor lifted his own weapon.
"Not tonight."
Julian's eyes hardened.
"You're surrounded."
Victor smiled.
"So are you."
Julian glanced behind him.
More men had appeared.
Derek whispered:
"At least twenty."
Daniel stood beside him.
"Thirty."
Julian didn't move.
Victor looked at Maya.
"You want the truth?"
"Yes."
"Then ask your mother."
Maya turned.
"Why did you leave me?"
Isabella's face crumpled.
"Because I thought you were going to die."
"I didn't."
"I know."
"You let me believe you were dead."
"I had no choice."
"You always had a choice."
Isabella looked down.
"Not after your father died."
Maya's breath caught.
"Rafael?"
Isabella shook her head.
"No."
"Then who?"
Isabella looked at Victor.
He smiled.
Maya's voice became quiet.
"Victor?"
Her mother nodded.
"Yes."
Julian's expression hardened.
"Your father."
Maya stared at Victor.
"You were my father?"
Victor didn't answer.
Isabella did.
"No."
Maya's eyes filled with confusion.
"Then why did you say—"
"Because Victor is not your father."
Victor's smile disappeared.
Isabella continued.
"He's your grandfather."
Silence.
Julian's eyes widened.
Maya stopped breathing.
Victor's expression turned cold.
"Enough."
Isabella shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Maya.
"You deserve to know."
Julian slowly lowered his gun.
"Grandfather?"
Maya stared at Victor.
"You're my grandfather?"
Victor laughed bitterly.
"Your mother has always been dramatic."
"Answer me."
Victor looked at Maya.
"Yes."
The word landed like a bullet.
Maya stepped backward.
"Then who was my father?"
Victor looked toward Daniel.
Daniel's face went pale.
Maya followed his gaze.
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"Don't."
"Who?"
"Not here."
"Who?"
Isabella finally spoke.
"Rafael Mendoza."
Maya looked at her.
"He's my father?"
"Yes."
Maya swallowed.
"Then why did you tell me he was dead?"
"Because he was."
"How?"
Isabella looked at Victor.
"Your grandfather killed him."
Maya's face went blank.
Victor didn't deny it.
Julian stepped forward.
"You killed Rafael?"
Victor's expression hardened.
"He betrayed me."
"He was Maya's father."
"He was a traitor."
Julian's voice became dangerously quiet.
"He was her father."
Victor stared at him.
"Don't make this emotional."
Julian laughed once.
"Emotional?"
He raised his gun again.
"You killed the father of the woman I love."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Now you understand."
Maya looked at Isabella.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted you to have a normal life."
"I had no normal life."
"I know."
"I was poor."
"I know."
"I worked two jobs."
"I know."
"I thought nobody wanted me."
Isabella began crying.
"I watched."
Maya froze.
"What?"
"I watched you."
"From where?"
"Everywhere."
"The bakery?"
"Yes."
"My apartment?"
"Yes."
"The hospital?"
"Yes."
Maya's voice broke.
"Why didn't you come to me?"
"Because every time I wanted to..."
Isabella looked toward Victor.
"...he reminded me what would happen."
Victor smiled.
"Fear kept you alive."
"No," Isabella whispered.
"Fear kept me obedient."
Derek stepped closer to Julian.
"We need to get out."
Julian shook his head.
"Not yet."
"We're outnumbered."
"I know."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Julian looked at Maya.
"Her."
Derek understood.
The entire warehouse could burn.
The entire Croft empire could collapse.
But Julian wasn't leaving without Maya.
Daniel finally stepped forward.
"Victor."
Victor looked at him.
"You should have stayed hidden."
Daniel ignored him.
"You told me Maya's father was dead."
"He was."
"You told me Isabella was dead."
"She was supposed to be."
"You told me Michael was dead."
Victor smiled.
"Michael was never mine to kill."
Daniel's face hardened.
"You lied to me."
"I raised you."
"You imprisoned me."
"I gave you a family."
"You stole my family."
Victor's voice became cold.
"You were seven."
"I remember."
"You remember nothing."
"I remember everything."
Daniel looked at Maya.
"Your mother gave me the ledger."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Daniel."
"She trusted me."
"Stop."
"I took the ledger."
Victor stepped forward.
"And hid it."
Victor's face became furious.
"Where?"
Daniel smiled.
"Somewhere you'll never find."
Victor raised his gun.
Julian stepped between them.
"Try."
Victor stared at him.
Then laughed.
"You've become exactly like your father."
Julian's eyes hardened.
"That's an insult."
"No."
Victor shook his head.
"It's a warning."
A sudden explosion shook the warehouse.
Everyone ducked.
Smoke filled the far end.
Derek shouted:
"GO!"
Julian grabbed Maya.
Daniel grabbed Michael.
Isabella ran toward her daughter.
Victor disappeared into the smoke.
Gunfire erupted.
Men screamed.
Glass shattered.
The warehouse became chaos.
Julian pushed Maya behind a steel column.
"Stay here."
"I'm not staying."
"Maya."
She grabbed his shirt.
"I'm not losing you."
He looked at her.
"You're not."
He kissed her forehead.
Then turned.
A man rushed toward them.
Julian struck him down.
Another appeared.
Derek fired.
Daniel dragged Michael toward the exit.
Isabella reached Maya.
"My daughter."
Maya stared at her.
"Mom."
They embraced.
Maya held her mother like she was afraid she would disappear again.
Isabella cried into her hair.
"I'm sorry."
Maya whispered:
"I hate you."
"I know."
"But I love you."
"I know."
"I don't understand."
"You will."
A bullet struck the metal column.
Julian shouted:
"DOWN!"
They dropped.
More gunfire.
Then the warehouse lights went out.
Complete darkness.
Maya heard footsteps.
A hand grabbed her.
She screamed.
Then Julian's voice.
"It's me."
He pulled her close.
"I'm here."
She clung to him.
"I thought—"
"I know."
A flashlight appeared.
Derek.
"We need to move."
They ran.
Outside, snow was falling heavily.
Sirens approached in the distance.
Julian looked back.
The warehouse was burning.
Isabella stood beside Maya.
Daniel and Michael were safe.
Derek was checking the perimeter.
For the first time in twelve years, Maya stood beside her mother.
Alive.
Real.
And free.
Or so she thought.
Julian approached Isabella.
"You owe us answers."
Isabella nodded.
"I know."
"Who killed Rafael?"
"Victor."
"Why?"
"Because Rafael found the ledger."
"What was in it?"
"Everything."
"Who helped him?"
Isabella looked at Daniel.
"Daniel."
Julian turned.
"Then who betrayed him?"
Isabella's eyes filled with fear.
"Not Daniel."
"Who?"
She looked toward Michael.
Michael's expression changed.
Isabella whispered:
"The person who betrayed Rafael was someone inside my family."
Maya frowned.
"Who?"
Isabella looked at her.
"Your uncle."
Maya froze.
"I don't have an uncle."
"You do."
"Who?"
"Gabriel Moretti."
Daniel's face changed.
Julian looked at him.
"Who is Gabriel?"
Daniel whispered:
"My father."
Maya's eyes widened.
"Rafael?"
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"My biological father."
Silence.
Isabella continued.
"Gabriel was Rafael's older brother."
Maya looked at Daniel.
"And he betrayed him?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Isabella looked away.
"Money."
Julian's expression darkened.
"How much?"
"Enough to sell everyone he loved."
They returned to the secure apartment before dawn.
Maya sat beside the window.
Isabella sat across from her.
Julian stood nearby.
Daniel and Michael were in another room.
Derek was securing the building.
Maya finally asked:
"Mom."
Isabella looked up.
"Yes?"
"Where were you all these years?"
Isabella took a breath.
"Prison."
Maya stared.
"What?"
"Not a real prison."
"Then what?"
"A private facility."
"Who kept you there?"
"Victor."
"Why?"
"Because I had the final piece of the ledger."
Julian turned.
"What piece?"
Isabella reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small envelope.
"I kept this for twelve years."
She placed it on the table.
Julian opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A young man.
Maya's father.
Rafael.
Beside him stood another man.
Julian's father.
Victor.
But between them stood someone else.
A boy.
Julian.
Seventeen years old.
Maya stared.
"That's you."
Julian nodded.
"I remember that day."
Maya looked at the photograph.
"Why were you there?"
Julian's expression became distant.
"My father told me to meet Rafael."
"For what?"
"I don't remember."
Isabella looked at him.
"You were supposed to kill him."
Julian froze.
"What?"
"You were seventeen."
"No."
"Victor wanted you to prove your loyalty."
Julian stared at the photograph.
"I never killed him."
"I know."
"Then who did?"
Isabella looked at Maya.
"Rafael wasn't killed that night."
Maya's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Your father survived."
Julian turned sharply.
"Then who died?"
Isabella whispered:
"Someone else."
Maya's blood ran cold.
"Who?"
Isabella hesitated.
Then:
"Michael."
Maya stared at her.
"Michael?"
"Not your Michael."
She shook her head.
"The first Michael."
Julian frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Isabella looked at him.
"There was another child."
Daniel stepped into the room.
"I know."
Everyone turned.
Daniel's face was pale.
He walked toward the table.
"The child Victor thought was Michael..."
He looked at Julian.
"...wasn't."
Julian stared.
"Then who was it?"
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Victor kidnapped a third child."
Maya whispered:
"Why?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Because that child was the heir to everything."
Julian's expression changed.
"Whose heir?"
Daniel looked toward Isabella.
She answered:
"Yours."
Julian froze.
"What?"
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
"Your father wasn't Victor."
Julian stared.
"I don't understand."
"You are Rafael Mendoza's son."
Silence.
Maya's eyes widened.
Julian stepped backward.
"No."
Isabella nodded.
"Victor stole you as an infant."
Julian shook his head.
"My mother was Elizabeth Croft."
"She raised you."
"She gave birth to me."
"No."
Isabella whispered:
"She couldn't have children."
Julian's world seemed to tilt.
Every memory.
Every photograph.
Every family story.
A lie.
Maya looked at him.
"If you're Rafael's son..."
Julian stared at her.
"And you're Rafael's daughter..."
Neither spoke.
Isabella looked between them.
Then smiled sadly.
"No."
Maya's heart stopped.
"You aren't siblings."
Julian frowned.
"Then what?"
Isabella looked at Maya.
"Because Maya's father was never Rafael."
Julian stared.
"Then who?"
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
She whispered:
"The man who died protecting you."
Maya's face went white.
"The man who?"
Isabella looked toward Daniel.
Daniel closed his eyes.
And finally said:
"Your real father was Gabriel Moretti."
Maya stopped breathing.
The same Gabriel who had betrayed Rafael.
The same man who was supposedly Daniel's biological father.
The same man whose name had appeared nowhere in Maya's life.
The same man who had vanished twenty years ago.
Maya whispered:
"Then why did he die?"
Daniel looked at her.
"He didn't."
Silence.
"He is alive."
Julian's phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
No one spoke.
Then a man's voice whispered:
"Hello, Maya."
Julian's blood ran cold.
The voice continued.
"I've been waiting twenty-three years for my daughter to come home."
The call ended.
Maya stared at Julian.
He slowly lowered the phone.
"Gabriel."
Outside the apartment, a car engine started.
Someone was watching the building.
Someone who knew Maya had finally discovered the truth.
And someone who had just announced that the final player in the war had returned.
May you like
Her father was alive.
And he wanted his daughter back.
