Chapter 14 - The Last Harrington Betrayal
The note contained one address.
An abandoned Harrington property near the northern border.
The same location where Richard Harrington had once stored company records.
The same place Adrian knew I would recognize.
A trap.
A perfect one.
Because he knew I would come.
My team prepared immediately.
But before leaving, I received a message.
From Samantha.
A video.
I opened it.
She was sitting in an empty room.
No injuries.
No fear.
Just calm.
“Gareth.”
I stared at the screen.
“If you’re watching this, then you ignored my note.”
A small smile appeared.
“Of course you did.”
Even in danger, she knew me.
“I need you to understand something.”
She looked directly into the camera.
“Adrian wants you angry.”
A pause.
“He wants the Crimson Shadow.”
Her expression became stronger.
“But I need Gareth.”
Those words stopped me.
“Don’t become the man he wants you to be.”
The video ended.
I arrived at the location alone.
Because Samantha was right.
Adrian wanted an army.
He wanted chaos.
He wanted the legend.
But he did not understand something.
The greatest weapon I had was not fear.
It was control.
Inside the building, I found Samantha.
Standing.
Waiting.
And beside her...
Adrian Cross.
He smiled.
“Welcome back.”
I looked at Samantha first.
She gave me a small nod.
She was okay.
That was enough.
Adrian noticed.
“You still do that.”
“Do what?”
“Look at her before you look at your enemy.”
I said nothing.
He laughed.
“That is why you lost.”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
“That is why you never understood me.”
Adrian revealed the final piece of his plan.
He had not wanted the company.
He had not wanted the inheritance.
He wanted to prove one thing.
That the Crimson Shadow was not powerful.
That he was just a man.
A man controlled by love.
A man with a weakness.
But Adrian made one final mistake.
He confused love with weakness.
“You know what your problem is, Gareth?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You finally became human.”
I looked at Samantha.
Then back at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“I finally became someone worth fighting for.”
The room went silent.
Because Adrian realized something.
The man standing before him was not the same person from years ago.
The Crimson Shadow had returned.
But Gareth Cole was still in control.
Then the lights went out.
A sound echoed.
A door opening.
More footsteps.
Adrian smiled.
“You thought I came alone?”
I looked into the darkness.
And waited.
Because I already knew.
May you like
The final battle was not beginning.
It had already started.
