CHAPTER 12 — MY EX SOLD ME FOR A FORTUNE
We found my mother's apartment empty.
The front door was broken.
A chair had been overturned.
One of her shoes lay beside the kitchen table.
I picked it up.
My hands started shaking.
"She's alive."
Vincent looked at me.
"How do you know?"
"Because she would never leave without both shoes."
He nodded.
"You're right."
One of his men entered.
"Sir."
"What?"
"We found this."
He handed Vincent a phone.
The screen was already playing a video.
My mother was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were tied.
There was a bruise near her temple.
I covered my mouth.
"Mom."
Her eyes looked directly into the camera.
Then Tyler appeared behind her.
He looked exhausted.
But he was smiling.
"Hello, Emily."
Vincent's expression became murderous.
Tyler continued.
"I know you're watching this."
He leaned closer to the camera.
"And I know Vincent is standing beside you."
My blood ran cold.
"Let her go."
Tyler laughed.
"You don't get to give orders anymore."
Vincent stepped closer to the screen.
"Where is she?"
Tyler ignored him.
He looked at me.
"Do you remember when I asked who would ever love you?"
My eyes filled with tears.
"I was wrong."
He smiled.
"You are worth something."
I whispered:
"Let her go."
"Give me the blue file."
Vincent shook his head.
"No."
Tyler looked at him.
"Then she dies."
My mother suddenly spoke.
"Emily, don't!"
Tyler grabbed her shoulder.
"Quiet."
Vincent's hand tightened around the phone.
"Touch her again."
Tyler laughed.
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
"No."
Vincent's voice was frighteningly calm.
"I think you should be."
Tyler stared at him.
Then the video changed.
A bank account appeared.
A number.
$5,000,000.
I stared.
"They paid him."
Vincent nodded.
"Yes."
Tyler returned to the screen.
"Elias promised me five million."
"Why would he trust you?"
"He doesn't."
Tyler smiled.
"He doesn't have to."
I felt sick.
"How much did he promise you?"
"Enough to disappear."
"You sold my mother."
"I had to."
"You chose money."
Tyler looked away.
"I chose survival."
"No."
I stepped closer to the screen.
"You chose yourself."
He looked at me.
"And you never did."
His voice became bitter.
"You spent years sacrificing everything for your mother."
"You worked until your feet bled."
"You defended people who never defended you."
"You thought that made you good."
He smiled.
"I thought it made you weak."
Vincent looked at me.
I realized something.
Tyler had never understood me.
Not once.
He thought kindness was weakness because he had never experienced it without wanting something in return.
The video continued.
Tyler held up a piece of paper.
"Here's the deal."
He looked at Vincent.
"Emily comes alone."
"No."
"Then her mother dies."
"You're not getting her."
Tyler smiled.
"Then maybe this helps."
The camera moved toward my mother.
A man stood behind her.
He wore a black ring.
Elias's man.
Tyler continued.
"Tomorrow morning, the blue file gets transferred."
My heart pounded.
"Transferred where?"
"To a place even Vincent can't reach."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
"Name it."
Tyler smiled.
"Chicago Union Station."
I frowned.
"Why there?"
"Because your father used it."
My heart stopped.
"My father?"
Tyler nodded.
"Your father hid things there."
Vincent looked at me.
"He's trying to trigger your memories."
The video ended.
Silence.
Then Vincent turned to his men.
"Find the location."
They moved immediately.
I grabbed his arm.
"I'm going."
"No."
"My mother is there."
"It's a trap."
"I know."
"Then you know why you're not going."
"I have to."
"No."
His voice became firm.
"You're staying here."
I stared at him.
"You can't lock me away."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"You promised my father."
His eyes hardened.
"Don't use that against me."
"Why not?"
"Because he asked me to protect you."
"And I'm asking you to let me protect my mother."
Vincent went silent.
I stepped closer.
"I'm not the woman Tyler thinks I am."
"I know."
"I'm not the little girl my father tried to hide."
"I know."
"Then stop treating me like one."
He stared at me for a long time.
Finally, he whispered:
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
"What?"
"You're becoming brave."
I frowned.
"That's a good thing."
"Not in my world."
He looked away.
"In my world, brave people get buried."
I touched his hand.
"And in mine, scared people get controlled."
His eyes returned to mine.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he nodded.
"Fine."
"I'm coming."
"Yes."
I exhaled.
"But you do exactly what I say."
"Maybe."
"Emily."
"Fine."
A tiny smile crossed his face.
Then disappeared.
"We leave in ten minutes."
The abandoned section of Union Station was almost completely empty.
Vincent and I entered through a side entrance.
His men spread out.
I held the blue file against my chest.
The key was in my pocket.
Everything felt wrong.
Too quiet.
We reached the old platform.
Nothing.
Then my phone rang.
Tyler.
I answered.
"Where is my mother?"
"You're early."
"Where is she?"
"Look behind you."
I turned.
Nobody.
Then a screen on the wall turned on.
My mother appeared.
Alive.
Terrified.
"Emily!"
"Mom!"
Tyler's voice came through the speakers.
"Put the file down."
Vincent whispered:
"Don't."
I held it tighter.
Tyler laughed.
"Now the key."
I froze.
He knew.
Vincent's eyes moved toward me.
The key.
I pulled it from my pocket.
Then I understood.
The file was a decoy.
They didn't want the money.
They didn't even want the documents.
They wanted the key.
Tyler continued:
"Give it to me."
"Why?"
"Because your father designed the whole thing."
"What thing?"
Tyler laughed.
"The key doesn't open a locker."
I stared.
"What does it open?"
A voice came from behind me.
Not Tyler.
Elias.
"The truth."
I turned.
Elias stood at the end of the platform.
Two armed men beside him.
Vincent immediately moved in front of me.
Elias smiled.
"Finally."
He looked at me.
"The last piece is here."
I whispered:
"What last piece?"
Elias's eyes dropped toward the key.
"Your father."
Then the lights went out.
A hand covered my mouth.
I struggled.
Vincent shouted my name.
I heard gunshots.
Someone dragged me backward.
I fought with everything I had.
Then something struck the side of my head.
The world tilted.
The last thing I saw was Vincent running toward me.
And the last thing I heard was Tyler screaming:
May you like
"Take her!"
Then everything went black.
