Chapter 15 — VINCENT CHOSE ME OVER HIS EMPIRE
For several seconds after I said it, nobody moved.
“My mother.”
The words hung in the underground tunnel like smoke.
Vanessa looked away.
Vincent stared at me.
Not with disbelief.
With something worse.
Recognition.
“You knew,” I whispered.
He shook his head slowly.
“I suspected.”
“That isn't good enough anymore.”
“I know.”
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me what you know.”
Vincent took a long breath.
“Your mother didn't betray your father.”
I frowned.
“She helped him disappear.”
“You already said that.”
“She also helped hide you.”
“I know.”
“But there is something I didn't know until tonight.”
“What?”
He looked at the photograph in my hand.
“Your father didn't disappear alone.”
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“Someone helped him escape through Union Station.”
I remembered Tyler's words.
Your father used Chicago Union Station.
My father designed the whole thing.
I suddenly understood.
“The station.”
Vincent nodded.
“He used an old service route beneath the station. It connected to warehouses near the river.”
“The same warehouses?”
“Yes.”
My heart raced.
“Then why did he leave me?”
“He didn't.”
Vincent's voice was firm.
“He planned to come back.”
“When?”
“I don't know.”
“Why didn't he?”
“I don't know.”
I hated those words.
I had heard them my entire life.
I don't know.
We don't know.
It's better if you don't ask.
I was done.
“Then we're going to find out.”
Vincent looked at me.
“You're not going anywhere tonight.”
I almost laughed.
“You don't get to decide that anymore.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
His voice was quiet.
“I know because that's the mistake I've been making for seven years.”
He reached into his jacket.
Then placed something on the table between us.
A small black case.
I stared at it.
“What is that?”
“My resignation.”
I blinked.
“What?”
Vincent opened the case.
Inside was a single document.
His signature.
I looked at him.
“You're resigning from what?”
“The DeLuca organization.”
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“You can't.”
Vincent didn't look at her.
“I already did.”
“You'll start a war.”
“Probably.”
“Vincent—”
“I've spent half my life believing power was the only language dangerous people understood.”
He looked at me.
“I was wrong.”
I couldn't speak.
“You protected me with power.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened people for me.”
“Yes.”
“You watched my life.”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
“Now I want you to have a choice.”
I stared at the document.
“You're giving up your empire?”
“Not all of it.”
“Why?”
“Because I finally understand something.”
He stepped closer.
“I don't want you to become another thing I control.”
My throat tightened.
“You're not afraid?”
“I am terrified.”
That honesty broke something inside me.
He continued.
“Without the organization, I lose protection.”
“Yes.”
“I lose influence.”
“Yes.”
“I lose people who have spent years believing they owe me loyalty.”
“Yes.”
“And some of them will turn against me.”
I looked at him.
“Then why do it?”
He didn't hesitate.
“Because if keeping you safe requires becoming the man you're afraid of, then I'm no better than the people we're fighting.”
I felt tears burn behind my eyes.
“Vincent…”
He shook his head.
“Don't thank me.”
“Why?”
“Because this isn't a sacrifice for you.”
He touched the document.
“It's a choice for me.”
Silence.
Then Vanessa spoke.
“It's too late.”
We both looked at her.
She pointed toward the tunnel entrance.
“They know.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
My phone buzzed.
Then again.
Then again.
I pulled it out.
News alerts flooded the screen.
CHICAGO BUSINESS TYCOON VINCENT DELUCA RESIGNS FROM FAMILY HOLDINGS
Another.
DELUCA EMPIRE FACES INTERNAL COLLAPSE
Another.
MYSTERY WOMAN LINKED TO BLUE TRUST INVESTIGATION
My photograph appeared.
My heart stopped.
Someone had leaked my identity.
Not Emily Carter.
My real name.
My father's name.
My connection to the DeLuca family.
Everything.
Vincent looked at the screen.
“They moved faster than I expected.”
“Who?”
“The people who are afraid.”
My phone rang.
My mother.
I answered immediately.
“Mom?”
Her voice was weak.
“Emily.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Who has you?”
Silence.
“Mom?”
Then she whispered:
“Don't trust Vincent.”
I froze.
Vincent watched me.
My mother continued.
“He doesn't know what his grandfather did.”
“Mom, Vincent just gave up his empire.”
“That doesn't change what his family built.”
“I know.”
“You don't know everything.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, they will come for you.”
“They're already coming.”
Silence.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Did Dad ask you to protect me?”
“Yes.”
“Did he know Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“Did Dad trust him?”
A long pause.
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then why are you telling me not to trust him?”
My mother's voice cracked.
“Because your father trusted the wrong man once.”
The call ended.
I looked at Vincent.
He had heard enough.
“Who did he trust?”
Vincent shook his head.
“I don't know.”
I stared at him.
“Then we find out.”
He nodded.
We left the tunnel before sunrise.
But Chicago had changed.
Every screen showed my face.
Every news channel was talking about the Blue Trust.
Politicians were denying involvement.
Executives were resigning.
Banks were freezing accounts.
And somewhere in the middle of it all was my name.
For the first time in my life...
People knew who I was.
Not because I was beautiful.
Not because I was rich.
Not because a powerful man kissed me.
Because I had survived.
By noon, Vincent's lawyers had begun releasing documents.
Not everything.
Just enough.
Financial records.
Property transfers.
Names.
Dates.
Companies.
Evidence that could not be dismissed as gossip.
Then something happened that none of us expected.
A journalist published a photograph of my father.
Alive.
Standing outside a train station.
Three years earlier.
The headline read:
THE DEAD LAWYER WHO MAY HAVE NEVER DIED
The city exploded.
Vincent stood beside me in silence.
I stared at the photograph.
My father looked tired.
Older.
But alive.
And behind him was a brick building.
I zoomed in.
A sign.
MERCER ARCHIVE STORAGE
I turned toward Vincent.
“That's it.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“That's where he was.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Dad always told me something when I was little.”
“What?”
I smiled through my tears.
“He said if you ever lose me, look for the place where forgotten things are kept.”
Vincent stared at the photograph.
“An archive.”
“Yes.”
Vanessa grabbed her coat.
“Then we go now.”
Vincent stopped her.
“No.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“Because this is exactly what they want.”
He looked at me.
“They leaked the photograph.”
“To lure us there.”
I nodded.
“Then we don't go.”
Vincent looked surprised.
“What?”
“We make them think we're going.”
He smiled slightly.
For the first time, I saw something different in his eyes.
Not the feared man from Chicago.
Not the billionaire.
Not the protector.
A partner.
“What do you have in mind?”
I looked at the blue file.
Then at the photograph.
“Let's give them what they expect.”
“And what do you expect them to do?”
I smiled.
“Panic.”
And that was exactly what happened.
May you like
Because within two hours...
the people behind the Blue Trust began destroying each other.
