Chapter 5 - The Man Behind the Crown
Vincent Rook wasn't dead.
He had been hiding.
Building.
Waiting.
And now he wanted everything I had.
Elias had been working for him.
Gabriel had been working for Elias.
Caleb had been forced into their operation.
And Noah had witnessed something he wasn't supposed to see.
The question was simple.
Why hadn't Vincent killed Noah already?
The answer came from Samuel.
“Because Caleb protected him.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“Caleb wasn't loyal to them.”
Samuel's voice broke.
“He was trying to get Noah away.”
I understood.
Caleb had betrayed Vincent.
That's why they wanted Noah.
The boy was the only person who could prove what happened.
We returned to the safe house.
But someone had already been there.
The front door was open.
Goliath was growling.
I drew my weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Noah nodded.
We moved inside.
Nothing.
Then I heard footsteps upstairs.
I raised my weapon.
A figure appeared.
Elias.
He smiled.
“You're difficult to kill.”
I aimed at him.
“You betrayed me.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because you were always going to die.”
“Not today.”
He laughed.
“You think this is about money?”
“No.”
“You still don't understand.”
He looked at Noah.
“The boy is the key.”
“To what?”
“To your empire.”
Elias revealed the truth.
Vincent Rook wasn't trying to destroy my businesses.
He wanted to take control of them.
And the only legal obstacle was a succession clause.
If I died without an heir, control transferred to a specific trust.
The trust was connected to Noah.
Because years earlier, my late brother had secretly established it.
Noah wasn't just Caleb's son.
He was my brother's grandson.
And therefore, heir to a fortune nobody knew existed.
I stared at Noah.
The boy had no idea.
Elias smiled.
“That's why he has to die.”
I stepped forward.
“No.”
Elias raised his weapon.
Goliath lunged.
The gunshot exploded.
The dog fell.
“No!”
Noah screamed.
I caught him.
Goliath was wounded.
Alive.
But bleeding.
Elias escaped.
I looked at Noah.
“Stay with me.”
His face was wet with tears.
“Goliath saved me.”
“He'll survive.”
I wasn't sure.
May you like
But I promised anyway.
Because sometimes hope was the only weapon you had left.
