Chapter 4 - They Took Lily to Make Me Choose
The garden gate was open.
One security camera had been cut.
The second was showing static.
Emma stood barefoot on the steps.
She was crying.
“Daddy, I told her not to go.”
I crouched.
“Who took her?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you see anyone?”
“A man.”
“What did he look like?”
“He had Daddy's watch.”
My blood ran cold.
Derek wore the same watch my father had given him.
But then Emma whispered:
“He wasn't alone.”
“Who was with him?”
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
“She had Mommy's face.”
I stared.
Vivian.
Grace's sister.
They had taken Lily.
I called Derek.
No answer.
Richard Vale.
No answer.
My entire house went into lockdown.
I sent men to every property.
Hospitals.
Warehouses.
Safe houses.
Nothing.
Then the video arrived.
Lily sat in a chair.
Unhurt.
Terrified.
Derek stood behind her.
Vivian sat across from the camera.
“Marcus,” she said.
I watched.
“You've spent your whole life believing your father made you powerful.”
She smiled.
“He made you blind.”
I clenched my jaw.
“Let my daughter go.”
“No.”
“Name your price.”
“I don't want money.”
“What do you want?”
“Justice.”
“You took an innocent child.”
“She is your daughter.”
“Exactly.”
“And I want you to feel what Grace felt.”
I stared at the screen.
“You murdered my wife.”
Vivian's face changed.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
She laughed.
“Ask Richard.”
The video ended.
I called Richard again.
This time, he answered.
“Marcus.”
“What did you do?”
“I made mistakes.”
“Where is Lily?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I swear.”
“Tell me about Grace.”
Silence.
Then:
“She knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That your father wanted her dead.”
“Why?”
“Because she found Emma.”
I froze.
“And?”
“She planned to expose everything.”
“Who stopped her?”
Richard whispered:
“Your father.”
“My father was dead.”
“He was alive.”
“Until when?”
“Until the night Grace died.”
My chest tightened.
“Was her death an accident?”
“No.”
Silence.
“Who killed her?”
Richard's voice broke.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I wasn't there.”
“Then who was?”
He hesitated.
“Derek.”
Everything inside me went cold.
I ended the call.
Javier entered.
“We found the location.”
“Where?”
“An old Blackwell warehouse.”
Of course.
The same warehouse my father used years ago.
I assembled the team.
No speeches.
No negotiation.
We moved.
The warehouse was empty.
No Lily.
Only a table.
A photo.
And a children's bracelet.
Pink.
Lily's.
I picked it up.
There was blood on the clasp.
My heart stopped.
But the blood wasn't Lily's.
Javier scanned it.
“It's old.”
“What?”
“Months old.”
A decoy.
They wanted me panicked.
A second message appeared on the wall.
YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.
Then my phone rang.
Lily.
“Daddy?”
I nearly collapsed.
“Baby, where are you?”
“I don't know.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Who's with you?”
“A lady.”
“Vivian?”
“I don't know.”
“Can you see outside?”
“There's water.”
“Water?”
“A lot.”
Javier looked at me.
“Lakefront.”
I nodded.
“Lily, listen to Daddy.”
“Okay.”
“Can you hear boats?”
She listened.
“Yes.”
“Are you inside a building?”
“Yes.”
“What do you see?”
“Blue doors.”
Javier immediately pulled up warehouse maps.
“Boss.”
He pointed.
One property.
Abandoned ferry terminal.
We moved.
When we arrived, we heard Lily crying.
I ran inside.
Derek stood with a gun.
Vivian was beside him.
Lily was unharmed.
But then I saw someone else.
Richard Vale.
He was tied to a chair.
“What is this?” I asked.
Vivian smiled.
“The end of the old family.”
She pointed to Richard.
“He knows what happened to Grace.”
I approached.
“Tell me.”
Richard looked broken.
“Your father ordered her death.”
“Who carried it out?”
He looked toward Derek.
“Derek.”
Derek lowered his head.
I looked at him.
“You killed my wife.”
“I was nineteen.”
“You were thirty.”
“I was obeying.”
“She trusted you.”
“I know.”
I wanted to kill him.
Then Grace's letter came back to me.
Do not let hatred turn you into the man your father was.
I lowered my gun.
“Where was Emma?”
Derek looked at Vivian.
“She rescued her.”
I frowned.
“She?”
Vivian's eyes filled with tears.
“Grace.”
I stared.
“Grace was the one who hid Emma.”
“No.”
“Your wife knew she was dying.”
“Derek told her.”
“What?”
“She was poisoned.”
My chest tightened.
“By whom?”
“Richard.”
Richard screamed.
“No!”
Vivian pointed at him.
“He gave Grace the medication.”
Richard shook his head.
“I was ordered to.”
“By whom?”
Richard stared at me.
“Your father.”
My hands shook.
“My father had Grace murdered.”
“Yes.”
“Then who killed him?”
Richard whispered:
“Grace.”
I stared.
Richard continued.
“Your wife confronted him.”
“What happened?”
“She escaped.”
“And my father?”
“He disappeared.”
I looked at Vivian.
“You said Grace is the one who hid Emma.”
“She gave her to Rachel.”
“Then who is Emma's father?”
Silence.
I already knew.
But I needed to hear it.
Richard answered.
“You.”
I closed my eyes.
The truth had finally come.
Then Vivian walked toward Lily.
“She isn't the only child your family almost lost.”
“What does that mean?”
Vivian looked at Emma, who had arrived with the security team.
“She has a twin.”
Lily stared.
“So do I.”
Vivian looked at her.
“Yes.”
She turned toward me.
“And both girls inherited something your father was terrified of.”
“What?”
“The Blackwell Foundation accounts.”
I frowned.
“The money?”
“No.”
May you like
She smiled sadly.
“The evidence.”
