Chapter 6 - My Brother's Last Secret
I went to Facility 17 alone.
Or at least, that's what they thought.
Police surrounded the building from three directions.
I entered through the main door.
The warehouse smelled like dust, oil, and rain.
“I'm here.”
A voice echoed.
“Come upstairs.”
I followed it.
A metal door opened.
Matthew was sitting in a chair.
His hands were free.
A man stood behind him.
He was older.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Richard Hale.
My future father-in-law.
My blood ran cold.
“You.”
He smiled.
“You finally came.”
“Let the boy go.”
“Not yet.”
“What do you want?”
“The trust.”
“You can't have it.”
“Then Matthew dies.”
I took one step forward.
Richard raised a gun.
I stopped.
“Why did you kill Nicholas?”
His smile disappeared.
“Your brother was arrogant.”
“He found out what you were doing.”
“He found out too much.”
“What did he know?”
“That Vance Global wasn't as clean as your family believed.”
“You stole from us.”
“I redirected resources.”
“You laundered money.”
Richard shrugged.
“Business.”
Matthew looked terrified.
I glanced at him.
“Don't look at the boy.”
Richard laughed.
“You care about him.”
“Of course I do.”
“He's a Vance.”
“He's my nephew.”
“Exactly.”
Richard stepped closer.
“Your grandfather created a structure that protected the Vance family from hostile takeovers. Nicholas discovered that Matthew was entitled to eleven percent.”
“So that's why you wanted him.”
“Not me.”
Richard looked toward the door.
“Your attorney.”
I froze.
Daniel walked into the room.
He had a gun.
But he wasn't pointing it at me.
He pointed it at Richard.
“Let him go.”
Richard laughed.
“You always were sentimental.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Alex, I'm sorry.”
“What are you doing?”
“Finishing what Nicholas started.”
The truth finally appeared.
Daniel had been working against Richard from the beginning.
The access card had been stolen.
The meetings were part of an undercover investigation.
The payments had been evidence.
He had allowed himself to look guilty so Richard would trust him.
Then another door opened.
Camila stepped inside.
My heart stopped.
“Camila?”
She looked at me.
“I told you I couldn't explain everything at the house.”
Richard swore.
“You were not supposed to come.”
Camila ignored him.
She walked toward Matthew.
“It's okay.”
She knelt.
“I'm not going to hurt you.”
Matthew stared at her.
“You hurt my mom.”
Camila's eyes filled with tears.
“I know.”
She turned toward me.
“I will spend the rest of my life regretting it.”
Richard raised his weapon.
“Enough.”
Daniel moved.
A gunshot rang out.
The bullet struck the wall.
Police stormed through the doors.
Richard was arrested.
Daniel secured Matthew.
I ran to my nephew.
Matthew threw his arms around me.
I held him tightly.
“You're safe.”
He whispered:
“Is my dad coming back?”
I closed my eyes.
“No.”
It was the hardest word I had spoken in years.
“But he's not forgotten.”
Matthew nodded against my chest.
Camila surrendered without resistance.
Before she was taken away, she stopped beside me.
“I didn't kill Nicholas.”
“I believe you.”
“But I helped my father hide the truth.”
“Yes.”
“I hurt Rose.”
“Yes.”
“I lied to you.”
“Yes.”
She looked broken.
“I loved you.”
I stared at her.
“Maybe you did.”
She cried.
“But loving someone doesn't excuse what you did.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
Months later, the investigation revealed the full scheme.
Richard had used Vance Global's logistics network to move illicit funds and manipulate property acquisitions.
Nicholas had discovered it.
He had planned to expose everything.
Richard ordered one of his men to sabotage Nicholas's car.
Camila had learned about the plan but was too afraid to stop it.
She had tried to convince Nicholas to run instead.
The result was his death.
The truth was finally public.
But one mystery remained.
Why had Richard paid Rose for seven years?
The answer came from the final pages of Nicholas's files.
Rose had not been bribed.
She had been paid to hide Matthew because Richard believed the child could become the legal owner of Nicholas's trust.
The payments were hush money disguised as support.
Nicholas had discovered them.
He realized someone knew about Matthew.
That was when he created the trust.
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He had tried to protect his son.
And ultimately, he had protected all of us.
