Chapter 5 - Gabriel Finally Faced the Father He Had Buried Fifteen Years AgoGabriel sat alone for hours.
His father had been dead.
For fifteen years.
At least that's what everyone had believed.
Now every memory had a crack in it.
The funeral.
The coffin.
The sealed burial.
The private ceremony.
Thomas standing beside him.
Michael crying.
Everything had been staged.
Sophie found him in the safe house basement.
“You haven't eaten.”
“I know.”
“You should.”
He looked at her.
“My father is alive.”
“Yes.”
“I don't know who I am if that's true.”
“You're still Gabriel.”
He looked away.
She sat beside him.
“You think because your father was a monster, you're one too.”
“Maybe.”
“You saved Noah.”
“That's different.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You were given a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Become him.”
She touched his hand.
“Or become something else.”
Gabriel swallowed.
Nobody had ever spoken to him that way.
Not without fear.
Not without wanting something.
She wasn't flattering him.
She was telling him the truth.
Then Ethan arrived.
“We found the old estate.”
“What estate?”
“Your father has been living under another name.”
“Where?”
“North of the city.”
Gabriel stood.
Sophie caught his arm.
“You're going after him.”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm coming.”
“No.”
“You said this was my family too.”
He stared.
“You're not a burden.”
“Then stop treating me like one.”
Gabriel almost smiled.
“Fine.”
They went.
The estate was abandoned.
Or appeared to be.
Inside, they found photographs.
Michael.
Elena.
Sophie.
Noah.
Gabriel.
Fifteen years of surveillance.
Their lives had been watched.
Every move.
Every address.
Every relationship.
Someone had been waiting.
Then Gabriel found a recording.
His father appeared on the screen.
“Gabriel.”
His voice was calm.
“I know you'll eventually find this.”
Gabriel stared.
“You've become exactly what I expected.”
He laughed.
“Powerful.”
“Cold.”
“Alone.”
Gabriel clenched his fists.
His father continued.
“But you made one mistake.”
“You cared about Michael.”
Gabriel stared.
“Family is weakness.”
“That's why he died.”
Sophie stepped closer.
The recording continued.
“The child is leverage.”
“Find him.”
“Bring him to me.”
“Then you'll finally understand who owns this family.”
Gabriel smashed the screen.
He stood breathing hard.
Sophie touched his shoulder.
He turned.
“I wanted him dead.”
“I know.”
“I spent fifteen years thinking I buried him.”
“I know.”
“I was wrong.”
She looked at him.
“Then stop letting him decide who you become.”
A voice echoed from the hallway.
“She's right.”
Gabriel raised his weapon.
Thomas stepped out.
Gabriel aimed.
“You lied to me.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To keep you alive.”
“You knew my father was Victor.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Michael was going to die.”
“No.”
“You knew Noah was alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father had people everywhere.”
Gabriel's voice broke.
“I trusted you.”
“You still can.”
Gabriel almost laughed.
“Why?”
Thomas reached into his coat.
He pulled out a letter.
Michael's handwriting.
“Because your brother wrote this for you.”
Gabriel took it.
He opened it.
Gabriel,
If you are reading this, then Thomas has finally told you the truth.
Do not kill him.
I know you will want to.
Gabriel swallowed.
He is the reason my son survived.
Tears filled Gabriel's eyes.
Michael had known.
He had trusted Thomas.
The letter continued.
The person who betrayed me isn't Thomas.
It's someone you haven't suspected.
Gabriel looked at Thomas.
“Who?”
Thomas pointed toward Sophie.
Gabriel stared at him.
Sophie went pale.
“What?”
Thomas shook his head.
“Not Sophie.”
He looked at the door.
“Her mother.”
Gabriel frowned.
“Rebecca?”
“Yes.”
Sophie looked devastated.
“No.”
Thomas continued.
“Rebecca made a deal with Victor.”
“She promised to hide the child.”
“In exchange for Sophie.”
Sophie stopped breathing.
“What?”
Victor wanted Sophie too.
Because her mother had witnessed something.
Something connected to the night Michael died.
Rebecca had made a bargain.
She would take Noah.
She would disappear.
And Victor would leave Sophie alone.
Gabriel looked at Sophie.
“Your mother wasn't protecting only Noah.”
“She was protecting you.”
Sophie cried.
“I thought she abandoned me.”
“No.”
Thomas's voice softened.
“She loved you.”
Then the lights went out.
Thomas swore.
Footsteps.
A voice came through the darkness.
“Gabriel.”
His father's voice.
Victor.
“You finally found the truth.”
Gabriel raised his weapon.
A light came on.
Victor stood across the hall.
Older.
Gray hair.
Perfect suit.
Smiling.
Gabriel stared at the man he had buried.
“You died.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“I needed you angry enough to build the empire.”
“Why?”
“So you could protect it.”
Gabriel laughed.
“I've spent fifteen years becoming what you feared.”
Victor shook his head.
“What I wanted.”
Then he looked at Sophie.
“And now I need the woman who knows where the last piece of the ledger is.”
Sophie stepped back.
Gabriel moved in front of her.
Victor smiled.
“That is exactly what Michael did.”
“What?”
“Protected someone he loved.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“And it got him killed.”
He raised his gun.
Then lowered it.
“I don't need to kill you.”
He nodded toward the ceiling.
“Noah is already gone.”
Sophie screamed.
Gabriel spun.
The room behind them was empty.
May you like
Noah was missing.
Again.
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