Chapter 5 - Roman Learned the Woman Who Raised Him Had Been Protecting the Secret That Started the War Between Their FamiliesRoman returned to the penthouse alone.
Sophia was waiting.
She knew immediately.
“What happened?”
“You lied to me.”
Her face became still.
“What did you learn?”
“Edward is alive.”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“And?”
“He says you protected Khloe.”
Sophia did not deny it.
Roman's anger exploded.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew her father was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she had it.”
“Yes.”
Roman turned away.
“How long?”
“Since you hired her.”
He stared.
“You put her in my house.”
“I put her where I could watch her.”
Roman's expression became cold.
“Why?”
“Because if Victor found her, she would die.”
“Victor is dead.”
Sophia shook her head.
“Not the Victor you knew.”
Roman frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Your uncle was not the real architect.”
“Then who?”
Sophia looked toward the door.
“Your father.”
Roman's anger disappeared.
His father had been dead for nineteen years.
“You're saying he orchestrated everything.”
“I am.”
“Even Edward?”
“Yes.”
“Even Khloe?”
Sophia whispered:
“Especially Khloe.”
Roman felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because Edward discovered a hidden network.”
“The Crown?”
Sophia nodded.
“And your father wanted to control it.”
“What did Edward do?”
“He stole the ledger.”
“And gave it to his daughter.”
“Yes.”
Roman understood.
“He used Khloe as a hiding place.”
“She was a child.”
“She was eighteen.”
“She was still a child to him.”
Roman looked toward the kitchen.
Khloe wasn't there.
For the first time, he realized she had been carrying a secret heavier than anyone knew.
Sophia reached for his hand.
“Roman.”
He pulled away.
“You watched her.”
“I protected her.”
“You lied to her.”
“To save her.”
“She deserves the truth.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell her?”
Sophia whispered:
“Because if she knew exactly what she carried, people would kill her for it.”
Roman looked at the floor.
Then he heard a voice.
“Too late.”
Khloe stood in the doorway.
Roman froze.
She had heard everything.
“You knew.”
Sophia stood.
“Khloe—”
“You knew my father was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he left me something.”
“Yes.”
“You put me here so you could watch me.”
Sophia nodded.
Khloe's eyes filled with tears.
“And you?”
She looked at Roman.
“You knew?”
“No.”
Khloe stared.
Roman stepped forward.
“I swear.”
Her voice broke.
“I don't know who to trust anymore.”
Roman stopped.
He wanted to reach for her.
He didn't.
“You can trust me.”
She shook her head.
“You said that before.”
“I know.”
“Then prove it.”
“How?”
“Give me the choice.”
Roman nodded.
“Okay.”
Khloe reached into her purse.
She pulled out the gold watch.
Roman stared.
“Open it.”
Khloe turned the crown.
Nothing.
She turned it again.
A tiny panel slid open.
Inside was a microchip.
Sophia whispered:
“My God.”
Roman looked at Khloe.
“What do you want to do?”
She closed her hand around it.
“Destroy it.”
Roman paused.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Then every screen in the room turned black.
A message appeared.
YOU CAN DESTROY THE LEDGER.
YOU CANNOT DESTROY THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW ITS CONTENTS.
A second line appeared.
BRING KHLOE TO THE ROOFTOP AT MIDNIGHT.
Roman stared.
Sophia whispered:
“It's him.”
“Who?”
“The Broker.”
Roman looked at Khloe.
He understood.
The game had moved from shadows into the open.
May you like
And now the person who had been manipulating all of them wanted the one thing only Khloe could give him.
Access.
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