Chapter 7 - The Woman Behind the Entire EmpireEvelyn Black lived in a private care facility in Wisconsin.
She looked harmless.
Ninety years old.
White hair.
Soft voice.
But when Gabriel entered the room, her smile told him everything.
“You look just like your grandfather.”
Gabriel stopped.
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“What was he?”
“A coward.”
Nora sat beside him.
Evelyn continued.
“Your family built an empire.”
“Your family hid the crimes.”
“Your father wanted out.”
“My mother too.”
“Yes.”
“Who killed them?”
Evelyn looked at Nora.
“Your father knows.”
“He's dead.”
“No.”
Nora froze.
“He disappeared.”
Evelyn smiled.
“He wasn't killed.”
Nora couldn't breathe.
“My father?”
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“He's been protecting you.”
Gabriel stared.
“From whom?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Everyone.”
She revealed the truth.
Nora's father had faked his death.
Gabriel's father had also disappeared.
They had been working together to dismantle the network.
Nora's father had gone underground.
Gabriel's father had hidden the Blackstone account.
The two men were alive.
And they had been watching their children from a distance.
Nora cried.
“Why didn't they come back?”
“Because the moment they did, you would become targets.”
Gabriel stood.
“Where are they?”
Evelyn gave him an address.
An old warehouse in Indiana.
They arrived at midnight.
Two men stood inside.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Tired.
Nora saw her father.
She stopped.
“Dad?”
He turned.
His eyes filled.
“Nora.”
She ran.
Gabriel watched.
His father stood beside him.
“Gabriel.”
He stared.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had to.”
Gabriel's voice broke.
“My mother?”
“She survived longer than you thought.”
Gabriel froze.
“What?”
“She lived for years after the crash.”
“Where?”
“Hidden.”
“Is she alive?”
His father shook his head.
“She died last year.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
One tear fell.
The two families had lost years.
For safety.
For truth.
For survival.
But now the network was exposed.
And the fathers handed them the Blackstone account.
Millions.
Thousands of names.
Every secret.
Every payment.
And one final signature.
Matteo Moretti.
Gabriel looked at his father.
“My uncle.”
“Yes.”
Nora stared.
“He's still alive.”
“Yes.”
“He controls the foundation.”
“Yes.”
“Why hasn't he killed us?”
Her father looked toward the door.
“Because he needs the last piece.”
“What piece?”
“Nora.”
She froze.
“Me?”
“You inherited your father's voting rights.”
Gabriel understood.
The entire company could be transferred with one signature.
Matteo needed Nora.
That was why Bradley had stalked her.
Not to scare her.
To locate the inheritance.
The next morning, Nora disappeared.
She left her phone.
Left her car.
Left nothing.
On the kitchen table was a note.
They have me.
Gabriel stared at it.
His face became empty.
Then he smiled.
“They made one mistake.”
“What?”
“They took the woman who knows where all the money is.”
May you like
Gabriel picked up the Blackstone files.
“We're bringing her home.”
