Chapter 6 - THE SECRET HER MOTHER HID
Sadi stared at her mother.
“Mom?”
Her mother looked terrified.
“I can explain.”
Dominic immediately raised his gun.
Sadi stepped between them.
“Don't.”
“She knows something.”
“I know.”
Her mother closed the door.
Then she locked it.
“I didn't betray you.”
“Then why did Marcus say you were involved?”
“Because Vincent forced me.”
She revealed the truth.
Years ago, Vincent had kidnapped Sadi when she was sixteen.
Caleb had rescued her.
But Vincent threatened to kill Sadi if her mother didn't disappear.
So she agreed to fake her death.
She had spent eight years hiding.
But Vincent recently found her.
“He told me if I didn't cooperate, he would kill Sadi.”
Sadi's eyes filled with tears.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
Her mother reached for her.
“I wanted you alive.”
Sadi finally embraced her.
Dominic watched silently.
Then Marcus spoke.
“There is something else.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Vincent doesn't just want the drive.”
“What does he want?”
“Dominic.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because your father's succession agreement gives Vincent control if you're unmarried.”
Sadi remembered the women at the Foundry.
The rumors.
The fear.
The strange pattern.
“You manipulated his relationships,” she whispered.
Marcus looked away.
“Vincent paid women to reject Dominic.”
Dominic became completely still.
“All of them?”
“Most.”
Sadi looked at him.
For the first time, she understood how deeply someone had tried to isolate him.
“You thought something was wrong with you.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“For years.”
“You believed it.”
“Yes.”
Sadi stepped closer.
“There was never anything wrong with you.”
His eyes met hers.
“Maybe there was.”
“No.”
“You don't know.”
“I know enough.”
Something broke inside Dominic.
He looked away.
“I've spent my whole life being feared.”
Sadi whispered.
“You don't scare me.”
He looked back.
She continued.
“You make me angry.”
A faint smile appeared.
“That's different.”
“Yes.”
He reached for her hand.
This time she let him.
Their fingers intertwined.
Then the alarm sounded.
Vincent had found them.
A message appeared on the security screen.
BRING ME THE GIRL, OR THE CITY BURNS.
Dominic stood.
Sadi tightened her grip.
“We finish this.”
May you like
Dominic nodded.
“Together.”
