Chapter 8 - The Betrayal Came From the Person I Never Suspected
The name was Margaret.
My divorce attorney.
The woman who had represented me.
The woman who had sat beside me in court.
The woman who had told me I was fighting a losing battle.
I couldn't believe it.
“She works for Ellis?”
Arthur sighed.
“She always has.”
Everything suddenly made sense.
The attorney had pushed me toward settlement.
She had discouraged me from challenging Ellis's financial claims.
She had told me the custody case was hopeless.
She had convinced me to accept nothing.
And during the hearing, she had barely defended me.
She hadn't been incompetent.
She had been paid.
Rachel immediately launched an investigation.
Within hours, they discovered secret payments from Ellis to Margaret.
But there was something worse.
Margaret had access to my private legal files.
She knew everything.
My finances.
My conversations with Noah.
My plans.
My fears.
She knew about Evelyn.
And now she knew Arthur was alive.
We needed to move Noah.
We relocated him to a secure facility.
But Margaret disappeared before investigators could arrest her.
For two days, nothing happened.
Then she called me.
“Sabrina.”
I recognized her voice.
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I protected myself.”
“You helped destroy my family.”
“No. Ellis did that.”
“Then why help him?”
She was silent.
Then she said:
“Because Ellis promised me something.”
“What?”
“Enough money to disappear.”
I laughed bitterly.
“And now?”
“Now he's going to prison.”
“So you lost.”
“No.”
Her voice became cold.
“I still have one thing he wants.”
“What?”
She answered:
“Noah.”
My entire body went cold.
“Don't touch my son.”
“I don't want to hurt him.”
“Then leave him alone.”
“I need the Meridian Trust.”
“You don't have access.”
“But you do.”
I understood.
The black card.
Margaret wanted the six million dollars.
She believed I would exchange it for Noah.
But she didn't know what I knew now.
The card wasn't the only key.
There were three layers of authorization.
Noah had the first.
I had the second.
Arthur had the third.
Without all three, the money couldn't move.
Margaret had kidnapped Noah.
But she hadn't realized that.
I told Rachel everything.
Then we prepared a trap.
We would make Margaret believe I was willing to trade.
At midnight, I arrived at an abandoned train station.
I carried the black card.
Margaret stood near the tracks.
Beside her was Noah.
His hands were tied.
My heart shattered.
“Noah.”
“Mom!”
Margaret pressed a gun against his shoulder.
“Give me the card.”
I held it up.
“You first.”
She smiled.
“You haven't changed.”
“Neither have you.”
I stepped closer.
Then Noah looked at me.
His eyes moved toward the clock above us.
Three.
Two.
One.
The lights suddenly came on.
Federal agents surrounded the station.
Margaret froze.
But she wasn't alone.
Victor Hale stepped from behind a pillar.
He raised his weapon.
“Drop yours.”
Rachel shouted:
“Victor! It's over.”
He smiled.
“No.”
Then he fired.
The bullet struck the wall inches from my head.
Noah screamed.
I ran toward him.
Agents tackled Victor.
Margaret dropped her weapon.
Within seconds, both were arrested.
I grabbed Noah.
He clung to me.
“I'm sorry, Mom.”
“You did nothing wrong.”
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
Then he whispered:
“I knew you'd come.”
I kissed his forehead.
“I will always come.”
For the first time, the nightmare was finally ending.
But there was still one person left.
May you like
Ellis.
And the next morning, he asked to see me.
