Chapter 9 - The Proposal That Went Terribly Wrong
Paige said yes.
Then the lights went out.
All across the Westbridge building, every light died.
Graham stood.
“Stay behind me.”
“You always ruin romantic moments.”
“I'm serious.”
Emergency lights came on.
The elevator stopped.
Phones lost service.
A message appeared on Graham's laptop.
YOU WON. NOW PAY.
Paige stared.
“Richard?”
“No.”
“Daniel?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Graham's face went cold.
“My grandfather's partner.”
The one person they had never found.
The original architect.
The man behind everything.
His name was Victor Shaw.
And he had been dead for ten years.
Except the message had been sent from a computer inside the building.
Someone had been waiting.
The security system activated.
Doors locked.
A voice came through the speakers.
“Graham.”
He recognized it.
“Victor.”
A laugh.
“Your family always thinks the dead stop speaking.”
Paige looked around.
“Where is he?”
“Everywhere.”
Victor had built the original security network.
He knew every blind spot.
Every emergency exit.
Every access code.
But he had underestimated Paige.
She noticed something on the security monitor.
“Graham.”
“What?”
“Camera sixteen.”
He looked.
An empty hallway.
Then she noticed the reflection.
“That's not empty.”
Graham zoomed in.
A man was hiding behind the server cabinet.
Security moved.
The attacker was arrested.
But Victor had one final move.
He had kidnapped Graham's mother.
The message gave them one hour.
Bring Paige alone.
Graham refused.
Paige did not.
“I’m going.”
“No.”
“He wants me.”
“He wants to use you.”
“Then let him try.”
Graham grabbed her hand.
“I can't lose you.”
“You won't.”
“You don't know that.”
She touched his face.
“Graham, you taught me the most important thing I know.”
“What?”
“Fear doesn't get to choose our lives.”
He stared at her.
“Come back.”
“I will.”
They went together.
The meeting took place in an abandoned theater.
Victor was waiting.
He was older, but alive.
Graham's mother sat tied to a chair.
Victor smiled.
“Your family has always believed it could bury the past.”
Graham stepped forward.
“You're finished.”
Victor laughed.
“You think arrests matter?”
Paige stepped beside him.
“They do when everyone is watching.”
Victor's smile faded.
Every camera in the theater turned on.
Paige had connected them to a livestream.
Victor realized too late.
“You?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You chose an assistant.”
Victor stared.
“You chose the woman who reorganized his entire company.”
Graham smiled.
“Bad decision.”
Police stormed the theater.
Victor was arrested.
His network collapsed.
Graham's mother was rescued.
The war finally ended.
That night, Graham returned to the rooftop.
Paige was waiting.
He approached her.
“I had a better proposal planned.”
“This one was exciting.”
“I hate exciting.”
“No, you don't.”
He laughed.
Then he took out the ring.
This time, there was no alarm.
No gunfire.
No secrets.
Just Chicago lights.
“Paige Bennett.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
She smiled.
“I love you too.”
“Will you marry me?”
She held out her hand.
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger.
She kissed him.
And for the first time in years, Graham felt no need to check behind him.
May you like
The past was finally where it belonged.
Behind them.
