Chapter 4 - The Man I Thought Had Betrayed MeArthur Hart had disappeared.
No address.
No phone.
No bank accounts.
Nothing.
But Dominic found him within twelve hours.
An abandoned farmhouse outside Annapolis.
Evelyn stood beside Dominic as the doors opened.
Arthur was sitting at a table.
He looked old.
Exhausted.
Broken.
“Evelyn.”
She stared at him.
“You killed my father.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“I don't know.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You don't know?”
“Not directly.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“You sold information.”
Arthur looked at him.
“You think you're innocent?”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“I know what I did.”
“You protected the wrong people.”
“I corrected that.”
Arthur laughed.
“Too late.”
Evelyn stepped between them.
“Tell me everything.”
Arthur looked at her.
“Your father discovered that someone was moving money through my brother's company.”
“My uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“The trust.”
Evelyn swallowed.
Arthur nodded.
“Your grandfather left it to you because he didn't trust anyone else.”
“Then why did everyone want me with Caleb?”
“Because Caleb was supposed to marry you.”
Her stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Once you married him, Arthur would become trustee.”
She froze.
“Not you?”
“Your legal guardian.”
“But I'm almost thirty.”
Arthur stared at her.
“That was the deadline.”
Everything made sense.
The wedding.
The apartment.
The money.
The breakup.
The stolen savings.
The message.
Caleb had been pushing her toward marriage.
Then she discovered the theft.
Then she accidentally texted Dominic.
And the entire plan had begun to unravel.
“What did my father do?”
“He found out.”
“And died.”
Arthur nodded.
“Your father tried to expose them.”
“Why didn't he?”
“Because someone inside Dominic's organization threatened him.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Who?”
Arthur looked at him.
“Your right-hand man.”
Dominic went still.
“Marcus?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Evelyn looked at Dominic.
Marcus had been with them from the beginning.
The trusted lieutenant.
The man who had found her.
The man who had arranged the meeting at Pier 9.
Dominic's expression hardened.
“No.”
Arthur nodded.
“He was the leak.”
A gunshot sounded outside.
Arthur fell.
Evelyn screamed.
Dominic pulled her to the floor.
“Stay down!”
Another shot shattered the window.
Marcus burst through the side door.
“Boss!”
Dominic raised his gun.
“Don't move.”
Marcus froze.
Arthur was bleeding.
Evelyn crawled toward him.
“He's alive.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“You knew.”
Marcus's expression changed.
“Not everything.”
“Enough.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You led Evelyn here.”
“Yes.”
“To kill her?”
“No.”
“To scare her?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Because she was the bait.”
Dominic's face hardened.
“Explain.”
“The person behind this wanted Evelyn dead.”
“Who?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then he looked at Dominic.
“But I know the person you should be looking for.”
“Who?”
Marcus whispered,
“Your father.”
Dominic froze.
“My father is dead.”
“So was hers.”
Silence.
Marcus continued.
“Your father didn't die when everyone said he did.”
Dominic's face went completely blank.
Evelyn stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus looked at her.
“The person who built this entire operation is still alive.”
A voice came from outside.
“Enough.”
Dominic turned.
A man stepped out of the darkness.
Older.
Silver hair.
Black coat.
Calm eyes.
Dominic stared.
“Father.”
May you like
The older man smiled.
“Hello, son.”
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