Chapter 8 - Claire Stood Beside Victor—And Avery Realized the Betrayal Wasn’t What It Seemed
Avery's heart shattered.
“Claire?”
Dominic took the photograph.
The agent continued.
“They left together.”
Avery shook her head.
“No.”
“Ms. Hart—”
“My sister wouldn't.”
Dominic looked at the image.
“She may have had no choice.”
“Don't defend her.”
“I'm not.”
He studied the picture.
“Look at her hand.”
Avery leaned closer.
Claire's fingers were curled around something.
A tiny silver key.
Dominic recognized it.
“The key from your father's box.”
“What does it open?”
“Something Victor wants.”
They tracked the flight.
It landed in Prague.
Dominic arranged transport.
Avery insisted on coming.
He refused.
She looked him directly in the eye.
“You've spent months protecting me by keeping me away from the truth.”
“Yes.”
“Stop.”
He looked at her.
“Please.”
He finally agreed.
They found Claire in an abandoned townhouse.
But Victor was gone.
Claire sat alone.
Avery rushed toward her.
“You!”
Claire stood.
Avery slapped her.
The sound echoed.
Claire didn't react.
“I deserved that.”
“You betrayed us.”
“No.”
“You were with Victor.”
“I was trying to save you.”
“By helping him?”
Claire's voice broke.
“He had the ledger.”
Avery froze.
“You gave it to him?”
“No.”
Claire reached into her coat.
“Victor thought he had it.”
She pulled out a duplicate drive.
“I replaced it.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“You've been undercover.”
Claire nodded.
“Since the hospital.”
She explained everything.
Victor believed Claire was helping him because she convinced him she wanted revenge against Dominic for keeping Avery away from her.
She had followed him to learn where he was going.
But she had discovered something else.
Victor planned one final attack.
A public assassination.
He intended to kill Dominic during the opening of Lakehaven, then frame Rourke's remaining men.
Avery looked at Dominic.
“When is the opening?”
“Tomorrow.”
They returned to Chicago.
Dominic refused to cancel the event.
Victor expected fear.
Dominic would give him confidence instead.
Hundreds of guests arrived.
Cameras flashed.
Avery wore a simple black dress.
Dominic wore a dark suit.
As they walked into the ballroom, he whispered.
“Stay close.”
She smiled.
“I always do.”
Music played.
Champagne flowed.
Then the lights went out.
A scream.
Gunfire.
Dominic pulled Avery down.
Security moved.
A second gunman appeared on the balcony.
Claire shouted.
“There!”
Dominic's men fired.
The shooter fell.
Victor stepped from the shadows.
He held a gun to Samuel Hart.
Avery froze.
“Let him go.”
Victor smiled.
“Your family is always such an inconvenience.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“This ends tonight.”
Victor laughed.
“You think the ledger matters?”
He raised the gun.
“It doesn't.”
Dominic stared.
“Why?”
“Because I already own half the men who will investigate it.”
Suddenly the building doors opened.
Federal agents entered.
Victor's smile vanished.
Dominic had known.
He had sent the ledger to multiple agencies before the event.
Victor looked at Avery.
“You changed him.”
“No.”
Avery shook her head.
“He changed himself.”
Victor's gun moved toward Dominic.
Samuel stepped between them.
Victor fired.
Samuel fell.
Avery screamed.
Dominic tackled Victor.
The gun skidded away.
They fought across the marble floor.
Finally Dominic pinned him.
Victor smiled.
“You're going to kill me.”
Dominic looked at him.
Then looked at Avery.
“No.”
He stood.
“I’m going to watch you spend the rest of your life explaining what you did.”
Agents arrested Victor.
Samuel survived.
The danger was finally ending.
Or so they thought.
Weeks later, investigators confirmed the network was collapsing.
Rourke pleaded guilty.
Martin testified.
Victor faced multiple life sentences.
The Vale company began severing every connection to the criminal operations.
Dominic was finally free.
But freedom came with one unexpected problem.
Avery moved out of her apartment and refused Dominic's penthouse.
He stared at her boxes.
“You're leaving.”
“I need my own place.”
He nodded.
“That’s fair.”
She smiled.
“Don't look so devastated.”
“I’m not.”
“You're terrible at lying.”
He sighed.
“Would you at least let me take you to dinner?”
“Maybe.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“Maybe.”
“Avery.”
She laughed.
“Ask properly.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Would you have dinner with me?”
“Yes.”
She kissed his cheek.
“Now you can smile.”
He did.
And the city that had feared Dominic Vale slowly began discovering another version of him.
A man rebuilding instead of destroying.
May you like
A man choosing love instead of control.
But Avery had no idea that Dominic had one final surprise planned.
