Chapter 6 - The Mother Who Stole Her Daughter's Future
Nora stared at Elise.
“My mother is dead.”
“She isn't.”
Nora felt the world shift.
Her mother had died when Nora was twelve.
At least, that was the story.
Elise handed her a photograph.
An older woman stood outside the hospital.
Alive.
Watching Nora.
“Why would she do this?”
Elise looked away.
“Because she believed Roman was dangerous.”
Nora's anger flared.
“She destroyed our lives.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she was afraid of his family.”
Elise explained.
Nora's mother had once worked for Roman's father.
She had seen the violence.
She had believed the Black family would eventually destroy Nora.
When she learned Nora was pregnant, she contacted the Ash Crown.
She wanted Mia hidden.
But the Ash Crown had other plans.
Elise discovered it.
She secretly rescued the child.
Nora's mother vanished.
Three years later, she was still alive.
Roman found her.
She was living in a quiet coastal town.
When Nora saw her, she felt twelve years old again.
“Mom.”
Her mother cried.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“You stole my daughter.”
“I was trying to save her.”
“You made me think Roman was going to kill me.”
“I thought he would.”
“He didn't.”
Her mother looked at Roman.
“I see that now.”
Roman stood silently.
He could have threatened her.
Instead, he said:
“You don't have to be afraid anymore.”
Nora's mother began crying.
“I don't deserve forgiveness.”
Nora shook her head.
“Maybe not yet.”
Her mother nodded.
“That is fair.”
Mia appeared.
“Mom?”
Nora turned.
Mia held out a flower.
Her grandmother stared.
Nora hesitated.
Then she let Mia approach.
The woman knelt.
“Hello.”
Mia smiled.
“Are you Grandma?”
The woman cried.
“Yes.”
Mia hugged her.
Nora watched.
Forgiveness did not happen instantly.
But a door had opened.
Roman stood beside Nora.
“She'll need time.”
“So will I.”
“I know.”
He took her hand.
She didn't pull away.
That night, Roman returned to the Black Crown.
The boardroom was empty.
The empire was being dismantled.
Licenses transferred.
Properties sold.
Illegal accounts frozen.
Employees protected.
The city would change.
Roman no longer wanted to own half of it.
He wanted his daughter to grow up in a place where she didn't need bodyguards to feel safe.
Nora joined him.
“You really mean it.”
“What?”
“You're letting it go.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Roman looked at her.
“Because I lost three years.”
She understood.
He continued.
“I don't want to spend the next thirty losing them.”
Nora smiled.
“That's the first thing you've said that sounds like the man I loved.”
Roman's eyes softened.
“Do you still love me?”
She didn't answer.
Instead, she kissed him.
It was brief.
Almost frightened.
But real.
Roman touched her cheek.
“I'll take that.”
She laughed.
“You always were arrogant.”
“Only around you.”
Mia appeared in the doorway.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“Are you marrying Daddy?”
Nora froze.
Roman coughed.
Mia stared between them.
“Well?”
Nora laughed.
“Go to bed.”
Mia smiled.
“Okay.”
She disappeared.
Roman looked at Nora.
“I wouldn't mind.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Don't start.”
He smiled.
For the first time in three years, the future did not feel like a threat.
Then Tommy entered.
His shoulder was bandaged.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Roman turned.
“What?”
Tommy placed a folder on the desk.
“We found the last Ash Crown ledger.”
Roman opened it.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
And one name circled in red.
Nora.
Beside it was a note.
SUBJECT IS NOT THE VICTIM.
Roman frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Tommy answered:
“She wasn't just being watched.”
Nora looked at the page.
“They were studying me.”
“For what?”
Tommy didn't know.
Then Nora saw a line.
A code.
She recognized it.
Her father had used the same code.
She stared.
“My father.”
Roman looked at her.
“What?”
“My father wasn't the victim.”
She flipped the page.
“He was part of it.”
Silence.
Nora's entire childhood suddenly looked different.
Her father had taught her how to disappear.
How to use cash.
How to memorize exits.
How to lie convincingly.
She had thought he was preparing her for life.
Perhaps he had been preparing her for war.
Roman touched her shoulder.
“We'll find out.”
She nodded.
But the ledger contained another line.
PROJECT MOTHER'S KEY.
Under it was a date.
Tomorrow.
Roman looked at the clock.
May you like
11:45 p.m.
Whatever Project Mother's Key was, it was about to begin.
