Chapter 5 - My Dead Father Returned With A Truth That Turned Roman And Me Into Targets
I wanted to hit him.
I wanted to hug him.
I wanted him to explain everything at once.
Instead, I stood there staring at the man I'd mourned for nine years.
He looked older.
Smaller.
But it was him.
Every line on his face belonged to the father I'd remembered.
"What happened?"
He exhaled.
"I discovered Victor was stealing from both families."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted control."
"Control of what?"
"Everything."
He explained that our fathers had once planned to dismantle the criminal network that had controlled Chicago for decades.
They wanted to turn legitimate businesses into clean companies.
But Victor had learned about their plan.
He threatened them.
Then he used their own organizations against them.
He forged debts.
Created fake accounts.
Arranged betrayals.
And eventually orchestrated their supposed deaths.
Roman's father disappeared first.
Mine followed.
"Then why did you leave me?"
My father looked down.
"Because Victor knew about you."
"He would have killed me?"
"He would have used you to control me."
I looked at Roman.
His expression said he understood.
My father turned to him.
"Your father left you one message."
"What?"
"Run."
Roman swallowed.
"He never said goodbye."
"He couldn't."
That single sentence changed something between them.
Roman's father hadn't abandoned him.
He had sacrificed himself.
Victor had stolen both their childhoods.
The blue ledger was the final evidence.
But it wasn't enough.
"There is another record," my father said.
"Where?"
"Your salvage yard."
I frowned.
"My shop?"
"The original property belonged to your grandfather."
I stared.
"What?"
"It wasn't a junkyard."
"What was it?"
"A safehouse."
My heart pounded.
"Then why did I inherit it?"
"Because I put the deed in your name."
"Why?"
"Because I knew Victor would never think to search a place he believed was worthless."
Roman looked at me.
"We need to get back there."
We left the warehouse.
But Victor was waiting.
He had anticipated us.
The road was blocked.
Cars surrounded ours.
Roman's men drew their weapons.
My father looked at me.
"Don't panic."
"I'm not."
He smiled.
"That's my girl."
Roman glanced at him.
"You're staying close."
My father raised an eyebrow.
"Protecting my daughter?"
"Yes."
"Good."
The attack came quickly.
We escaped through an old underground route.
It led directly into the city.
When we surfaced, my father handed me an old key.
"Your office."
"What about it?"
"The wall behind your father's photograph."
We returned to the salvage yard.
It had been searched.
Everything was overturned.
But the photograph remained.
I removed it.
Behind it was a narrow steel panel.
The key fit.
Inside was a metal case.
The original ledger.
And a sealed letter.
My name was written on it.
I opened it.
Mave,
If you are reading this, then I failed to keep you away from this life.
I am sorry.
I never wanted you to inherit my mistakes.
But I did want you to inherit one thing.
The truth.
Your mother did not leave us.
She was taken.
The second sentence made my knees weaken.
"My mother?"
My father closed his eyes.
Roman looked at him.
"What happened to her?"
"Victor."
"Is she alive?"
"I don't know."
The final page contained a location.
A hospital outside Chicago.
Abandoned.
Unused.
We went there.
Inside was a room filled with old medical equipment.
A single file remained.
Patient: Elena Quinn.
The name hit me like lightning.
My mother's name.
I sat down.
Then I saw the photograph.
My mother was alive when the picture was taken.
Three years ago.
Someone had been keeping her there.
The camera timestamp showed she had been moved recently.
Roman stared at the file.
"Someone wanted you to find this."
"Why?"
My father looked toward the darkness.
"Because Victor doesn't just want the ledger."
May you like
He swallowed.
"He wants you."
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