Chapter 5 - Vincent Learned the Woman Challenging Him Was the Daughter of the Man He Failed to SaveHannah left the room.
She didn't run.
She didn't scream.
She simply walked.
That frightened Vincent more.
He followed her down the corridor.
“Hannah.”
She didn't stop.
“Hannah.”
She turned sharply.
“You don't get to say my name like that anymore.”
He stopped.
“I understand.”
“No, you don't.”
“I do.”
“You knew your entire life that your family was dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“And you watched me walk into your company.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my mother.”
“I knew of her.”
“You investigated me.”
“Yes.”
“You blocked my promotion.”
“Yes.”
She laughed bitterly.
“And then you carry me out of a building because men with guns are after me.”
“I will do more than that.”
“That isn't the point.”
“What is?”
She stepped closer.
“I spent my entire life believing I was nobody.”
Vincent said nothing.
“My mother worked herself to death.”
“She did.”
“I thought my father abandoned us.”
“He didn't.”
“I thought I had no family.”
“You do.”
“Your family.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“That isn't comforting.”
“I know.”
“Your world killed my parents.”
“My world killed my brother.”
They stared at each other.
That was the first time she saw how much Vincent hated the word family.
Because for him, family meant loss.
Not safety.
Not home.
Loss.
He took a breath.
“I failed Luca.”
Hannah looked at him.
“He was twelve when I became responsible for him.”
“You were twenty.”
“Yes.”
“He trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“And you couldn't save him.”
“No.”
Vincent's voice cracked.
“I heard him screaming.”
Hannah's expression softened.
“I was outside the warehouse.”
He stared at the floor.
“My father sent me to get documents from the office.”
“The explosion happened.”
“I ran back.”
“You were injured.”
“Someone pulled me away.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Hannah's heart tightened.
“She saved you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you think your father died?”
“Because Matteo told us he had.”
Hannah was silent.
Vincent looked at her.
“When I touched your hand for the first time in that hallway, I knew something felt familiar.”
“You thought I was Luca's daughter.”
“I didn't know.”
“But you suspected.”
“Yes.”
She stared at him.
“And now?”
“Now I know.”
Neither spoke.
Then Hannah asked the question that mattered.
“What does Matteo want?”
Vincent's face changed.
“The notebook.”
“Why?”
“It contains proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That Matteo orchestrated the explosion.”
“And?”
“That he survived.”
Hannah's breathing slowed.
“And my father?”
Vincent nodded.
“Your father helped expose him.”
“My father died.”
“Maybe not.”
Hannah looked at him.
“What?”
“James Blake disappeared two days after the explosion.”
“My mother said he was dead.”
“His body was never found.”
Hannah's mind spun.
“Then where is he?”
Vincent didn't answer.
A gunshot came from downstairs.
Vincent grabbed Hannah's waist and pulled her behind him.
Daniel shouted.
“DOWN!”
Glass shattered.
Hannah ducked.
Vincent drew his gun.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Hannah.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
He stared at her.
Something passed between them.
Fear.
Trust.
Something else.
“Fine,” he said.
They moved together.
Through the kitchen.
Down the service corridor.
Toward the underground garage.
Three guards were down.
Victor was gone.
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“He took something.”
“What?”
“My father's old ledger.”
Hannah's phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A text.
She opened it.
One sentence.
COME TO THE OLD WAREHOUSE ALONE OR YOUR FATHER DIES AGAIN.
Her blood ran cold.
Vincent saw the message.
His face became terrifyingly calm.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“You're not going.”
“He said my father is alive.”
“That doesn't mean it's true.”
Hannah looked at him.
“You would go.”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm going.”
“No.”
“Vincent.”
“You're not going alone.”
She stared at him.
“You said you protect your family.”
His expression changed.
“So now you admit I'm family?”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“I admit I don't want to lose another person.”
Vincent went very still.
May you like
Then he reached for her hand.
This time, he didn't let go.
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