Chapter 5 - The Woman Behind the War
Elena had disappeared from the safe house.
No cameras captured her leaving.
No guard saw her pass.
Sebastian locked the entire organization down.
Clare stayed with Oliver.
For the first time since she had met Sebastian, she watched his anger become something frightening.
He interrogated informants.
Closed businesses.
Moved money.
Threatened enemies.
But he never shouted at her.
He never blamed her.
He blamed himself.
“I should have known.”
Clare found him alone in the library at three in the morning.
“You haven’t slept.”
“Neither have you.”
“I’m checking on you.”
“You should be checking on Oliver.”
“He’s sleeping.”
Sebastian looked down.
“I failed him.”
“No.”
“I brought danger into his life.”
“Danger was already there.”
He looked up.
“What does that mean?”
Clare took the old watch from her pocket.
“This.”
She placed it on the desk.
“The watch didn’t just lead us to your mother. It led us to Victor.”
Sebastian frowned.
“Then what are we missing?”
Clare turned the watch over.
She had been studying it for hours.
“The flower.”
“Yes.”
“It’s not a flower.”
“What is it?”
“A medical symbol.”
Sebastian looked confused.
Clare explained that her mother had worked at a rehabilitation clinic connected to an old charitable foundation.
A foundation funded by Sebastian’s father.
“The same symbol appeared on my mother’s documents.”
Sebastian stood.
“Where?”
Clare showed him copies she had requested.
A logo.
Four petals.
At the center was a small dot.
“The Fourth House.”
Sebastian stared.
“My father had a charity called that.”
“What happened to it?”
“Closed after he died.”
“Who managed it?”
Sebastian called Gabriel.
Within an hour, they discovered the answer.
Victor Marlowe.
Clare’s breathing caught.
“He wasn’t just an enemy.”
“No,” Sebastian said.
“He controlled the foundation.”
“Yes.”
“Which means he could control the records.”
“Yes.”
“And my mother?”
“She may have discovered where the money was going.”
They found archived financial records.
Millions had been diverted.
Not into Victor’s accounts.
Into medical facilities.
Prison hospitals.
Private clinics.
Orphan shelters.
It made no sense.
Until Clare found a list of names.
Women.
Children.
Patients.
People who had disappeared.
Victims of organized trafficking.
Victor had been running an underground network hidden beneath a legitimate charity.
Sebastian’s father had discovered it.
He tried to stop him.
Victor killed him.
Elena discovered the truth.
She disappeared.
Daniel Price helped her escape.
The watch was supposed to expose everything.
But before Sebastian could uncover the evidence, someone leaked the files.
The city erupted.
Police raids began.
Media reports named Sebastian as the suspected head of the criminal network.
Clare watched the television.
“They’re blaming you.”
Sebastian stood at the window.
“Of course.”
“What will you do?”
“Prove the truth.”
“How?”
He looked at her.
“You.”
She frowned.
“Me?”
“You’re the only person who has no history with my family.”
“That makes me innocent, not useful.”
“It makes you believable.”
The plan was dangerous.
Clare would meet Victor’s intermediary.
She would pretend to be angry with Sebastian.
Pretend she believed the accusations.
Pretend she wanted protection.
The intermediary was a woman named Mara Quinn.
Mara worked in a private club downtown.
Clare arrived alone.
Mara watched her carefully.
“You’re Sebastian’s woman.”
“I’m nobody’s woman.”
Mara smiled.
“Good answer.”
“I want out.”
“Out of what?”
“Everything.”
Mara studied her.
“You know what they say about Sebastian.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
“I have a son.”
“That’s exactly why you should.”
Clare leaned forward.
“I know Victor.”
Mara’s face changed.
“Do you?”
“I know what he did.”
“Then you know you’re already dead.”
Clare stayed silent.
Mara looked around.
Then whispered, “Victor doesn’t trust anyone.”
“He doesn’t have to trust me.”
“Why would he meet you?”
“Because I have something he wants.”
“What?”
Clare placed the watch on the table.
Mara stared.
Then she stood.
“You have no idea what you’re carrying.”
“Then tell me.”
Mara sat again.
“The original ledger.”
Clare’s heart stopped.
“What ledger?”
“The one proving where the money went.”
“Where is it?”
Mara looked toward the door.
“Victor has it.”
“Then why tell me?”
“Because I want out too.”
Mara gave Clare an address.
Then the lights went off.
A gunshot cracked through the room.
Mara fell.
Clare screamed.
A man grabbed her.
She fought.
Then Sebastian burst through the side entrance.
He fired.
The attacker ran.
Sebastian reached Clare.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He checked her anyway.
His hands shook.
“You were supposed to have backup.”
“I did.”
“Where?”
She pointed to a hidden earpiece.
He closed his eyes.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“You have one?”
He laughed despite the fear.
Then he kissed her forehead.
“You’re not doing this again.”
“You don’t get to decide.”
“I’m your husband.”
Clare froze.
“You’re my what?”
Sebastian looked startled by his own words.
He had spoken without thinking.
Then his expression softened.
“I want to be.”
Silence.
Clare swallowed.
“Sebastian…”
“I know it’s dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“I know I’m difficult.”
“Yes.”
“I know I have a reputation.”
“Very much.”
He smiled.
“But I also know I love you.”
Clare’s eyes filled with tears.
She had imagined him saying it.
Just not like this.
Not surrounded by blood and sirens.
She stepped closer.
“I love you too.”
Their kiss was interrupted by Gabriel.
“Beautiful moment.”
Sebastian glared.
Gabriel ignored him.
“We found Victor.”
The address Mara gave them was real.
An abandoned cathedral.
Underneath it was a hidden archive.
There they found the ledger.
But there was one page missing.
The final page.
And that page contained the name of the person who had helped Victor from inside Sebastian’s own organization.
Gabriel stared at the ledger.
“Someone betrayed us.”
Sebastian looked around the room.
“We assumed Victor had one ally.”
Clare shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“He has many.”
She pointed toward the wall.
Rows of photographs covered it.
Judges.
Doctors.
Police officers.
Politicians.
Businessmen.
And one photograph made Sebastian stop.
Gabriel.
Clare looked between them.
Gabriel whispered, “No.”
Sebastian slowly drew his gun.
Gabriel raised his hands.
“I swear to God, I didn’t…”
The lights came on.
May you like
Victor stood above them.
And beside him was Elena.
