Chapter 4 - Claire Remembered the Night Her Father Vanished, and the Man Standing Beside Him Was Vincent’s Father
Claire sat on the floor.
She couldn't breathe.
Memories flooded back.
A hospital room.
Her father telling her to sleep.
A man in a dark suit.
A silver watch.
Vincent's father.
They had been arguing.
“Where is the ledger?”
Her father said:
“You'll never get it.”
Vincent's father's voice:
“Then your daughter dies.”
Claire remembered screaming.
Her father pushing her behind the bed.
Then a gunshot.
She had forgotten what happened next.
Until now.
Marcus stood above her.
“You finally remember.”
Vincent looked at Claire.
“What happened?”
She shook.
“Your father came to the hospital.”
“He threatened mine?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“The ledger.”
“What did he want?”
“He wanted control.”
Marcus laughed.
“Your father wasn't better.”
Claire looked at him.
“What did my father do?”
“He stole the files.”
“And?”
“He hid them.”
“Where?”
Marcus smiled.
“Inside your memory.”
Claire stared.
She remembered a phrase.
A children's rhyme.
A game her father used to play.
“Red roses. Blue sky. Six birds. One tree.”
Vincent frowned.
“What is that?”
“My father taught me that.”
“When?”
“After the shooting.”
“What does it mean?”
She whispered:
“A number sequence.”
They found a safe hidden beneath the floor.
Claire entered the sequence.
The safe opened.
Inside was a USB drive.
A photograph.
And a letter.
The photograph showed two men.
Vincent's father.
Daniel Bell.
Working together.
Claire stared.
“They weren't enemies.”
“No.”
“They worked together.”
Margaret nodded.
“Until they discovered Marcus.”
The letter explained everything.
Marcus had manipulated both families.
He had arranged Vincent's father's death.
He had framed Daniel.
He had used Claire as leverage.
And he had created the entire Rourke criminal network.
Vincent looked at the final line.
The only person who can expose Marcus is Vincent.
He stared.
“Why me?”
Margaret looked at him.
“Because your father's final legal trust gives you control.”
“Of the company?”
“Of everything.”
Claire understood.
“That's why the marriage contract existed.”
Vincent nodded.
“Grandfather's condition.”
If Vincent didn't marry, Marcus would inherit control.
But if Vincent married, the trust would transfer.
Marcus had tried to manipulate the marriage.
Yet the contract had unknowingly protected Vincent.
Claire whispered:
“So our marriage saved you.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Maybe.”
She looked down.
“And I was supposed to leave.”
He stepped closer.
“Do you still want to?”
Claire's eyes filled.
“I don't know.”
The question hung between them.
Vincent reached for her hand.
She let him.
Then the building shook.
An explosion.
Windows shattered.
Fire erupted outside.
Marcus escaped.
Gabriel rushed in.
“We have to move!”
Vincent grabbed the drive.
Claire followed.
They ran toward the basement.
But the stairs collapsed.
They were trapped.
Smoke filled the corridor.
Claire coughed.
Vincent pulled her close.
“Stay with me.”
“I am.”
“Promise.”
“I promise.”
They found a hidden tunnel.
It led outside.
They emerged in the rain.
Claire collapsed against Vincent.
He held her.
For one moment, neither said anything.
Then Claire whispered:
“Vincent.”
“Yes?”
“I never stopped loving you.”
His eyes closed.
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
She looked up.
“I loved you before I understood why.”
He touched her face.
“I loved you when I was still pretending I didn't.”
They kissed.
Not as husband and wife by contract.
As two people who had chosen each other.
Then Gabriel approached.
“I'm sorry.”
Vincent turned.
“What?”
Gabriel held up his phone.
“Marcus has Margaret.”
Vincent froze.
“He took my mother.”
A message appeared.
COME ALONE.
Then another.
BRING CLAIRE.
And finally:
May you like
BRING THE DRIVE.
---
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