Chapter 6 - Thirty Minutes
We had twenty-nine minutes.
Adrian's men wanted to storm Cross's warehouse.
He refused.
Not because he was afraid.
Because Clara would die.
"We need a plan," I said.
"We have one."
"What?"
"I give him the ledger."
I shook my head.
"And let him leave?"
"No."
"Then what?"
He looked at me.
"You give him the ledger."
I stared.
"What?"
"He's expecting me to come."
He pointed at the pages.
"He's not expecting you."
I understood.
The ledger contained coded information.
Only my mother knew how to decode it.
Only I had learned enough as a child to recognize her symbols.
We could give Cross a false version.
Meanwhile, Adrian would track the original.
We arrived at the warehouse.
I walked in alone.
Cross stood beside Clara.
He was older than I remembered.
But his eyes were exactly as cruel as I had imagined.
He smiled.
"Elena."
I held out the ledger.
"You wanted it."
He took it.
He opened the first page.
Then laughed.
"You think I'm stupid."
My heart sank.
"Where is the real one?"
I stared.
"I don't know."
He grabbed Clara.
"Wrong answer."
Adrian entered.
Gunmen raised their weapons.
Cross smiled.
"That's more like it."
Adrian stood in the center of the room.
"Let her go."
"I want the real ledger."
"You'll get it."
"From her?"
Adrian looked at me.
"Yes."
Cross laughed.
"You trust her?"
"With my life."
I looked at Adrian.
Something changed in my chest.
Cross noticed.
"That's the problem."
He raised his gun.
"You're in love with her."
Adrian didn't answer.
Cross smiled.
"I wondered how long it would take."
He told us the truth.
Table 17 had been chosen deliberately.
He wanted Adrian to notice me.
He wanted me to trust Adrian.
He wanted us to uncover the ledger together.
Because he needed Adrian dead.
And me blamed for it.
The final stage would destroy both families.
But Cross made one mistake.
He underestimated Lily.
She had been hidden nearby.
She had a phone.
She had called the police.
Sirens approached.
Cross panicked.
Gunfire erupted.
Adrian moved toward me.
I reached Clara.
We ran.
Cross escaped.
But not before he whispered,
"You still don't know what your sister's name is."
I froze.
"What?"
He smiled.
"Ask her."
We made it outside.
Clara was shaking.
I grabbed her hand.
"What did he mean?"
She looked away.
"Clara?"
She cried.
"I changed my name."
"What?"
"My real name isn't Clara."
"Then what is it?"
She looked at Adrian.
"Vera."
I stared.
She continued.
"Vera Vasile."
Adrian went completely still.
"What?"
Clara looked at him.
"Our mother gave me the name when she hid me."
Adrian's face changed.
"You're my sister."
Clara began crying.
I stared at them both.
We had spent years running from the wrong family.
And the person we thought was my sister was actually Adrian's.
The woman who raised us was gone.
The man who hunted us had stolen both families' children.
Everything had been manipulated.
Everything except the feelings growing between Adrian and me.
May you like
That part had not been planned.
That part was real.
