Chapter 9 - Vincent Chose The Girl Everyone Had Used
Adrian kidnapped Charmian at noon.
It happened in the middle of campus.
No dramatic warning.
No gunfire.
No visible struggle.
One moment she was walking out of the library.
The next, she was gone.
Vincent received the video fifteen minutes later.
Charmian sat tied to a chair.
Adrian stood behind her.
“Come alone.”
Vincent watched the screen.
“Where?”
“The old train station.”
He turned toward Aleandro.
“No police.”
“Understood.”
Vincent left.
He arrived forty minutes later.
The station was empty.
A train passed somewhere underground.
Then Adrian appeared.
“Brother.”
Vincent raised his gun.
“Let her go.”
“First, give me the drive.”
Vincent held it up.
Adrian smiled.
“You actually have it.”
“You wanted this.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Charmian.
“I wanted you to understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That you were never the target.”
Vincent frowned.
“You were.”
Adrian shook his head.
“Charmian was.”
Vincent's face changed.
“Why?”
“Because Elaine built everything around her.”
“She's innocent.”
“Exactly.”
Adrian looked at her.
“People think innocence is weakness.”
He smiled.
“It is leverage.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
“You'll surrender the drive.”
“No.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Then I kill her.”
Vincent looked at Charmian.
She shook her head.
Don't.
He understood.
Adrian expected obedience.
Vincent lowered his gun.
Then dropped the drive.
Adrian smiled.
Charmian looked horrified.
“What are you doing?”
Vincent smiled.
“Trusting you.”
Adrian picked up the drive.
He turned.
Nothing happened.
He opened it.
Empty.
His expression changed.
Vincent held up his phone.
“I uploaded the files before I came.”
Adrian stared.
“You think that matters?”
“It does.”
Sirens echoed.
Adrian looked toward the doors.
“You called them.”
“No.”
He pointed toward Charmian.
“She did.”
Charmian smiled through tears.
She had activated an emergency beacon hidden beneath her sleeve.
Adrian raised his gun.
Vincent moved.
The shot went off.
Vincent fell.
Charmian screamed.
Adrian froze.
Then the station filled with armed police.
Adrian ran.
He didn't get far.
Aleandro tackled him.
Moments later, it was over.
Vincent lay on the ground.
Charmian crawled toward him.
“You're hurt.”
“I've had worse.”
“You got shot.”
“It's a hobby.”
She laughed through tears.
“You're impossible.”
He reached for her hand.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“You?”
“I'll survive.”
She pressed her forehead against his.
“I thought I lost you.”
He whispered,
“You didn't.”
The evidence was released.
The network collapsed.
Judges resigned.
Police officers were arrested.
Companies were seized.
The Costa organization, as the city had known it, disappeared.
Vincent testified.
Adrian testified.
Sloan testified.
Tommy testified.
Everyone told the truth.
And the truth was ugly.
But it was finally public.
Months later, Vincent stood outside St. Jude’s.
Charmian approached.
She wore graduation robes.
He stared.
“You did it.”
She smiled.
“I did.”
“You finished?”
“With honors.”
Vincent smiled.
“I knew you would.”
She held out her diploma.
“I wanted you to see.”
He nodded.
“I wouldn't miss it.”
Charmian looked at him.
“Your sentence?”
“Reduced.”
“Because you cooperated?”
“Yes.”
“And the empire?”
“Gone.”
“Do you regret it?”
Vincent looked at the school.
“No.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
Then she stepped closer.
“Because I have something else.”
“What?”
She reached into her bag.
A small red notebook.
Vincent stared.
“The original?”
Charmian nodded.
“My mother hid it in my childhood coat.”
She opened it.
Inside was a final message.
For my daughter.
When you finally find this, I hope you understand that you were never born to carry our sins.
You were born to end them.
Charmian cried.
Vincent stood beside her.
He didn't tell her not to cry.
He simply stayed.
May you like
That was what she had needed from people her entire life.
Someone who stayed.
