Chapter 3 - Clara Learned Her Father Had Trusted Gabriel’s Enemy With a Secret That Could Destroy Both Families
Martin refused to explain further.
He died before he could.
Not from Gabriel.
From a poison capsule hidden beneath his tongue.
The message was clear.
Whoever was behind everything was willing to kill their own people to prevent them from talking.
Gabriel returned to his office.
Clara followed.
“You're not leaving me out of this.”
He looked at her.
“You should.”
“No.”
“You don't understand the world you're entering.”
“My father was already in it.”
“Which is why I want you nowhere near it.”
She crossed her arms.
“You can't keep deciding what happens to me.”
Gabriel sighed.
“I know.”
“Then stop.”
He stared at her.
“You think I'm controlling you.”
“You are.”
“Yes.”
The admission surprised her.
“But I'm doing it badly.”
“What?”
“I don't know how to protect someone without controlling the environment around them.”
She studied him.
“You've never had anyone to protect.”
“No.”
Gabriel's eyes darkened.
“I had people to punish.”
The honesty silenced her.
He walked to the window.
“My father taught me one rule.”
“What?”
“Anything you love can be used against you.”
“And you believed him.”
“I did.”
“Do you still?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I'm trying not to.”
Before Clara could answer, his phone rang.
A photograph had been sent.
It showed Clara outside her apartment.
The sender had written:
WE KNOW SHE KNOWS.
Gabriel's face hardened.
“We're leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Where?”
“My home.”
She hesitated.
“That sounds less safe.”
He almost smiled.
“Probably.”
His penthouse occupied the top floor of a private tower.
Security was everywhere.
But it was strangely quiet.
Clara noticed the absence of family photographs.
“You live alone.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gabriel looked away.
“People tend to leave.”
She didn't ask more.
That night, she couldn't sleep.
She wandered into the library.
A painting caught her attention.
An old portrait of a man standing beside a woman.
The man was Gabriel's father.
The woman was Clara's mother.
Clara froze.
She stepped closer.
There was a tiny inscription on the frame.
To those who survive us.
She touched it.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside:
A key.
Her father's handwriting.
For Clara.
She held it.
Her hands shook.
Gabriel entered behind her.
He stopped.
“What did you find?”
“My father left this.”
He approached.
She held out the key.
His face changed.
“This isn't a key.”
“What is it?”
“Access code.”
“To what?”
“A vault.”
“Where?”
He looked at her.
“With the Costas.”
She frowned.
He shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“With your family.”
She stared.
“You said my father worked for yours.”
“He did.”
“Then why?”
Gabriel took a breath.
“Because they were building something together.”
“What?”
“A private financial network.”
“To launder money?”
“No.”
“To track power.”
He explained.
The ledger wasn't a list of criminals.
It was a record of favors.
Who had protected whom.
Who owed whom.
Which powerful figures could be pressured.
And which families had enough leverage to control governments.
Clara stared.
“My father wanted to destroy it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He realized it was destroying everyone.”
“And your family?”
“My father wanted to expand it.”
Gabriel looked at the key.
“Daniel wanted to steal it.”
“Who is Daniel?”
“My uncle.”
“The dead one.”
“Yes.”
“Apparently not.”
Gabriel nodded.
“He survived.”
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot shattered the library window.
Gabriel pulled Clara to the floor.
Another shot.
He covered her.
“Stay down.”
The security team rushed in.
But the shooter was already gone.
Clara looked at Gabriel.
“You were shot.”
Blood stained his shirt.
He looked down.
“It's a graze.”
She touched his arm.
“You're bleeding.”
“I know.”
His eyes met hers.
For a moment, the world stopped.
Then Clara whispered:
“Thank you.”
He looked confused.
“For what?”
“For not letting me stand.”
He understood.
The ballroom.
His lap.
The injured ankle.
The reason.
“You would have stepped into the line of fire.”
“You don't know that.”
“Yes.”
He smiled faintly.
“You always move toward danger when someone needs help.”
She stared.
“How do you know?”
“I've been watching you for a long time.”
“Why?”
Gabriel answered quietly:
May you like
“Because I think I've been waiting for you.”
---
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