Chapter 5 - The Mother Who Was Supposed to Be DeadThe abandoned train tunnel smelled of damp concrete.
Desmond stared at Isabella.
“My mother is dead.”
“I know.”
“I buried her.”
“I know.”
“Then stop saying her name.”
Isabella stepped closer.
“Because you're not ready to hear it.”
Desmond's expression hardened.
“Try me.”
She handed him a photograph.
An older woman sitting in a private hospital room.
Gray hair.
Pale face.
Alive.
Desmond's knees almost gave way.
The photograph had been taken six months earlier.
Norah had told him someone was using his mother's identity.
She had been right.
But not in the way either of them expected.
“My mother survived.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted you to think she didn't.”
He stared.
“Why would she do that?”
“To protect herself.”
“From who?”
“Everyone.”
Isabella lowered her voice.
“Your mother created Black Crown.”
Desmond shook his head.
“No.”
“She built it from the ground up.”
“No.”
“She used your father's shipping network, Carlo's criminal contacts, politicians, bankers, union leaders.”
“No.”
“Arthur discovered it.”
Desmond closed his eyes.
“And she ordered his death.”
“No.”
Isabella was silent.
He looked at her.
“She ordered Arthur killed?”
“She ordered him silenced.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“No.”
She looked away.
“I don't know whether she personally ordered the crash.”
“But she knew.”
“Yes.”
Desmond's face hardened.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew eight months ago.”
“Yes.”
“And you still agreed to marry me.”
“Yes.”
“You were going to watch me die.”
Isabella swallowed.
“At first.”
“At first?”
“Then I changed my mind.”
“Why?”
She looked at him.
“Because I fell in love with you.”
Desmond stared.
She laughed bitterly.
“I know how ridiculous that sounds.”
“After everything you've done?”
“I know.”
“Why help me?”
“Because Norah made me understand something.”
“What?”
“That my father didn't own me.”
Desmond looked toward the tunnel.
“Where is Norah?”
“Where she has been waiting.”
They reached another exit.
A black car waited.
Norah stepped out.
Desmond nearly crossed the distance between them in seconds.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He checked her himself anyway.
Isabella watched.
Something changed in her face.
Jealousy.
Regret.
Acceptance.
Perhaps all three.
Norah looked at Desmond.
“I found Elias.”
“Where?”
“On his way here.”
A vehicle approached.
Desmond drew his gun.
The passenger door opened.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Scar across his cheek.
Desmond knew the face.
“Uncle Elias.”
Elias looked at him.
“You finally know.”
Desmond aimed the gun at him.
“Did you kill Arthur?”
Elias stopped.
“No.”
“Did Mother?”
Elias didn't answer.
“Did Mother kill Arthur?”
Elias looked at Norah.
Then Isabella.
Then back at Desmond.
“Your mother did worse.”
“What?”
“She let him die.”
Desmond's face went blank.
“Explain.”
“Arthur came to her with evidence.”
“Against Black Crown?”
“Against her.”
Elias continued.
“She could have protected him.”
“But didn't.”
“Why?”
“Because by then, Arthur had decided to expose everything.”
Desmond stared.
“How was the crash arranged?”
Elias closed his eyes.
“I was there.”
The world seemed to tilt.
“You were there?”
“I arrived after.”
“Did you see who caused it?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Elias looked directly at him.
“Your mother's security chief.”
Desmond froze.
“Victor Hale.”
“Yes.”
“But he's dead.”
“No.”
Elias looked at Norah.
“He's alive.”
Norah slowly nodded.
“I knew.”
Desmond turned toward her.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You should have told me.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
He took a step back.
“So everyone has been protecting me by lying.”
No one answered.
Then a distant gunshot echoed.
Elias fell.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Norah screamed.
Desmond caught him.
“Who fired?”
“Roof,” Isabella said.
She pointed.
A sniper disappeared behind the building.
Desmond looked at Elias.
“Stay with me.”
Elias gripped his sleeve.
“Your mother…”
“What?”
“She knows you're coming.”
“To where?”
Elias coughed.
“Home.”
Desmond froze.
“Which home?”
Elias smiled weakly.
“The one you thought you lost.”
Then he died.
Desmond stared at the body.
Norah touched his arm.
“Desmond.”
He stood.
His face was empty.
May you like
Then he spoke.
“We're going home.”
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