Chapter 6 - The Mansion Behind the Family PortraitThe original Hayes estate had been abandoned for years.
Or so Desmond believed.
But when they entered through the underground garage, lights flickered on one by one.
Someone had been waiting.
A voice came over the intercom.
“Hello, Desmond.”
He froze.
His mother's voice.
Norah looked at him.
“You're not ready.”
“No.”
“You shouldn't go in.”
“Yes.”
He opened the door.
His mother sat in the library.
Older.
Thinner.
Alive.
She wore a black dress.
And a smile that looked almost exactly like his.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Desmond could not speak.
She stood.
“You've grown into your father.”
“You killed Arthur.”
Her smile disappeared.
“No.”
“You let him die.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he gave me no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
She walked toward him.
“Arthur was going to destroy everything your father built.”
“Good.”
“It would have destroyed you.”
“You don't get to decide what saves me.”
She sighed.
“You've always been stubborn.”
“And you've always been a liar.”
She looked at Norah.
“You must be Norah.”
Norah stepped forward.
“You remember me.”
“Arthur spoke highly of you.”
Desmond stared.
“You knew she was protecting me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you stop her?”
“Because I needed someone I could trust to stand beside you.”
“Why?”
His mother looked at him.
“Because Black Crown is coming.”
“It's already here.”
“No.”
She moved to a window.
“They've been preparing for you.”
“What do they want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“Your father's original shares.”
“What shares?”
“The controlling interest.”
Desmond looked confused.
“I don't own them.”
“Because you never knew where they were.”
She touched a painting.
A family portrait.
His father.
Arthur.
Desmond.
Herself.
She removed it from the wall.
Behind it was a vault.
Inside was a collection of documents.
Stock certificates.
Property deeds.
Shipping rights.
International holdings.
And one sealed document.
Desmond opened it.
The controlling shares of Hayes Shipping.
All twenty-eight percent.
His name was on the final line.
His mother had hidden them.
“Why?”
“Because your father intended to give them to Arthur.”
“And after Arthur died?”
“They belonged to you.”
Desmond looked at her.
“And Black Crown wants them.”
“Yes.”
“Who leads Black Crown?”
His mother went silent.
Then she said:
“Your bride.”
Desmond looked at Isabella.
She had followed them into the room.
“My mother?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
His mother looked at Isabella.
“Her mother.”
Isabella stepped backward.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“My mother died.”
“She didn't.”
Isabella's face collapsed.
“No.”
Her mother appeared from the doorway.
Elegant.
Calm.
Alive.
She smiled at her daughter.
“Hello, Isabella.”
Isabella stumbled backward.
“No.”
“You have been very disappointing.”
Carlo had lied.
Isabella had been manipulated.
The woman standing there was not a grieving mother.
She was the architect.
She looked at Desmond.
“And now we can finally finish the merger.”
Desmond drew his weapon.
The woman laughed.
“You still believe weapons matter.”
“Tell me why Arthur died.”
“Because he refused to cooperate.”
“You ordered the crash.”
“Yes.”
Desmond's expression became ice.
Norah reached for his arm.
“Desmond.”
The woman continued.
“He would have exposed everything.”
“You killed my brother.”
“I protected the structure.”
“You destroyed my family.”
“I preserved your future.”
Desmond almost fired.
Then Isabella stepped between them.
“Mom.”
The woman looked at her.
“You were always weak.”
“No.”
Isabella's voice trembled.
“I was afraid.”
Her mother smiled.
“Fear is why you survived.”
“No.”
Isabella lifted her gun.
“Fear is why I stayed.”
A shot rang out.
The woman fell.
Silence.
But she wasn't dead.
She looked at her daughter in disbelief.
“I raised you.”
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
“And I finally chose not to become you.”
Sirens sounded outside.
Desmond looked at Norah.
“How?”
“Elias contacted federal investigators before he died.”
Norah held up a phone.
“They have everything.”
Desmond looked at the burning family portrait.
Years of lies.
Years of power.
Years of blood.
And all of it was finally collapsing.
Then the lights went out.
A single gunshot came from the hallway.
Isabella fell.
Desmond caught her.
Blood spread across her white dress.
“No!”
Norah ran toward them.
A figure disappeared through a secret passage.
Desmond looked at Isabella.
Her eyes fluttered.
“Don't marry me.”
He held her tighter.
“I wasn't planning to.”
She smiled weakly.
“Good.”
Then she whispered:
May you like
“Find Victor.”
And passed out.
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