Chapter 7 - The Woman I Called My Enemy Was the Mother Who Gave Me Away
I spent the entire night staring at that birth certificate.
Evelyn Ward was my biological mother.
Daniel Hart was my biological father.
Somehow, that made everything worse and better at the same time.
My parents hadn't abandoned me.
They had hidden me.
Because they knew the family they came from would destroy me.
Sebastian sat across from me.
He hadn't left my side.
“You don't have to accept it tonight.”
“I don't know what to accept.”
“I know.”
“My mother was a criminal.”
“Yes.”
“My father was too.”
“Yes.”
“And you…”
He sighed.
“I am exactly the man you think I am.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
He blinked.
“No?”
“You’re worse.”
He laughed quietly.
It was the first time we had both laughed after everything.
Then I leaned against him.
“I love you too.”
He froze.
“What?”
“I said I love you.”
His eyes became bright.
“You don't have to say it because—”
“I’m not.”
He pulled me close.
For a moment, there was no Black Circle.
No blood.
No secrets.
Just us.
Then Mara entered.
She looked exhausted.
“I found something.”
We turned.
She handed Sebastian a file.
“Victor has been moving money through seventeen shell companies.”
“Where?”
“Europe.”
London.
“The final meeting is tomorrow.”
“With who?”
Mara hesitated.
“Someone called The Architect.”
I looked at her.
“Who is that?”
“No one knows.”
Sebastian stood.
“Then we find out.”
The operation was simple.
Get into London.
Find the Architect.
Recover the second ledger fragment.
Expose the Black Circle.
End it.
Simple.
Nothing about our lives had ever been simple.
We flew overnight.
London greeted us with rain.
We stayed in a private townhouse owned by Sebastian’s family.
I stood by the window.
“I never thought my life would become this.”
Sebastian joined me.
“Neither did I.”
“Did you ever imagine getting married?”
He smiled.
“Once.”
“What happened?”
“The woman murdered me.”
I looked at him.
He laughed.
“I was twenty-two.”
“Still.”
“You’re asking?”
“Yes.”
He turned toward me.
“I thought marriage meant vulnerability.”
“And now?”
“Now I think the right person makes vulnerability worth it.”
He kissed my forehead.
I whispered, “Then maybe we should survive first.”
“Good plan.”
The meeting happened beneath an old theater.
Victor stood on stage.
Beside him was a man wearing a black mask.
The Architect.
Victor smiled.
“Sebastian.”
Sebastian walked forward.
“Where is the ledger?”
Victor gestured.
“Give me Valerie.”
“No.”
“Then this ends badly.”
“It already did.”
A dozen armed men surrounded us.
Sebastian had only six.
The Architect lifted a hand.
“Enough.”
Everyone froze.
His voice was distorted.
“I want the girl.”
“No,” Sebastian said.
“She belongs to the Circle.”
“She belongs to herself.”
The Architect looked at me.
“Do you know who you are?”
“Yes.”
“You know what your family left you?”
“Yes.”
“Then you know you can control all seven branches.”
I stepped forward.
“I don't want control.”
He laughed.
“That is exactly why you are dangerous.”
I looked at Sebastian.
Then Mara.
Then the room.
“You’re afraid of me.”
The Architect tilted his head.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father built a system that could expose us all.”
“Then expose yourselves.”
“You don't understand.”
“No.”
I took out the drive Evelyn gave me.
“But I think you do.”
I connected it to the projector.
Names filled the screen.
Judges.
Bankers.
Politicians.
Police chiefs.
Business owners.
Every member of the Black Circle.
The room erupted.
Victor shouted.
“Stop her!”
Gunfire exploded.
Sebastian grabbed me.
Mara killed the lights.
We moved through the chaos.
Then I heard someone behind me.
“You were always meant to rule.”
I turned.
The Architect stood there.
He removed his mask.
My blood went cold.
I knew him.
Everyone knew him.
The most respected federal judge in New York.
Judge Nathaniel Cross.
He smiled.
“Hello, Valerie.”
Sebastian aimed his gun.
Cross laughed.
“You cannot kill me. There are too many people who need me alive.”
Sebastian lowered his weapon.
“You're right.”
Cross smiled.
Then Sebastian pressed a button.
Police sirens flooded the street.
Cross's smile disappeared.
“You recorded everything?”
“Yes.”
Sebastian nodded toward Mara.
She had sent the files to every major news organization.
The Architect was finished.
Victor tried to escape.
I stepped into his path.
“You killed my father.”
Victor looked at me.
“No.”
He laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He pointed to Sebastian.
“Your father ordered his own death.”
I froze.
“Why?”
Victor smiled.
“Ask Sebastian.”
Then Victor disappeared into the crowd.
I turned.
Sebastian looked devastated.
“What did he mean?”
Sebastian lowered his gaze.
“I didn't want to tell you.”
“Tell me.”
May you like
“Your father asked me to kill him.”
The world stopped.
