Chapter 7 - The Mistress Who Wanted To Become His Wife
Sloan entered the Serrano estate three hours before Raphael returned.
She wore a white coat.
She carried a suitcase.
And she used the private access code Raphael himself had once given her.
The security guards let her through.
She walked into his office.
Then waited.
She knew exactly where the cameras were.
Exactly which blind spots existed.
Exactly how many minutes passed between patrols.
She had been inside the Serrano world for five years.
She had learned everything.
She knew the accounts.
The properties.
The routes.
The weaknesses.
Most importantly, she knew Tessa.
She knew what Tessa feared.
She knew what memories she carried.
She knew the one thing Raphael had never understood.
Tessa would sacrifice herself to save someone else.
Sloan intended to use that.
When Raphael arrived, Sloan was sitting in his chair.
He stopped.
“Tessa is in the house.”
Sloan smiled.
“Good.”
“Get out.”
She stood.
“You're angry.”
“You lied to me.”
“You never asked the right questions.”
Raphael's eyes hardened.
“Who is Gabriel working for?”
Sloan smiled.
“You still think he works for himself.”
Tessa stepped into the room.
“Then tell us.”
Sloan looked at her.
“Still saving people.”
“Yes.”
“That was always your problem.”
Tessa frowned.
“You saved me once.”
Sloan's smile faded.
“I remember.”
“You were dying.”
“I know.”
“I treated you.”
“And that's why I couldn't kill you.”
Tessa stared.
“You were one of them.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sloan looked at Raphael.
“Because Gabriel promised me he would give me everything.”
Raphael laughed coldly.
“You wanted money?”
“No.”
“What then?”
Sloan's eyes hardened.
“Belonging.”
Raphael said nothing.
She continued.
“I grew up watching powerful men decide which women mattered.”
She looked at Tessa.
“Your wife was chosen by you.”
“And?”
“I wanted to be the woman beside the king.”
“You were never beside me.”
“I was close.”
“You were a weapon.”
Her face tightened.
“You used me.”
“You volunteered.”
She laughed.
“That's what men like you always say.”
Tessa stepped forward.
“What does Gabriel want?”
Sloan looked at her.
“He wants the old network restored.”
“You said he works for someone else.”
Sloan nodded.
“He does.”
“Who?”
She smiled.
“Your father.”
Tessa froze.
“My father is dead.”
“So is mine.”
Sloan looked directly at her.
“That doesn't stop ghosts from making deals.”
Then the door opened.
A man entered.
Older.
Gray hair.
Tessa stopped breathing.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
The man looked at her.
“Tessa.”
She whispered,
“Dad?”
Elias Ward smiled.
“I've been waiting for you.”
Raphael moved between them.
Tessa grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Elias looked at Raphael.
“You look just like your father.”
Raphael's face went cold.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Elias shrugged.
“It was useful.”
Tessa stepped forward.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I needed you away from this.”
“You let Mom die.”
Elias's expression changed.
“I didn't kill her.”
“But you let it happen.”
“I failed her.”
The room went silent.
Tessa was shaking.
“Why did you disappear?”
“Because your mother discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
Elias looked at Raphael.
“Your father was not the architect.”
Raphael narrowed his eyes.
“Who was?”
Elias answered.
“You.”
Raphael stared.
“What?”
“Your father built the machine.”
“Gabriel weaponized it.”
“And you?”
Elias looked at Tessa.
“You inherited it.”
She didn't understand.
“What are you talking about?”
Elias took out a small metal key.
“This belongs to your mother.”
Tessa stared.
“What does it open?”
“A vault beneath the old Serrano hospital.”
Raphael went still.
“My father had a hospital?”
“Yes.”
Tessa whispered,
“That's where Mom worked.”
Elias nodded.
“And where your life was changed forever.”
Raphael looked at Sloan.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Everything.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I thought Gabriel would choose me.”
“And he didn't.”
“No.”
Raphael turned toward Tessa.
“You are the key.”
“To what?”
“The records.”
Tessa looked at the key.
Then understood.
Her mother had not merely kept secrets.
She had hidden evidence.
Evidence that could destroy everyone.
Elias spoke softly.
“And now Gabriel wants it.”
A gunshot came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
Sloan fell.
Tessa screamed.
Raphael pulled her down.
Security returned fire.
When the room went quiet, Sloan lay bleeding.
Tessa crawled toward her.
Despite everything, she pressed both hands against the wound.
Raphael watched.
Even after betrayal.
Even after lies.
His wife still saved people.
Sloan looked up at Tessa.
“Why?”
Tessa didn't stop applying pressure.
“Because you're bleeding.”
Sloan laughed weakly.
“That's why he loves you.”
Tessa looked at Raphael.
He understood.
The woman who had chosen him at the table would never have understood this.
Tessa saved people because that was who she was.
Not because they deserved it.
Not because they could repay her.
May you like
Because someone needed help.
And suddenly Raphael knew exactly what he had nearly lost.
