Chapter 5 - The Betrayal Came From the Man Adrian Trusted With His LifeThomas ran.
He made it through the west gate before Adrian's men caught him.
When they dragged him back, Adrian was waiting.
Thomas looked at him.
“You don't understand.”
Adrian said nothing.
“You think Victor is the enemy.”
“He is.”
“No.”
Thomas laughed.
“You're still blind.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Where is Victor?”
Thomas smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
Then he revealed the truth.
Victor had not been working alone.
Someone inside the Cross family had helped him for years.
Adrian's mother.
The woman Adrian had believed had died protecting him.
“She knew,” Thomas said.
“She knew what your father was doing.”
Adrian stared.
“My mother is dead.”
Thomas's smile widened.
“Is she?”
Adrian's world tilted.
He had buried his mother at nineteen.
Or so he thought.
Thomas handed him an old photograph.
A woman stood beside Victor.
Alive.
Older.
But unmistakable.
Adrian's mother.
Grace stepped forward.
“Adrian.”
He couldn't speak.
The entire foundation of his life had been built on a lie.
Victor hadn't killed his family.
His mother had helped him.
His father had betrayed everyone.
And Adrian had spent twenty years building an empire because he believed he was avenging people who might have been alive all along.
Then Thomas revealed the final secret.
“Victor wants Sophie.”
Adrian's face changed.
“Why?”
“Because her father wasn't killed in an accident.”
Grace froze.
“My husband?”
Thomas nodded.
“He discovered what the Cross family was doing.”
Grace's voice broke.
“You're saying Daniel knew?”
“Yes.”
“He tried to expose them.”
“Yes.”
“And Victor killed him?”
Thomas hesitated.
“Victor ordered it.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Adrian caught her.
“I'll find the truth.”
But Thomas smiled.
“You don't have much time.”
A phone rang.
Thomas's.
Victor's voice came through the speaker.
“Bring me the child.”
Adrian's eyes became murderous.
Victor continued:
“Or I'll finish what I started.”
The call ended.
Then the lights went out.
When they returned, Sophie was gone.
Adrian screamed her name.
“SOphie!”
The mansion exploded into chaos.
Guards ran.
Doors slammed.
Grace collapsed against the wall.
“No.”
Adrian grabbed her.
“We'll find her.”
“She was right here.”
“I know.”
“She was right here!”
Adrian held her.
Then he saw something on the floor.
Mr. Bunny.
Its button eye was missing.
Adrian picked it up.
Inside the hollow body was a tiny tracking device.
He smiled without humor.
“They made one mistake.”
Grace looked at him.
“What?”
“They thought taking Sophie would make me desperate.”
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His eyes became ice.
“It made me patient.”
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