Chapter 3 - The Secret Khloe Buried
Khloe woke to the sound of water dripping.
One drop.
Then another.
Then another.
Her head hurt.
Her wrists were bound behind a steel chair.
The room smelled of dust and gasoline.
She lifted her head.
A single bulb swung from the ceiling.
Across from her stood a man in a dark suit.
He had gray hair and a scar running from his temple to his jaw.
Khloe recognized him.
Victor Russo.
Damian's uncle.
Dead for fifteen years.
At least, that's what everyone believed.
Khloe stared at him.
"You're supposed to be dead."
Victor smiled.
"So was your mother."
Khloe's breathing stopped.
"Where is she?"
"Alive."
The word shattered something inside Khloe.
For eleven years, she had believed her mother was dead.
Her father had told her she was killed after witnessing something connected to the Russos.
But the truth was more complicated.
Khloe's father had lied.
Not to protect himself.
To protect Khloe.
Victor walked closer.
"You've been investigating me."
Khloe said nothing.
"You found the second ledger."
"I found a copy."
Victor smiled.
"Which means you found enough."
"Why did you take me?"
"Because Damian is too predictable."
Khloe almost laughed.
"Damian Russo is the least predictable man I've ever met."
"No."
Victor leaned against the table.
"You know what his problem is?"
Khloe stared at him.
"He loves you."
Her expression changed.
Victor noticed.
"That's why he will destroy everything to get you back."
Khloe's voice was cold.
"You underestimate him."
"Perhaps."
Victor placed a file on the table.
"Do you know what this is?"
Khloe looked.
It contained photographs.
Damian as a child.
His father.
His mother.
And Evelyn Hayes.
Her mother.
Khloe's eyes filled with tears.
Victor spoke softly.
"Your mother wasn't Damian's father's accountant."
"She was more than that."
"She loved him."
Khloe shook her head.
"No."
"She did."
Victor opened another photograph.
Evelyn stood beside Damian's father, smiling.
They looked happy.
Khloe could barely breathe.
"Your mother discovered that Damian's father was being betrayed from within the family."
"By you."
Victor smiled.
"Eventually."
Khloe stared at him.
"You killed her."
"No."
Victor's voice hardened.
"I killed the people who tried to kill her."
Khloe stared.
"Then why did she disappear?"
"Because she knew the truth would destroy Damian."
"What truth?"
Victor opened a sealed file.
Inside was a medical record.
Then a DNA report.
Then a letter.
Khloe's hands trembled.
Victor said nothing.
She read.
The first report concerned her birth.
The second concerned Damian.
The DNA comparison was incomplete.
But the third page contained the name of Damian's father.
Khloe looked up.
"You're saying my mother had a child with him?"
"No."
Victor smiled.
"Your mother had a child with Damian."
Khloe's face went white.
"That's impossible."
"Damian was sixteen when you were born."
Khloe stared at him.
"He couldn't be your father."
Victor shook his head.
"I didn't say he was."
Silence.
Then understanding.
Khloe stepped back.
Victor continued.
"Your mother had a relationship with Damian's father, but the child was not Damian's."
"Then whose?"
Victor looked at her.
"Mine."
Khloe froze.
The room seemed to tilt.
"You're my father."
Victor nodded.
The man she had spent three years working for was the nephew of her real father.
The man who had raised her wasn't her biological father.
Her mother's disappearance had not been an accident.
And the Russo family had known.
Khloe closed her eyes.
"Why tell me now?"
"Because Damian is going to kill me."
"Why?"
"Because your mother left a message for him."
Victor looked toward the wall.
"She knew one day he would become head of the organization."
"She wanted him to end it."
"End what?"
"The syndicate."
Khloe stared.
"You kidnapped me to force him to do that?"
"No."
Victor's smile faded.
"I kidnapped you because someone else is coming."
A door opened.
Another man entered.
Khloe recognized him immediately.
Declan Walsh.
He was bleeding from the side.
He looked at Victor with pure hatred.
"You said she'd be alone."
Victor frowned.
"I didn't invite you."
Declan raised his gun.
"I'm not here for you."
Khloe's heart raced.
Declan looked at her.
"I'm here for the ledger."
Victor stepped between them.
"You don't understand what you're touching."
"I understand money."
"You understand nothing."
Declan fired.
Victor moved.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
Khloe screamed.
Chaos erupted.
A second gunshot shattered the overhead bulb.
Darkness.
Khloe kicked the chair backward.
The steel legs crashed into the wall.
She rolled.
Someone grabbed her.
She screamed.
Then she heard a voice.
"Khloe!"
Damian.
He had arrived.
Gunfire exploded in the corridor.
Damian tore through the door.
His eyes found her.
Everything else disappeared.
He crossed the room.
"Are you hurt?"
Khloe shook her head.
"Damian..."
He cut the restraints.
She fell directly into his arms.
For one second, Damian held her as though the entire world had ended.
Then he pulled back.
"Who did this?"
Khloe looked toward Victor.
Damian followed her gaze.
His face changed.
"Uncle Victor."
Victor, pale and bleeding, laughed.
"You always were observant."
Damian raised his gun.
Khloe grabbed his wrist.
"Don't."
His eyes moved to her.
"He kidnapped you."
"He also has answers."
Damian looked at Victor.
"Then start talking."
Victor stared at Khloe.
"Tell him what you know."
Khloe swallowed.
"You were involved with my mother."
Damian's eyes widened.
"Your mother?"
"She's alive."
Damian's expression became unreadable.
"Where?"
Victor answered.
"With the only person who has been trying to protect you since before you were born."
Damian took a step forward.
"Who?"
Victor smiled weakly.
"Your mother."
Damian froze.
Impossible.
His mother had been dead.
Yet Victor spoke as though she were alive.
Then a woman appeared in the doorway.
Older.
Pale.
Tears running down her cheeks.
Damian's gun lowered.
The woman whispered.
"Damian."
He stared at her.
His mother.
Alive.
She stepped forward.
"I am so sorry."
Damian couldn't speak.
Khloe looked between them.
And suddenly understood why Victor had been so confident.
This had never been about kidnapping.
May you like
It had been about forcing Damian to uncover a truth buried for fifteen years.
A truth that would change everything.
