Chapter 4 - My Father Warned Me Never to Trust Dominic’s Closest Adviser—But That Man Was the One Who Had Saved Me After the ShootingDominic's closest adviser was Gabriel Shaw.
He had served Dominic for fifteen years.
He had been the man who coordinated the medical team after the shooting.
He was the man who had stopped Caleb from entering the ballroom before the attack.
He was also the man my father's letter warned me about.
I didn't tell Dominic immediately.
Not because I trusted Gabriel.
Because I needed proof.
That night, we reviewed security footage.
Gabriel appeared everywhere.
Always close.
Always calm.
Always helping.
Then I noticed something.
Five minutes before the gunman raised his weapon, Gabriel left the ballroom.
He returned ten seconds after the shooting.
Dominic frowned.
"Why would he leave?"
"I don't know."
We checked the access logs.
Gabriel had entered the star room that afternoon.
No record of him leaving.
Dominic stared at the screen.
"He's lying."
We searched his office.
Nothing.
Then Caleb walked in.
He was holding a photograph.
"Mr. Gabriel gave me this."
I looked.
It showed a younger Dominic beside his father.
And behind them stood Gabriel.
But there was another person.
My father.
I turned the photograph over.
A date.
Twenty years ago.
And a handwritten message.
The heir must survive.
Dominic looked at me.
"Which heir?"
We didn't know.
Until the next day.
The DNA report returned.
It showed that Caleb carried a rare genetic mutation shared by my family.
He wasn't simply Dominic's son.
He was the biological bridge between the Mercer and Voss bloodlines.
Someone believed that made him valuable.
The Black Ledger had been trying to control the child because whoever controlled Caleb could potentially claim both family networks.
Dominic was furious.
He confronted Gabriel.
"How much did you tell them?"
Gabriel looked genuinely confused.
"Nothing."
"Then explain your office."
Dominic threw the photograph on the desk.
Gabriel stared.
His face fell.
"I can explain."
"You have five seconds."
Gabriel sighed.
"I worked for your father."
"So did half the city."
"I was instructed to protect Caleb."
"From whom?"
"Everyone."
Dominic stepped closer.
"Who gave the order?"
Gabriel looked at me.
"Your father."
"My father is dead."
"Yes."
"Then who gave you the order?"
Gabriel finally answered.
"Your grandfather."
Dominic's expression became murderous.
His grandfather had died twelve years ago.
Unless—
he hadn't.
The same pattern.
Dead men returning.
Hidden identities.
False deaths.
And then Gabriel said:
"The man controlling the Black Ledger today is not dead."
I looked at him.
"Who?"
May you like
He whispered:
"Dominic's grandfather."
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