Chapter 8 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
Victor hit the floor.
Marcus lowered his weapon.
Adrian stared at him.
"Explain."
Marcus looked exhausted.
"I was never working for Victor."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"I don't trust you."
"You shouldn't."
Marcus nodded.
"I lied to you."
Claire stepped closer.
"Why?"
Marcus looked at her.
"Because your father contacted me."
Adrian stiffened.
"My father?"
"Your real father."
Adrian shook his head.
"He's dead."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
The room went silent.
Marcus reached into his coat.
He removed a small photograph.
Adrian took it.
The man in the photograph was his father.
Older.
Alive.
Standing beside Marcus.
Taken six months earlier.
Adrian's hands began to shake.
"Where?"
"Canada."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because your father was dying."
Adrian stared.
"He wanted you to find the truth without destroying yourself."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"My entire life is a lie."
Claire touched his arm.
"No."
He looked at her.
"Some of it is real."
She held his gaze.
"Us."
Adrian's expression broke.
For the first time since she had known him, Claire saw him cry.
Not dramatically.
One tear.
Then another.
He wiped them away.
"I almost lost you."
Claire whispered,
"You still have me."
He looked at her stomach.
"And our baby."
She nodded.
Marcus interrupted.
"We're not finished."
Adrian looked up.
"What?"
"Victor wasn't acting alone."
"Who?"
Marcus handed him another file.
Adrian opened it.
Every page led to one person.
A name.
A photograph.
A woman.
His mother.
But Adrian knew she was dead.
Marcus pointed to the final page.
"She isn't."
Adrian stared.
The photograph had been taken three weeks earlier.
His mother was sitting in a restaurant in Montreal.
Alive.
Older.
Smiling.
Adrian's world shifted again.
"Where is she?"
"On her way here."
Claire's face changed.
"Why?"
Marcus looked at her.
"Because she knows the whole story."
Hours later, the woman arrived.
Evelyn Cross walked into the estate wearing a dark coat.
Adrian stood across the room.
He couldn't move.
She looked at him.
"My son."
Adrian laughed.
"You've been dead for three years."
"I had to disappear."
"You let me believe you were dead."
"I was protecting you."
Adrian's voice cracked.
"Everyone says that."
Evelyn looked at Claire.
Then at her stomach.
"You found out."
Claire nodded.
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
"Then it's time."
She placed a folder on the table.
Inside were documents dating back twenty years.
The truth was devastating.
Evelyn and Richard Bennett had once worked together.
They had built an illegal financial network around legitimate businesses.
But Adrian's father wanted out.
Richard refused.
The conflict led to betrayal.
Ethan joined Richard.
Victor joined Ethan.
Daniel became their legal shield.
Claire's father became the financier.
Evelyn tried to expose them.
They threatened her children.
So she disappeared.
But she had made one mistake.
She trusted the wrong doctor.
The doctor had been responsible for Claire's miscarriage.
And now the same network had returned because Claire's unborn child represented Adrian's legitimate heir.
Adrian looked at his mother.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid you would become exactly like your father."
"Did I?"
Evelyn looked at Claire.
"No."
Claire took Adrian's hand.
"He almost did."
Adrian nodded.
"I know."
Then Evelyn said something that changed everything.
"There's one person left."
Adrian frowned.
"Who?"
"Daniel."
Adrian's phone rang.
Daniel.
He answered.
No words.
Then Daniel spoke.
"I have Claire's original medical file."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Where are you?"
"At Mercy General."
"Why?"
"Because there's something you need to know."
"What?"
Daniel whispered,
"The doctor who treated Claire after the miscarriage is here."
Adrian's blood went cold.
"Who?"
A pause.
Then Daniel said,
"He's Claire's uncle."
Claire went pale.
"My uncle died."
Daniel whispered,
"That's what they wanted you to believe."
The call ended.
Adrian looked at Claire.
She was trembling.
May you like
He took her hand.
"We're ending this tonight."
