Chapter 13 - THE FATHER SHE NEVER KNEW
Elena couldn’t speak.
Thomas watched her carefully.
He seemed to enjoy the silence.
Julian stepped between them.
“She is not your daughter.”
Thomas raised an eyebrow.
“You sound worried.”
“I sound disgusted.”
Elena forced herself to look at the photograph again.
“My mother hated you.”
Thomas smiled.
“Eventually.”
“She never mentioned you.”
“Because she was ashamed.”
Victoria shook her head violently.
Elena walked toward her and removed the cloth from her mouth.
Victoria gasped.
“He’s lying.”
Thomas laughed.
“Am I?”
Victoria looked at Elena.
“Your mother was involved with Thomas before she learned what he was doing.”
“She became pregnant.”
“But the child…”
Victoria stopped.
Thomas’s expression hardened.
“The child was mine.”
Victoria looked at Elena.
“No.”
Elena felt dizzy.
“What do you mean, no?”
Victoria swallowed.
“Isabel was already pregnant when Thomas met her.”
Thomas’s smile vanished.
“Victoria.”
“Shut up.”
For perhaps the first time in her life, Victoria sounded more frightened of silence than consequences.
“Elena, your mother worked with Samuel.”
“She discovered the transfers.”
“Thomas got close to her because he wanted to know what Samuel had found.”
Elena stared at Thomas.
Victoria continued.
“He made Isabel believe he loved her.”
Thomas moved forward.
Julian blocked him.
“Keep talking, Mom.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Isabel learned the truth.”
“She tried to leave.”
“And Thomas threatened her.”
Elena’s hands curled into fists.
“Who was my father?”
Victoria looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
Thomas laughed.
“She does.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I don’t.”
Thomas reached toward Elena.
Julian shoved him away.
Vale pulled a gun.
Everything stopped.
Elena heard vehicles outside.
Federal agents were approaching.
Thomas heard them too.
His expression changed.
He grabbed Victoria by the hair.
Vale pointed the weapon toward Julian.
“No one moves.”
Thomas dragged Victoria toward a side door.
Elena followed.
“Let her go.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Bring me the key.”
Elena raised it.
“Let Victoria go first.”
Victoria stared at Elena in disbelief.
After everything she had done, Elena was trying to save her.
Thomas smiled.
“You really are Isabel’s daughter.”
He shoved Victoria forward.
Elena threw the key.
Thomas caught it.
Then he pushed through the side door.
Vale followed.
Julian ran after them.
A gunshot echoed.
Elena screamed his name.
Julian fell behind a machine.
Blood appeared on his sleeve.
Vale and Thomas escaped into the darkness.
Federal agents entered seconds later.
Elena dropped beside Julian.
“Where are you hit?”
“My arm.”
The bullet had grazed him.
He looked at the door.
“The key.”
Elena reached into her pocket.
Then she smiled.
“What?”
“I gave him the wrong one.”
Julian stared at her.
Elena held up the real second key.
She had switched them before entering the mill.
Victoria watched from the floor.
For the first time since Elena had known her, Victoria looked almost impressed.
Then she whispered something that changed everything again.
“The key opens a box inside Richard’s bedroom.”
Elena stared at her.
May you like
Victoria swallowed.
“And Richard has known about it for twenty-eight years.”
