CHAPTER 6 — THE MAN WHO STOOD BESIDE MY ENEMY
CHAPTER 6 — THE MAN WHO STOOD BESIDE MY ENEMY
The word father hung in the room like a loaded weapon.
Nathan Vale.
My biological father.
The man who had supposedly been dead for nearly three decades.
The man standing ten feet away from me.
The man who had just looked at my daughter as though he already knew her.
I couldn't breathe.
“No.”
Nathan smiled faintly.
“You've said that a lot tonight.”
“You're lying.”
“Perhaps.”
I looked at Gabriel.
“Tell me he's lying.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“Gabriel.”
His jaw tightened.
“I don't know what Nathan has told you.”
“That's not what I asked.”
He looked at me.
Then quietly said:
“It's possible.”
My stomach dropped.
Possible?
My entire life had become a question mark.
I turned toward my mother.
“Is he my father?”
She was crying.
“Vivian…”
“Answer me.”
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Everything went silent.
Nathan's expression didn't change.
Gabriel looked away.
Richard stood motionless.
I felt something inside me break.
“So all of you knew.”
My mother whispered:
“We knew who your biological father was.”
“And nobody told me.”
“We were trying to protect you.”
I laughed.
“Again?”
My voice shook.
“That's the excuse everyone uses.”
I looked at Nathan.
“Why did you stay away?”
He didn't answer.
“Why did you let me believe Gabriel was my father?”
“Because Gabriel was safer.”
“Safer than you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Nathan looked at the floor.
“Because I was the reason they were hunting you.”
I stepped closer.
“Who are they?”
“The Council.”
“Why did they want me?”
“Because you inherited something.”
“The Meridian Trust.”
“No.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Something far more dangerous.”
He reached inside his coat.
Pulled out an old black envelope.
The seal was broken.
Inside was a photograph.
I stared.
It showed seven men standing around a table.
At the center was an older man.
Nathan.
Beside him stood Richard.
Beside Richard was Gabriel.
And beside Gabriel...
Celeste.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother's former friend.
Adrian's guardian.
The woman who had orchestrated the gala.
The woman who had tried to force me to sign away the trust.
But there was something else.
At the bottom of the photograph was a date.
1994.
I looked at Nathan.
“What is this?”
“The night the Council was created.”
I frowned.
“I thought the Council was ancient.”
“It was.”
“But you said—”
“This was the night it changed.”
“How?”
Nathan looked at Richard.
“Your father tried to destroy it.”
I turned.
Richard said nothing.
“Why?”
“Because the Council had become too powerful.”
I stared.
“And you?”
Nathan smiled bitterly.
“I wanted to control it.”
My stomach tightened.
“So you were enemies.”
“We were brothers once.”
“By blood?”
“No.”
“Then why call each other brothers?”
“Because we grew up together.”
Nathan's eyes hardened.
“Until power separated us.”
I looked at Gabriel.
“And you?”
Gabriel answered:
“I was supposed to inherit the Vale family.”
“Instead?”
“Nathan took control.”
“And Richard?”
“He became the Cross heir.”
“And my mother?”
Nathan looked at her.
“She was the one person none of us could control.”
My mother shook her head.
“I tried to stop you.”
“You tried to stop everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You failed.”
She looked at me.
“I saved you.”
Nathan's expression softened.
“For once, she did.”
I stared.
“Then why did you let Richard raise me?”
Nathan answered:
“Because Richard was the only man the Council feared enough to keep you alive.”
I looked at Richard.
“You knew all of this?”
“Yes.”
“And you still lied.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if you knew Nathan was your father, they would have killed you.”
I shook my head.
“They're trying to kill me now.”
Richard looked at me.
“No.”
He pointed toward Nathan.
“They're trying to use you.”
Nathan smiled.
“That is exactly why they need her alive.”
A security alarm sounded.
Everyone froze.
The lights turned red.
A voice came over the intercom.
“Security breach. Level three.”
Richard immediately moved toward the control panel.
“How many?”
“Unknown.”
Nathan stepped back.
“Already?”
Gabriel grabbed a weapon.
“Who?”
The officer looked at the monitor.
His face turned pale.
“Blackwood.”
Nathan laughed.
“Of course.”
I looked at him.
“You expected this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Celeste knows where I am.”
“Then she knows I'm here.”
“Yes.”
“And Sophie.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“Yes.”
I ran toward my daughter.
Sophie was standing in the doorway.
“Mommy?”
I grabbed her.
“Stay with me.”
She nodded.
Another alarm sounded.
Then the lights flickered.
A voice came through the intercom.
“Vivian.”
I froze.
Celeste.
“Bring the child upstairs.”
I shouted:
“No.”
Her voice remained calm.
“You don't understand what you're protecting.”
“I understand enough.”
“You are holding something that doesn't belong to you.”
“Sophie belongs to me.”
“No.”
Silence.
“She's the key.”
I stared at the speaker.
“To what?”
“The original bloodline.”
My mother went pale.
Nathan looked at her.
“It's begun.”
The doors exploded open.
Security officers rushed into the room.
Gunfire erupted.
I grabbed Sophie and dropped behind the table.
Richard shouted:
“Stay down!”
Nathan fired toward the doorway.
Gabriel covered the opposite entrance.
For several seconds, everything became noise.
Glass.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Then silence.
The attackers were gone.
Three security officers were injured.
One lay motionless.
I held Sophie against my chest.
“Mommy?”
“I'm here.”
“Are they bad people?”
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
She whispered:
“Then why did Grandma say they're family?”
I froze.
“What?”
Sophie pointed behind me.
At my mother.
“She said the lady on the phone is family.”
Everyone looked at my mother.
Her face went white.
“Celeste is family?”
My mother shook her head.
“No.”
Sophie frowned.
“She said you were sisters.”
Silence.
I stared at my mother.
“Are you related to Celeste?”
She didn't answer.
Nathan did.
“They were sisters.”
My mouth fell open.
“What?”
Nathan looked at my mother.
“Tell her.”
My mother lowered her head.
“Celeste is my half-sister.”
I felt sick.
The woman trying to destroy me...
was my mother's sister.
Which meant...
she was my aunt.
I walked toward my mother.
“You knew.”
“I knew.”
“And you never told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of Celeste?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She wanted you.”
“Why?”
“Because Celeste believed you belonged to her.”
I stared.
“I'm not property.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
My mother looked at Nathan.
“Because she believes the Vale bloodline should never have left her family.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Nathan answered.
“Celeste was supposed to marry me.”
My mother closed her eyes.
“But he chose me.”
I looked between them.
“And that's why she hates you?”
“Partly.”
“What else?”
My mother whispered:
“She lost a child.”
I froze.
“What child?”
“Her son.”
“Adrian?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“But Adrian is alive.”
“Adrian isn't her biological son.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then whose son is he?”
My mother looked at Nathan.
Nathan didn't answer.
Richard did.
“Mine.”
I couldn't speak.
Richard?
Adrian's father?
My husband...
was my stepbrother?
I stepped back.
“No.”
Richard's voice broke.
“Vivian—”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“You said Adrian was your enemy.”
“He is.”
“You said he was Blackwood.”
“He was raised Blackwood.”
“But his father is you?”
“Yes.”
I laughed in disbelief.
“This is insane.”
Richard looked at Nathan.
“He doesn't know.”
“Who?”
“Adrian.”
I stared.
“You're telling me my husband doesn't know who his father is?”
“Yes.”
“Then who does?”
Nathan answered:
“Celeste.”
I looked toward the security monitors.
Adrian's face appeared on one screen.
He was outside.
Standing beside Celeste.
Alive.
Watching us.
I whispered:
“He knows.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
Adrian raised his head.
His eyes looked directly into the camera.
Then he smiled.
And held up a photograph.
A photograph of me as a baby.
Beside it was a handwritten note.
I KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS.
The screen went black.
I turned toward Richard.
“You lied again.”
He shook his head.
“I didn't know.”
“You knew enough.”
“I knew he was dangerous.”
“You knew he married me.”
“I didn't know why.”
“That's not true.”
He looked at me.
“I swear.”
I wanted to believe him.
But I couldn't.
Not anymore.
Nathan walked toward the monitor.
“He's not working with Celeste.”
“What?”
“He's using her.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that's what I would do.”
I looked at him.
“You know him.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Nathan smiled.
“I trained him.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“You trained Adrian?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“To survive.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew one day he'd need to protect you.”
I stared.
“You wanted him to marry me?”
“No.”
“Then why did he?”
Nathan's expression darkened.
“Because Celeste ordered him to.”
“So he betrayed you?”
“No.”
“He betrayed me.”
Nathan nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then why are you defending him?”
“Because he was trying to escape.”
“Escape from what?”
Nathan looked at me.
“His mother.”
A message appeared on the screen.
COME ALONE.
Then another.
BRING THE TRUST.
Then:
BRING YOUR DAUGHTER.
I felt my hands curl into fists.
“They want Sophie.”
“Yes,” Nathan said.
“Why?”
“Because she is your heir.”
“I am the heir.”
“You are the current heir.”
He looked at Sophie.
“She is the next.”
I shook my head.
“She is eight.”
“That doesn't matter.”
“To them?”
“No.”
Nathan's voice became cold.
“To the law.”
I stared.
“What law?”
“The original Vale inheritance law.”
He opened another file.
“The Meridian Trust passes through the bloodline.”
“That's normal.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“It doesn't pass to the oldest child.”
I frowned.
“Then who?”
“The child born from the final legitimate heir.”
I looked at Sophie.
Nathan nodded.
“That's why they need her.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
Adrian's voice.
“Vivian.”
I froze.
“Where are you?”
“Near the east gate.”
“Are you with Celeste?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“I'm alone.”
I looked at Nathan.
He gestured for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
Adrian continued.
“Listen carefully.”
“I'm listening.”
“Celeste is going to kill your mother.”
My mother stiffened.
“What?”
“She knows your mother has the original trust.”
I looked at my mother.
“Where is it?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Adrian continued:
“She doesn't need the document.”
“What does she need?”
“Your blood.”
I felt cold.
“What?”
“She needs a blood sample from you and Sophie.”
“Why?”
“To activate the trust.”
Nathan's expression changed.
“That's impossible.”
Adrian heard him.
“Nathan?”
“Yes.”
“You know me.”
“I trained you.”
A pause.
Then Adrian said:
“Then you know what happens next.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“What did you do?”
“I opened the vault.”
Richard stepped forward.
“Which vault?”
“The original one.”
Silence.
Adrian continued:
“And I found something inside.”
“What?”
“A letter.”
“From whom?”
He whispered:
“From the first owner of the Meridian Trust.”
My heart raced.
“Who?”
Adrian hesitated.
Then:
“Your grandmother.”
I froze.
“My grandmother died before I was born.”
“Yes.”
“Then how did she write it?”
Adrian's voice became quieter.
“She didn't.”
“Then who did?”
“Someone who knew she was going to die.”
“Who?”
Adrian said:
“Your mother.”
My mother gasped.
I turned toward her.
“What did you write?”
She shook her head.
“I didn't.”
Adrian interrupted.
“You did.”
“No.”
“You wrote it twenty-nine years ago.”
My mother stared at the phone.
Adrian continued:
“And you told the truth.”
I swallowed.
“What truth?”
His voice dropped.
“You said the person who ordered your grandmother's death…”
A pause.
“…was Richard.”
Everyone turned toward him.
Richard went completely pale.
“No.”
I stared at the man who had raised me.
“Dad?”
He didn't answer.
My mother whispered:
“Richard didn't kill her.”
Adrian said:
“Not directly.”
The line went silent.
Then he added:
“He gave the order.”
Richard stepped backward.
I stared at him.
“Is it true?”
He looked at me.
And for the first time in my life...
my father couldn't lie.
“Yes.”
I felt something inside me go cold.
The man I had trusted more than anyone...
had ordered my grandmother's death.
But before I could speak, Adrian shouted through the phone:
“Vivian, RUN!”
“What?”
A gunshot exploded through the speaker.
Then another.
Adrian screamed.
The call ended.
I stood frozen.
Nathan grabbed my arm.
“Move.”
“Where?”
“Vault.”
“Why?”
“Because if Adrian found the letter…”
He looked toward the door.
“…then Celeste knows where the original evidence is.”
My mother grabbed Sophie's hand.
We ran.
Behind us, Richard remained standing alone in the library.
He looked at the blood on the floor.
Then at the black phone.
And whispered:
“I never wanted this.”
But someone answered from the darkness behind him.
“You should have.”
Richard turned.
Celeste stood in the doorway.
She was holding a gun.
And smiling.
“Because now…”
May you like
She raised it.
“…your daughter knows everything.”
