Chapter 11 — Marcus's Betrayal
Chapter 11 — Marcus's Betrayal
Marcus had spent his entire life believing betrayal came from strangers.
That was the mistake that nearly destroyed him.
The recording ended.
His father's voice disappeared from the speakers.
The room fell into darkness.
Only one red light remained above the monitor showing Khloe.
She was still asleep.
Unaware.
Unprotected.
Marcus slowly turned toward Adrian.
“You signed the order.”
Adrian didn't deny it.
“Yes.”
Marcus's weapon remained pointed at him.
Victor stepped between them.
“Marcus.”
“Move.”
“Not until we know what's happening.”
Marcus's eyes never left Adrian.
“You knew my father was alive.”
“No.”
“You knew he wasn't dead.”
Adrian swallowed.
“I knew he survived the shooting.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Marcus's finger tightened around the trigger.
“You lied to me.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because your father made me promise.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“My father?”
Adrian nodded.
“He told me if you ever found me, I had to make you believe I was guilty.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
Adrian looked at him.
“He knew you would eventually discover the truth.”
“And?”
“He wanted you to distrust everyone.”
“Why?”
Adrian's voice broke.
“Because the person closest to you was the only one who could kill Alexander.”
Marcus stared at him.
“Who?”
Adrian looked toward the monitor.
“Your wife.”
Silence.
Victor turned sharply.
“What did you just say?”
Adrian continued.
“Alexander isn't afraid of Marcus.”
He looked at Khloe's image.
“He's afraid of Khloe.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Why?”
“Because her mother gave her something.”
“What?”
“The original key.”
The screen flickered.
A new video appeared.
Khloe's mother was sitting in a small room.
She looked younger.
Maybe thirty.
She held a metal box.
Her hands were trembling.
“If you're watching this,” she said, “then Alexander has found you.”
Marcus stared.
The woman continued.
“The key isn't a key to money.”
She opened the box.
Inside was a small black device.
“It opens the original trust.”
Gabriel whispered:
“Oh God.”
The woman looked directly into the camera.
“And whoever possesses it controls the evidence.”
Marcus frowned.
“Where is it?”
The video cut.
Then a message appeared.
KHLOE HAS IT.
Marcus felt his stomach drop.
The monitor showing Khloe suddenly went black.
Marcus rushed toward the controls.
“Where is she?”
Victor grabbed the communications system.
“Security team?”
Nothing.
No response.
Marcus turned toward Adrian.
“What did you do?”
Adrian shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“You knew this was coming.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Marcus grabbed him by the collar.
“Where is my wife?”
Adrian stared at him.
Then whispered:
“Under the hospital.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
“There is an underground passage beneath the maternity floor.”
Victor's eyes widened.
“How do you know?”
“I used it.”
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
They ran.
The tunnel beneath the estate connected to the old city infrastructure.
Adrian led them through a narrow passage.
Marcus moved faster than everyone else.
He didn't think.
He didn't plan.
He only saw Khloe.
Alone.
Pregnant.
Vulnerable.
And somewhere ahead, Alexander was waiting.
Then Marcus heard something.
A scream.
“Marcus!”
Khloe.
He ran.
They burst through a steel door.
Khloe stood in the center of an underground chamber.
Her wrists were tied.
A man stood behind her.
Thomas Thorne.
Marcus raised his weapon.
“Let her go.”
Thomas smiled.
“Finally.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“You wanted me.”
“Yes.”
“Then leave her.”
Thomas laughed.
“You still think this is about you.”
He looked at Khloe.
“It never was.”
Khloe stared at Marcus.
“Don't listen to him.”
Thomas pressed a gun against her side.
“Tell him.”
Khloe shook her head.
“No.”
Thomas looked at Marcus.
“Ask your wife what she found.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Khloe?”
She closed her eyes.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“The contract.”
Marcus's expression changed.
“Which one?”
“The original.”
Thomas smiled.
“She found it months ago.”
Marcus stared.
“Months?”
Khloe nodded.
“I found it before the attack.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“No.”
She looked at Thomas.
“Of them.”
Thomas laughed.
“You see?”
Marcus stared at Khloe.
“What does the original say?”
Khloe's eyes filled with tears.
“It says the first male heir isn't the true heir.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
“It says the bloodline ends with the first generation that rejects the family.”
Thomas's smile disappeared.
Khloe continued.
“Your father rejected Alexander.”
Marcus understood.
“So the inheritance passed to…”
“Me.”
Thomas's face hardened.
“Exactly.”
Khloe whispered:
“Not you.”
Marcus looked at Thomas.
“You're not the heir.”
“No.”
Thomas's voice became cold.
“I am the guardian.”
“Guardian of what?”
“The family.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You're obsessed.”
Thomas smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
He pressed the gun harder against Khloe.
“The child is the final heir.”
Marcus went still.
Thomas continued.
“And once your daughter is born, the entire trust transfers to her.”
Marcus stared.
“My daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Then why do you need Khloe?”
Thomas smiled.
“Because she is the only person who can activate it.”
Khloe suddenly looked at Marcus.
“Marcus.”
“What?”
“I lied to you.”
His face changed.
“What?”
“I knew where the device was.”
“Where?”
She swallowed.
“Inside me.”
Marcus stared.
Thomas smiled.
“The device was implanted during her first pregnancy examination.”
Victor looked horrified.
“You're saying—”
“Yes.”
Thomas nodded.
“She has carried the key for seven months.”
Marcus's voice broke.
“They put something inside my wife?”
Thomas laughed.
“Not us.”
He looked at Adrian.
“Him.”
Marcus turned.
Adrian was crying.
“No.”
Marcus stared.
“You?”
Adrian shook his head.
“I didn't know.”
“You put it there.”
“I thought it was medical equipment.”
“You're lying.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“I swear.”
Thomas laughed.
“That's what betrayal sounds like.”
Suddenly the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Victor tackled Thomas.
Ruiz fired toward the ceiling.
Marcus grabbed Khloe.
They ran.
Then a bullet struck Adrian.
He collapsed.
Marcus stopped.
Adrian looked up.
“Go.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Go!”
Another shot.
Victor dragged Marcus away.
They disappeared into the tunnel.
Outside, Marcus collapsed against the wall.
Khloe was shaking.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She touched his face.
“I thought I was going to lose you.”
Marcus pulled her into his arms.
Then he whispered:
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Khloe cried.
“Because I didn't know who to trust.”
He held her tighter.
“I should have protected you.”
“You did.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I trusted everyone except you.”
Khloe shook her head.
“You were trying to survive.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Then a voice came through the tunnel.
“Marcus.”
Adrian.
Marcus turned.
Adrian was barely standing.
Blood covered his shirt.
He had followed them.
Marcus rushed toward him.
“You're alive.”
Adrian smiled.
“Barely.”
Marcus caught him.
“Why did you sign the order?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Because Alexander threatened Khloe's mother.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
“He had her.”
Adrian's voice weakened.
“I was told to sign the order or she would die.”
Marcus stared.
“You killed my father to save her?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I signed a false order.”
“What?”
“The order wasn't for your father.”
Marcus stared.
“Then who?”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“The man Alexander wanted you to believe was your father.”
Marcus went silent.
“What are you saying?”
Adrian looked toward Gabriel.
“Your father wasn't the man who died.”
Gabriel's face changed.
“No.”
Adrian nodded.
“The man killed that night was Thomas.”
Marcus stared.
“Then who's been calling himself Thomas?”
Adrian whispered:
“Alexander.”
Everything stopped.
Marcus looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel was crying.
“Your grandfather changed identities years ago.”
Marcus's mind raced.
“The man in the car.”
“Alexander.”
“The man in the recordings.”
“Alexander.”
“The man pretending to be Thomas.”
“Alexander.”
Marcus looked at Khloe.
“Then where is my real grandfather?”
Gabriel answered:
“Dead.”
Marcus's breathing slowed.
“Years ago.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Alexander killed him.”
The entire conspiracy suddenly made sense.
Alexander had murdered his own father.
Taken his identity.
Manipulated the trust.
Destroyed anyone who could expose him.
And used the name of a dead man to control the family.
He wasn't Marcus's grandfather.
He was the grandfather's son.
Marcus's great-uncle.
The man everyone had believed died before Marcus was born.
And he had spent decades hiding behind another man's name.
Khloe suddenly doubled over.
Marcus caught her.
“What is it?”
She looked frightened.
“My stomach.”
Victor rushed toward them.
“Is she in labor?”
Khloe shook her head.
“No.”
Then she looked down.
There was blood.
Marcus's face went white.
“Call an ambulance.”
Victor immediately reached for his radio.
But before anyone could move, every phone in the tunnel vibrated.
One message appeared.
THE BABY IS COMING.
Marcus stared.
A second message followed.
AND NOW YOU WILL LEARN WHO BETRAYED YOU.
Then the lights went out.
Completely.
And somewhere in the darkness, a woman began screaming.
Not Khloe.
Elena.
Marcus looked toward the sound.
“Mom?”
No answer.
Then Elena's voice echoed through the tunnel.
“Marcus!”
He ran toward her.
But before he reached the voice, the steel door slammed shut.
May you like
And on the other side—
someone laughed.
