Chapter 11: The Last Account
My father didn't hesitate.
“Where?””
Vivian laughed.
“You know where.””
“No,” he said.
“I don't.””
“You always did enjoy pretending.””
I grabbed the phone.
“Vivian!””
The line went silent.
Then she answered.
“Daniel.””
“Let Lily go.””
“Bring me the foundation documents.””
“You already have them.””
“Not the originals.””
I looked at my father.
He nodded slowly.
Vivian continued.
“Come to the old mill.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“I'll come too.””
“No.””
Vivian laughed.
“Of course you will.””
The call ended.
I turned toward my father.
“What is at the old mill?””
“The original foundation vault.””
I stared at him.
“You built a vault under an abandoned mill?””
“I built it before you were born.””
Sarah picked up the folder.
“And the money?””
My father looked at me.
“Most of it is still there.””
“How much?””
“Enough to make Vivian kill for it.””
Rebecca stepped forward.
“Daniel, don't go.””
I turned.
“You don't get to tell me what to do.””
“I know.””
She swallowed.
“But Vivian won't let Lily live if you bring the police.””
My father looked at Rebecca.
“You're right.””
I stared at him.
“You trust her?””
“No.””
He glanced toward Margaret.
“I trust the person who kept Lily alive.””
Margaret nodded.
“I'll stay with her.””
My father looked at Sarah.
“You and I need to talk.””
Sarah folded her arms.
“After my daughter is safe.””
“Agreed.””
We drove to the mill.
The old building stood beside a dark stretch of river.
Broken windows.
Rusting machinery.
No lights.
I parked behind the trees.
My father handed me a small key.
“This opens the vault.””
I looked at it.
“What's inside?””
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That Vivian didn't act alone.””
Sarah looked at him.
“Who else?””
He didn't answer.
We entered through the side door.
The mill smelled of wet wood and rust.
Every step echoed.
Then a light came on.
Vivian stood on the upper platform.
She was exactly as she appeared in the photograph.
Elegant.
Calm.
Holding a phone in one hand.
Beside her stood Ethan.
Lily was nowhere visible.
“Where is my daughter?””
Vivian smiled.
“Safe.””
“Show me.””
She held up her phone.
A live video appeared.
Lily was sitting in a small room.
Margaret was beside her.
Alive.
I exhaled.
“Let them go.””
“When I get the documents.””
I held up the folder.
“You'll get them.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“You lied to me.””
Vivian's expression didn't change.
“You survived.””
“You sent Ethan after me.””
“I sent Ethan to retrieve what belonged to your family.””
“My family?””
Vivian smiled.
“You still don't understand.””
She looked at my father.
“Tell her.””
He remained silent.
Vivian's eyes hardened.
“Tell her who ordered the crash.””
My father finally spoke.
“I did.””
Sarah stared at him.
“What?””
I felt the world tilt.
My father looked at her.
“I ordered the driver to force your car off the road.””
“Why?””
“Because I believed you had stolen the records.””
Sarah's face went white.
“You tried to kill me.””
“I thought I was protecting my company.””
“You let me disappear.””
“I was wrong.””
Vivian laughed.
“Wrong?””
She stepped closer to the railing.
“You destroyed your own family for money.””
My father looked at her.
“And you murdered my employees.””
Her smile vanished.
“Only the ones who talked.””
I felt sick.
“You two worked together.””
“For years,” Vivian said.
“Then why turn on him?””
“Because Charles changed the rules.””
My father stared at her.
“You killed my son.””
My blood ran cold.
“My brother?””
He shook his head.
“Your older brother, Michael.””
I had barely remembered him.
He had died when I was a child.
Officially, an accident.
Vivian's eyes gleamed.
“He discovered the account.””
Sarah looked at the documents.
“The missing account.””
Vivian nodded.
“Exactly.””
I opened the folder.
A single bank statement sat on top.
The account holder wasn't my father.
It wasn't Vivian.
It wasn't Ethan.
It was me.
My name.
My Social Security number.
An account opened before I turned eighteen.
I looked at my father.
“You put the money in my name.””
He nodded.
“Your entire inheritance.””
“Why?””
“Because if they killed me, the money would be protected.””
Vivian smiled.
“And now it belongs to you.””
She raised her phone.
“One signature, Daniel.””
“What signature?””
“A transfer.””
She pointed toward the table.
A document waited beneath a lamp.
“Sign over the account.””
I stared at it.
“And Lily walks free?””
Vivian smiled.
“No.””
The smile disappeared from her face.
“Lily walks free after you sign.””
My father whispered, “Don't.””
Vivian looked at him.
“You should have stayed dead.””
Then the lights suddenly went out.
May you like
A gunshot exploded through the mill.
And Sarah screamed.
