Chapter 14: The Last Betrayal
The police cruiser stopped outside the mill.
I expected relief.
Instead, my father looked terrified.
“Don't trust him.””
Sarah stared at the monitor.
“Why?””
“Because he's the one who closed the crash investigation.””
Michael nodded.
“His name is Detective Nolan.””
I looked at the screen.
Nolan stepped out of the cruiser.
Vivian immediately moved behind Rebecca.
The detective raised his hands.
“Vivian, let her go.””
Vivian laughed.
“You're late.””
“I've been looking for you for seven years.””
My father looked at Michael.
“You called him?””
Michael shook his head.
“No.””
I stared at the monitor.
“Then who did?””
Michael pointed toward the door.
“Lily.””
My heart stopped.
“She has a phone.””
Michael nodded.
“She found the emergency transmitter in the office.””
I smiled despite everything.
“That girl.””
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
“She always was stubborn.””
A gunshot sounded outside.
Vivian dragged Rebecca toward the trees.
Nolan ducked behind his car.
“Now,” Michael said.
We rushed upstairs.
Ethan followed.
I stopped him.
“Where are you going?””
“To help.””
“You've done enough.””
He looked at Sarah.
“I know.””
Then he ran outside.
Sarah grabbed my hand.
“Daniel.””
“What?””
“If we don't make it…”
“We will.””
“You don't know that.””
“I do.””
“How?””
I looked at her.
“Because I already lost you once.””
She kissed me.
Then we ran.
Outside, Nolan had Vivian cornered near the old riverbank.
Rebecca was on her knees.
Vivian held a gun against her head.
“Drop it!”” Nolan shouted.
Vivian laughed.
“You're still pretending to be honorable?””
Nolan's face hardened.
“You killed Michael.””
My father stopped behind me.
Vivian's expression changed.
Michael rolled into view.
She stared at him.
“No.””
Michael smiled.
“Miss me?””
Vivian fired.
Nolan tackled her.
The shot went wide.
Rebecca scrambled away.
I ran to her.
“Are you hurt?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Vivian fought Nolan.
Sarah helped Rebecca to her feet.
Then Ethan appeared.
He grabbed Vivian's gun.
She looked at him.
“You ungrateful little coward.””
Ethan stared at her.
“You promised my family would be safe.””
“They were never your family.””
He looked toward Sarah.
“She was.””
Vivian lunged.
Ethan shoved her back.
Nolan handcuffed her.
“It’s over.””
Vivian smiled.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“You still don't know what your father did.””
My father stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Vivian laughed.
“You think arresting me changes anything?””
She looked at Michael.
“He knows.””
Michael's expression changed.
I turned toward him.
“Knows what?””
Michael hesitated.
Vivian smiled wider.
“Ask your brother why he disappeared.””
Michael looked down.
I felt the same cold sensation I'd felt when I first saw him.
“Michael?””
He finally spoke.
“I wasn't kidnapped.””
My father closed his eyes.
“I left.””
“Why?””
“Because I found out the money wasn't stolen.””
Sarah looked at the foundation documents.
“What do you mean?””
Michael pointed toward the account.
“Your father didn't create the offshore accounts.””
I looked at my father.
“Then who did?””
Michael looked directly at me.
“You did.””
Silence.
I laughed.
“No.””
“You were eighteen.””
“I didn't have access.””
“You did.””
Michael pulled out another folder.
Inside was an old power-of-attorney document.
My signature.
My father's.
Vivian's.
And a fourth signature.
Rebecca's.
I stared at it.
Rebecca whispered, “I didn't know what I was signing.””
I turned toward her.
“Apparently, neither did I.””
Michael shook his head.
“You signed the documents before the crash.””
Sarah looked at me.
“Daniel, do you remember?””
I searched my memory.
A conference room.
My father.
A stack of papers.
Someone telling me they were inheritance documents.
I had signed them without reading.
Michael's voice was quiet.
“That was when the foundation was transferred into your name.””
I looked at my father.
“You made me the owner.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did Vivian want the account?””
“Because you were the only person who could legally access it.””
I stared at the documents.
The original beneficiary.
The forged account.
The insurance money.
The crash.
Everything suddenly connected.
Vivian had never needed my father's money.
She needed mine.
And she had spent years controlling everyone around me to get it.
Nolan approached.
“Daniel.””
I looked up.
“We found Lily.””
My heart leaped.
“Where?””
He pointed toward the mill.
“She's safe.””
Sarah ran inside.
I followed.
Lily rolled toward us with Margaret beside her.
“Daddy!””
I dropped beside her.
“You're okay.””
She hugged me.
“Mommy found me.””
I looked at Sarah.
She was crying.
For the first time, we were all together.
Then Lily looked over my shoulder.
“Daddy?””
“What?””
“Why is Grandpa crying?””
I turned.
May you like
My father stood alone outside the doorway.
And behind him was a police officer holding a pair of handcuffs.
