Chapter 6: The Truth Behind the Fire
Vincent Kane walked into the room like he owned it.
Maybe he did.
The way everyone reacted told me enough.
Even Marco, who looked fearless around everyone else, watched him carefully.
Vincent adjusted his cufflinks.
“Adrian, you look surprised.””
Adrian stood between us.
“You broke into my building.””
Vincent smiled.
“I used my own family code.””
“This is my building.””
“Is it?””
The room became colder.
I looked at Adrian.
For the first time, I saw something beneath his anger.
A history.
A wound.
“You knew,” I whispered.
Both men looked at me.
I stared at Vincent.
“You knew who I was.””
Vincent smiled.
“I suspected.””
Adrian’s voice became dangerous.
“Careful.””
Vincent ignored him.
“You have your mother’s eyes.””
My breathing stopped.
My mother.
A person who existed only in broken memories.
“What happened to her?””
Vincent looked almost amused.
“What happened?””
Adrian stepped forward.
“Answer her.””
Vincent sighed.
“You always were emotional, Adrian.””
The insult was subtle.
But I saw it hurt.
Vincent walked closer.
“Do you know what your problem has always been?””
Adrian said nothing.
“You think protecting people makes you powerful.””
Vincent looked at me.
“It makes you weak.””
Adrian’s voice lowered.
“Leave.””
Vincent laughed softly.
“You’re going to throw me out?””
“Yes.””
“After everything I did for this family?””
Adrian’s expression changed.
“What did you do?””
A long silence followed.
Vincent looked at him.
“You really don’t know.””
That sentence changed everything.
Adrian went still.
“What are you talking about?””
Vincent smiled.
“Your father never told you?””
“My father died when I was young.””
“Yes.””
A pause.
“And he died because he trusted the wrong people.””
The room felt like it was shrinking.
Adrian moved closer.
“What are you saying?””
Vincent looked at me.
“I’m saying the Whitmore fire was not what you think.””
I felt dizzy.
“What happened that night?””
Vincent tilted his head.
“You survived.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“No.””
He smiled.
“It’s the reason you’re dangerous.””
Marco stepped forward.
“Boss, don’t listen to him.””
But Adrian wasn’t looking at Vincent anymore.
He was looking at me.
Because I was remembering something.
A detail hidden for ten years.
The night of the fire.
My mother wasn’t screaming because the house was burning.
She was screaming because someone had betrayed us.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“My mother said something.””
Adrian turned.
“What?””
I closed my eyes.
“She said…”
The memory came back slowly.
“‘Evelyn, take Wren and go. They found the papers.’”
Adrian frowned.
“What papers?””
I opened my eyes.
“I don’t know.””
Vincent’s smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Adrian saw it too.
“What papers, Vincent?””
The old man didn’t answer.
And that was the first time he looked afraid.
Adrian stepped closer.
“You weren’t trying to steal the inheritance.””
Vincent said nothing.
“You were hiding something else.””
Still nothing.
Then Vincent looked at me.
“You have no idea what your parents left behind.””
A chill moved through my body.
“What did they leave?””
Vincent walked toward the door.
“Something people have killed for.””
Adrian blocked him.
“You’re not leaving.””
Vincent smiled.
“You think you can stop me?””
“Yes.””
Vincent looked at him sadly.
“Adrian, you still don’t understand.””
“Understand what?””
Vincent glanced at me.
Then back at him.
“That the person you’re protecting…”
He paused.
“…is the reason your family fell apart.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Vincent walked away.
The security team followed him out.
I turned to Adrian.
“Do you believe him?””
He didn’t answer.
That scared me.
“Adrian?””
He looked at me.
“No.””
A pause.
“But I know one thing.””
“What?””
He picked up the old photograph again.
The one showing me beside Thomas Vale.
His face was hard.
“Your parents didn’t just leave behind money.””
He looked toward the door Vincent had disappeared through.
“They left behind a secret.””
Then Marco rushed back into the room.
“Boss.””
Adrian turned.
“What?””
Marco held up a small evidence bag.
Inside was an old gold necklace.
My necklace.
The one I thought was gone forever.
Marco’s voice dropped.
“We found this hidden in Vincent’s car.””
I stared at it.
My hands began shaking.
Because engraved on the back were words I had never seen before.
Adrian read them aloud.
And his face changed.
“Protect Wren…”
He stopped.
I looked at him.
“What?””
He turned the necklace over.
May you like
The final words were carved underneath.
“Even from Adrian Kane.””
