Chapter 8: The Enemy Who Knew My Father’s Secret
The sound of Adrian’s voice echoed through the house.
“ELENA!””
Every window seemed to vibrate with it.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Lucian turned toward Daniel.
“How did he find this place?””
Daniel’s face tightened.
“I don’t know.””
Lucian’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s not good enough.””
Before Daniel could answer, another voice came through the speakers outside.
Calm.
Confident.
Almost polite.
The same voice that had whispered promises to me.
The same voice that had destroyed me in front of everyone I knew.
“Come on, Elena.””
Adrian.
“You’ve always hated waiting.””
My hands curled into fists.
Even now.
Even after everything.
He still thought he knew me.
Lucian stepped closer.
“Stay here.””
I looked at him.
“No.””
“Elena.””
“No.””
My voice was stronger than I expected.
“I’m done hiding while men decide what happens to me.””
A brief silence.
Then Lucian nodded.
“Fine.””
That surprised me.
He didn’t argue.
He didn’t order me.
He simply accepted it.
“But you stay behind me.””
I almost smiled.
“You really don’t know how to compromise, do you?””
“No.””
For the first time all night, there was something almost human in his expression.
“Neither do you.””
The sound of breaking glass came from the side of the house.
Everyone moved.
Lucian’s security team spread through the rooms.
Daniel stepped away from the window.
“They’re inside the property.””
“How many?”” Lucian asked.
“Too many.””
Lucian’s jaw tightened.
That was the first time I saw him look genuinely concerned.
Not afraid.
Concerned.
Because whoever was coming wasn’t just attacking him.
They were coming for me.
A few minutes later, the front doors opened.
Not forced.
Opened.
And Adrian walked inside.
Like he owned the place.
Like he hadn’t spent the entire day destroying my life.
He wore a dark coat over his suit.
No fear.
No panic.
Only confidence.
Behind him stood several men.
Not police.
Not security.
Something else.
People who followed orders without asking questions.
Adrian looked at me.
And smiled.
“Finally.””
My stomach twisted.
“How did you find me?””
He ignored the question.
Instead, his eyes moved around the room.
The old house.
The photographs.
The files.
Then he looked at Lucian.
“I should have known.””
Lucian’s expression was ice.
“Known what?””
“That she would come here.””
Adrian laughed quietly.
“Your father always believed Elena was smarter than everyone else.””
My blood ran cold.
“You knew my father.””
Adrian looked at me.
“Yes.””
The answer was casual.
Too casual.
“You knew he was alive.””
His smile faded slightly.
“Not at first.””
“Then when?””
He looked around.
“After he disappeared.””
I stepped forward.
“You knew he survived.””
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“And you said nothing?””
Adrian tilted his head.
“You really think I had a choice?””
I almost laughed.
“You always have a choice.””
His eyes hardened.
“No, Elena. People like us don’t.””
I stared at him.
People like us.
That phrase bothered me.
Because it sounded like he believed he was trapped.
Like he wasn’t the villain of his own story.
“You’re just like your father.””
The moment I said it, his expression changed.
A crack.
Tiny.
But real.
“Don’t talk about my father.””
“Why?””
I stepped closer.
“Because he’s alive?””
The room went silent.
Adrian’s face changed.
Not shock.
Recognition.
He already knew.
“You found the recording.””
Lucian moved instantly.
“You knew about the drive.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Of course.””
Lucian’s voice became colder.
“How?””
Adrian smiled.
“Because Victor created the system.””
The name hit the room like a weapon.
My mind raced.
Victor.
His father.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
The man who had built the empire Adrian inherited.
“You’re working for him.””
Adrian looked at me.
“No.””
A pause.
“I’m working with him.””
The honesty was horrifying.
I stared.
“You destroyed your own father?””
Adrian’s expression changed.
Something darker appeared.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You think I wanted this?””
His voice rose.
“You think I enjoyed becoming the man everyone expected me to be?””
Nobody spoke.
Adrian took a step closer.
“Victor Vale built everything. The company. The reputation. The empire.””
His jaw tightened.
“And when I was a child, I learned one thing.””
“What?””
“That love was weakness.””
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
Then I remembered the altar.
The cameras.
The smile.
“You became exactly like him.””
His eyes met mine.
“No.””
His voice dropped.
“I became worse.””
The confession hung there.
Lucian watched him carefully.
“You’re stalling.””
Adrian smiled.
“You always were impatient.””
The two men looked at each other.
And suddenly I understood.
This wasn’t the first time they had met.
They knew each other.
Not as enemies.
As something older.
Something complicated.
“You worked together.””
My words surprised both of them.
Lucian looked at me.
“Once.””
Adrian laughed.
“More than once.””
I looked at Lucian.
“Is that another thing you forgot to mention?””
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
Even though I expected it.
Adrian noticed.
And smiled.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The moment you realize he’s not your hero.””
Lucian’s eyes turned dangerous.
“Enough.””
But Adrian continued.
“He was there when your father disappeared.””
My heart stopped.
I turned to Lucian.
“What?””
Lucian didn’t answer.
And that silence was enough.
“You were there?””
“Elena—”
“You were there?””
His voice lowered.
“Yes.””
The room spun.
I stepped back.
“Why?””
Lucian looked at me.
“Because I was trying to save him.””
Adrian laughed.
“That’s what he told himself.””
I looked between them.
My entire life was a story everyone else knew except me.
Adrian saw my confusion.
And enjoyed it.
“Your father trusted him.””
Lucian’s expression hardened.
“Don’t.””
“But he didn’t know the truth.””
“What truth?””
Adrian smiled.
“The night your father disappeared…”
He paused.
“Lucian was the last person to see him.””
My heart pounded.
I looked at Lucian.
“Is that true?””
“Yes.””
The answer was immediate.
Too immediate.
My eyes burned.
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“I couldn’t.””
“Why?””
His expression changed.
“Because your father made me promise.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone has a promise.””
My voice cracked.
“But nobody has honesty.””
Silence.
Even Adrian stopped smiling.
Then suddenly, a gunshot exploded outside.
Everyone moved.
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Someone screamed.
A body hit the floor.
Lucian grabbed my arm.
“Down.””
I followed instinctively.
Another shot.
Glass shattered.
The security team returned fire.
The house became chaos.
But through the darkness, I heard something.
A voice.
Close.
Too close.
“Miss Marsh.””
I froze.
A man whispered near me.
“You shouldn’t have opened the drive.””
Before I could react, a hand grabbed my shoulder.
I turned.
A stranger stood behind me.
Not one of Lucian’s men.
Not one of Adrian’s.
Someone else.
He pulled me backward.
I fought.
Hard.
But he was stronger.
“Let go!””
Then Lucian’s voice cut through the room.
“Elena!””
A gunshot.
The man released me.
I fell forward.
Lucian caught me before I hit the floor.
For a second, we stared at each other.
His face was different.
Not controlled.
Not cold.
Terrified.
“Are you hurt?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
His hand tightened around mine.
Then he looked past me.
The attacker was gone.
But something had been left behind.
A small envelope.
Daniel picked it up.
His face changed when he saw the writing.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Elena…”
My heart sank.
“What?””
He handed me the envelope.
My name was written on it.
But not in Adrian’s handwriting.
Not in Lucian’s.
Not even my father’s.
It was written by someone I had never expected.
Someone who was supposed to be dead.
Inside was a single photograph.
And one sentence.
*Your father didn’t disappear to protect you. He disappeared because he betrayed me.*
I stared at the words.
Then turned the photograph over.
The picture showed my father.
Standing beside Victor Vale.
But this time…
They weren’t enemies.
They were shaking hands.
May you like
And on the back of the photograph was a date.
The same day my father died.
