Chapter 10 - The Family Patricia Never Mentioned
I pulled away from Marcus.
"What did you lie about?"
He stared at the frozen image of my father.
"His death."
The room tilted.
Victoria whispered, "Marcus."
He looked at me.
"Jonathan did not die the night you were told."
I could barely speak.
"I buried him."
"No."
"What?"
"The coffin was empty."
I slapped him.
Hard.
He took it.
I hit him again.
He still did not move.
"Eleven months," he said.
I stopped.
"What?"
"Your father lived eleven more months."
My hands shook so badly I dropped the remote.
"Where?"
"Private medical residence."
"Why?"
"He believed someone had tried to poison him."
"Who?"
"We didn't know."
"You let me think he was dead."
"He ordered it."
"You obeyed."
"Yes."
Victoria looked sick.
"Did he know Emily was grieving him?"
"Yes."
I could not look at either of them.
The monitor clicked.
My father's recording continued automatically.
"Emily, if Marcus has reached this room, then the first layer failed."
I froze.
His face filled the screen.
"The marriage was always the risk."
I whispered, "No."
Jonathan continued.
"Patricia understands loneliness better than most criminals understand locks."
My chest tightened.
"She would never force Emily into a marriage. She would make Emily choose it."
I pressed both hands to the table.
Marcus said, "I am sorry."
"Don't."
The recording continued.
"Daniel may not understand the whole design when he meets her."
I looked at Marcus.
"May?"
"Jonathan hoped Daniel would turn."
"Hope."
My father said, "If Daniel hits her, end it immediately."
Marcus closed his eyes.
I understood.
The activation plan.
The account freeze.
The police.
Everything ready.
They had been waiting for a line Daniel was never supposed to cross.
I turned on Marcus.
"You knew he had been sent to meet me before our first date."
"Yes."
The truth was quiet.
"I loved him."
"I know."
"You watched me marry him."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because your father believed Daniel was the only path to Patricia's network."
I laughed.
"So I was bait."
"No."
"What else do you call it?"
Marcus had no answer.
The monitor continued.
"Peter will eventually call her."
I spun back.
My father's recorded face.
"He will claim Marcus once worked for Patricia. That part is true."
Marcus said nothing.
"Peter will also claim the Vance assets belong to him."
Jonathan leaned closer to the camera.
"They do not."
I held my breath.
"Because Peter Hale and Michael Cross are not the same man."
Relief and confusion collided.
"Then why the shared number?"
Jonathan answered as if hearing me.
"Michael stole Peter's identity after Peter disappeared."
Marcus whispered, "We never proved it."
"Your father did."
The recording continued.
"Michael Cross was Patricia's husband. He helped her construct the first signature chain. Peter Hale tried to expose them."
I sat.
Peter had not stolen.
He had run.
Jonathan continued.
"Samuel Vance discovered the same network."
Victoria moved closer to the screen.
"Samuel wanted to destroy it."
Her eyes filled.
Then my father said:
"Samuel failed because someone inside his own family warned Patricia."
Victoria stopped breathing.
I looked at her.
"Who?"
The tape flickered.
Jonathan's image warped.
Then stabilized.
"Victoria must never be blamed for what her father did."
She whispered, "What?"
"Because Samuel Vance was not merely her father."
The tape cut to static.
A siren sounded upstairs.
Marcus checked his phone.
Police alert.
Prison transport incident.
Daniel.
I looked at him.
"What happened?"
His face tightened.
"Daniel's missing."
Then my phone received a video.
Daniel tied to a chair.
Victoria gasped.
On screen, another woman stepped behind him.
Patricia.
She pressed a pistol against his neck.
But then someone else moved into frame.
A young woman.
Green eyes.
Same cheekbones as Victoria.
Patricia looked at the camera.
"Bring me Samuel's ledger."
I whispered, "Who is she?"
Victoria stared.
Patricia smiled.
"My daughter."
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CUT.
