Chapter 9 - The Choice Olivia Had to Make
Olivia drove to her mother's house alone.
Adrian wanted to follow.
She refused.
Not because she didn't trust him.
Because she needed one conversation without anyone protecting her from the truth.
Her mother opened the door before Olivia knocked.
She looked older than she had the day before.
“Come in.”
Olivia stepped inside.
“You knew.”
Her mother nodded.
“About the poison?”
“Yes.”
“Who did it?”
Her mother sat down.
“Your father's doctor.”
“Why?”
“Because he was paid.”
“By Thomas?”
“No.”
Olivia's stomach tightened.
“By Cross?”
Her mother shook her head.
“Someone above him.”
“Who?”
Her mother looked at her.
“Felix.”
Olivia stared.
“But Felix worked for Thomas.”
“Sometimes.”
“What does that mean?”
“Thomas wasn't the mastermind.”
Olivia sat.
Her mother took a breath.
“Felix and Thomas were both working for someone else.”
“Who?”
She placed a photograph on the table.
A wealthy businessman.
Olivia recognized him immediately.
He owned half the companies connected to her father's old business.
Adrian had warned her about him.
His name was Victor Hale.
Olivia whispered:
“He's still alive.”
“Yes.”
“And he wants me dead.”
Her mother nodded.
“Because your father left proof.”
“Where?”
Her mother pointed toward Olivia.
“Inside your inheritance.”
Olivia frowned.
“I don't have an inheritance.”
“You do.”
Her mother handed her a key.
It was small.
Silver.
“Your father put everything inside a trust.”
Olivia stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Victor threatened Ryan.”
Olivia closed her eyes.
“That's why Ryan disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Her mother began crying.
“I thought if I cooperated, I could protect both of you.”
“You almost destroyed us.”
“I know.”
Olivia stood.
She wanted to hate her.
But she saw the fear in her mother's face.
For the first time, she understood that her mother had been trapped too.
Then the front door opened.
Adrian entered.
“Olivia.”
She turned.
“How did you know?”
“Your mother called me.”
Olivia looked at her.
Her mother nodded.
Adrian stepped closer.
“We found Victor.”
“Where?”
“He's heading to the trust office.”
Olivia's heart raced.
“Then we go.”
They arrived at the building.
Victor was already there.
The trust office was empty except for him.
He stood beside a safe.
“Olivia.”
She stopped.
Victor smiled.
“You have your father's eyes.”
“Give me the evidence.”
He laughed.
“You still think this is about evidence?”
“What else?”
“Control.”
He opened the safe.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
Bank records.
And one final recording.
Victor picked it up.
“Your father thought money was enough to protect you.”
He pressed play.
Her father's voice filled the room.
“If Victor is hearing this, then my daughter has finally found the truth.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
The recording continued.
“I know what you did.”
Victor reached for the device.
Adrian stopped him.
“Let it play.”
Her father continued.
“You believed Olivia was the key.”
A pause.
“But she isn't.”
Olivia stared.
“She is the witness.”
Her father's voice softened.
“She remembers more than she knows.”
Olivia suddenly remembered the red box.
The diner.
The phrase.
Bluebird.
Then everything clicked.
Her father had hidden the final evidence in her childhood memory.
The phrase wasn't random.
It was the password.
Olivia looked at the trust documents.
A code was printed on the final page.
BLUEBIRD.
She entered it.
The computer unlocked.
A complete archive appeared.
Victor stepped backward.
“No.”
Adrian looked at Olivia.
“Copy everything.”
She did.
Files transferred.
Bank records.
Video evidence.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Everything.
Victor reached for the computer.
Adrian stopped him.
Sirens sounded outside.
Police entered.
But Victor smiled.
“You think this ends with me?”
Olivia looked at him.
“It ends with the truth.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward the door.
“Look.”
Daniel Cross stood there.
But he wasn't alone.
Behind him was Felix.
Felix looked at Olivia.
“I told you.”
He smiled.
“You never knew who was protecting you.”
Adrian stepped forward.
Felix raised his hands.
“I didn't come to hurt her.”
Everyone froze.
Felix looked at Victor.
“I came to testify.”
Victor's face went pale.
Felix pulled a folder from his coat.
“I have everything.”
Victor stared.
“You traitor.”
Felix smiled.
“You stopped paying me.”
Olivia looked at Adrian.
Adrian nodded.
“This is the end.”
But then Felix turned toward Olivia.
“There is one more thing.”
He placed a photograph on the table.
It showed a young girl.
Olivia.
Standing beside her father.
And behind them was a woman Olivia had never seen before.
Felix whispered:
“She knows why your father chose you.”
Olivia picked up the photograph.
On the back was an address.
And a name.
Her grandmother.
May you like
Alive.
Living two states away.
