Chapter 5 - The Friend Who Knew Everything
Marco raised both hands.
“I can explain.”
Adrian's weapon remained trained on him.
“Start.”
“I knew Luca survived.”
Elena stared.
“You lied to Adrian for six years?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marco looked at Adrian.
“Your father ordered me to.”
Adrian's voice became dangerous.
“My father has been dead three years.”
“I know.”
“So why continue?”
“Because Luca wasn't the real threat.”
Marco placed his weapon on the floor.
“The Crown was.”
The organization had infiltrated government agencies, corporations and criminal families.
Adrian's father had discovered it too late.
Luca joined them willingly.
Then tried to escape.
The fake death had originally been designed to save him.
Instead, Luca returned to them.
“He wanted power,” Marco said. “The Crown promised him legitimacy.”
Adrian lowered his weapon slightly.
“And Daniel?”
“His father recruited him.”
Elena shook her head.
“No. Daniel was terrified of Luca.”
“Because Daniel tried to leave.”
Everything became more complicated.
Nobody was innocent.
Nobody was entirely guilty.
Except Luca.
He had chosen revenge.
Adrian finally asked the question that mattered.
“Where is the ledger?”
Marco looked toward Elena.
“Her wedding ring.”
Elena stared at her hand.
She had removed Daniel's ring at the cemetery.
It was in her purse.
Marco explained.
Daniel had hidden a microdrive inside it.
He planned to turn the Crown's evidence over to federal investigators after the wedding.
That was why Luca needed Elena.
Not Adrian.
Elena retrieved the ring.
Inside the setting was a tiny data chip.
Adrian almost laughed.
Daniel had nearly saved them all.
They returned to federal headquarters.
Daniel was gone.
Not escaped.
Taken.
Security footage showed two federal agents escorting him away.
Both agents belonged to the Crown.
Elena sat beside Adrian afterward.
“I judged Daniel too quickly.”
“So did I.”
“You hated him.”
“Yes.”
“Because he betrayed us?”
“No.”
She looked at Adrian.
“Because he was marrying you.”
Elena smiled despite everything.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Jealousy.”
Adrian looked straight ahead.
“I prefer strategic resentment.”
She laughed.
It was the first genuine laugh he had heard from her since returning from the dead.
He looked at her.
Elena stopped.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're staring.”
“I missed that sound.”
Her smile faded.
The space between them changed.
Adrian touched her face.
Elena closed her eyes.
Then kissed him.
Not gently.
Eleven months of grief collided with anger, relief and love.
When they separated, Elena whispered, “I'm still angry.”
“I know.”
“I haven't forgiven you.”
“I know.”
She kissed him again.
“Just making sure.”
Their happiness lasted approximately twelve minutes.
Then the microdrive decrypted.
The Crown membership list appeared.
Judges.
Federal agents.
Executives.
Police commanders.
Senator Hart.
And one final name.
Elena leaned closer.
“No.”
Adrian stared.
The highest-ranking member wasn't Luca.
It wasn't Senator Hart.
It was Elena's father.
Thomas Marlowe.
The man Elena believed had died when she was seventeen.
A second file automatically opened.
A live video.
Thomas Marlowe sat behind a desk.
Older.
Alive.
“Elena,” he said into the camera.
May you like
She stopped breathing.
“If you're watching this, sweetheart, then Adrian has finally made the mistake I knew he would make.”
