Chapter 3 - Three Years Without a Grave
Adrien reached for the phone.
Mara pulled it away.
"No."
"She's upstairs."
"That's exactly why you're not running up there."
"Mara—"
"Three years ago, someone manipulated you into choosing the direction they wanted. You're about to do it again."
Adrien stopped.
She was right.
He hated that she was right.
He signaled his new security chief, Elena Ward.
Unlike Victor, Elena had no childhood friendship with Adrien. She had no sentimental access to him. Mara had secretly investigated her before returning.
"Lock the estate," Adrien said. "Nobody enters or leaves."
Elena nodded.
"And the nursery?"
"Observe first."
Mara looked at him.
For the first time that evening, something resembling approval flickered across her face.
Noah tugged Mara's hand.
"Mommy, I'm tired."
Adrien's expression softened instantly.
Mara knelt.
"I know, sweetheart."
Elena arranged a protected room downstairs.
Before Noah left, he looked at Adrien.
"Are you my dad?"
The ballroom seemed to disappear.
Adrien crouched again.
He could have said yes.
Instead he looked at Mara.
She gave the smallest nod.
Adrien turned back.
"Yes."
Noah considered that.
"Mom said you didn't know where we were."
Adrien swallowed.
"That's true."
"Did you look?"
Every defense Adrien had built around himself collapsed.
"Every day."
Noah stared at him for another moment.
Then he walked away with Elena.
Mara watched Adrien watching him.
"Don't make promises to him."
"I won't."
"Don't buy him things to make yourself feel better."
"I won't."
"Don't expect him to love you because you're his father."
Adrien nodded.
"I won't."
That surprised her.
Three years earlier, Adrien would have argued.
This man didn't.
They returned to the phone.
The nursery feed was empty.
Simone had vanished.
Elena's team searched upstairs.
Nobody.
But beneath the crib they found something.
A sapphire earring.
The same pair Simone had worn the night Mara disappeared.
Mara stared at it.
Adrien recognized it too.
"I lied about those."
"I know."
"I bought them for her before I ended it."
Mara's jaw tightened.
"How comforting."
"I was unfaithful to you."
She looked at him.
He continued.
"I'm not going to insult you by changing the language now. I betrayed you."
Mara hadn't expected that.
Adrien had spent years turning wrongdoing into explanations.
Tonight he offered none.
"Why did Simone warn me?"
"I don't know."
"Then let's find out."
The encrypted file required Victor's password.
Mara entered it.
The screen opened.
A series of financial records appeared.
Shell companies.
Security payments.
Property transfers.
Adrien leaned closer.
One name appeared repeatedly.
HAIL-V DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
Victor.
But another set of initials appeared beside his.
S.V.
"Simone Vey," Adrien said.
"Maybe."
Mara scrolled.
Then she stopped.
One transaction had been made two days after her disappearance.
Five million dollars.
Recipient:
A. PIKE.
Adrien stared.
"Pike took money?"
"He saved me."
"Then why did Victor pay him?"
Mara's stomach tightened.
The story she had believed for three years suddenly developed a crack.
Pike had taken her through the tunnel.
Pike had arranged the medical transport.
Pike had given her the phone.
Without him, Noah might have died.
But five million dollars?
Adrien opened another file.
Audio.
Victor's voice.
"If Cole believes his wife is dead, he'll become controllable."
Then Simone.
"And the child?"
A pause.
Victor answered.
"Depends whether Pike follows instructions."
Mara's hand flew to her mouth.
Adrien's face became murderous.
Mara stopped him with one look.
"No."
"He threatened my son."
"Our son. And rage is exactly how Victor controlled you before."
Adrien forced himself still.
The next recording was damaged.
They heard Pike.
"...not doing this..."
Victor answered.
"...already paid..."
Then static.
Mara stared at the payment again.
Perhaps Pike hadn't been paid to betray her.
Perhaps he had been paid before changing sides.
Or perhaps everything Mara believed about her escape had been designed.
A sound came from behind them.
Noah.
He stood in the doorway.
Mara immediately closed the laptop.
"Sweetheart?"
"I couldn't sleep."
Adrien looked at his son.
Three years of birthdays he had missed.
First steps.
First words.
Fevers.
Nightmares.
Christmas mornings.
All because of one decision built on one lie.
Noah walked toward Mara.
Then stopped beside Adrien.
"Mom said you have a room with trains."
Adrien blinked.
Mara looked embarrassed.
Apparently she had told Noah more than she admitted.
"I do," Adrien said.
"Can I see it?"
Mara started to object.
Then stopped.
"Ten minutes."
Noah took Adrien's hand.
Adrien stared down at their joined fingers.
He nearly broke.
The train room had once belonged to Adrien's father.
Noah immediately dropped to the floor.
For ten minutes, the conspiracy disappeared.
Adrien showed him a locomotive.
Noah asked questions.
Mara stood in the doorway.
And for one dangerous moment, she imagined the life they should have had.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Aaron Pike.
Alive.
Older.
Standing outside a roadside motel.
Underneath were six words.
ASK ADRIEN WHO ORDERED THE TUNNEL SEALED.
Mara slowly looked up.
Adrien was laughing quietly with Noah.
Her blood went cold.
Because she remembered something Pike had never told her.
Minutes after they escaped Blackthorn House, the tunnel behind them had exploded.
Someone had tried to make sure nobody came back through it.
Mara turned the phone toward Adrien.
His smile disappeared.
Then another message arrived.
HE KNOWS WHO GAVE THE ORDER.
A third message began downloading.
May you like
It was an audio recording.
And the voice on it belonged to Adrien.
