Chapter 10 - The Woman Behind M.R.
The restoration studio was empty.
Every light was on.
Every door was unlocked.
Mateo walked beside me.
“Stay close.”
“I am.”
We entered the main room.
Paintings covered the walls.
Furniture sat beneath protective cloth.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
I saw my desk.
My father's old chair.
And a black envelope.
My name was written across it.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Gemma.
She was tied to a chair.
My heart stopped.
A message followed.
One hour.
Mateo took the paper.
“Don't react.”
“How can I not react?”
“Because they want you emotional.”
I stared at the photograph.
Then noticed the background.
A clock.
A brass lamp.
A blue curtain.
I knew that room.
“The old Meridian Hotel.”
Mateo looked at me.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
We left immediately.
At the hotel, we entered through the service entrance.
The building was abandoned.
Dust covered the floor.
We followed the sound of dripping water.
Then heard Gemma.
“Maeve!”
I ran.
Mateo grabbed my arm.
“Wait.”
A wire was stretched across the hallway.
He cut it.
We entered.
Gemma was tied to a chair.
Alive.
Barely conscious.
I rushed to her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Get me out.”
Mateo cut the ropes.
Then Gemma grabbed my hand.
“Maeve, listen.”
“What?”
“Brandon wasn't behind this.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't.”
“What do you mean?”
She looked at Mateo.
“The person controlling M.R. Holdings is a woman.”
Mateo froze.
“Who?”
Gemma swallowed.
“Your mother.”
I stared.
“My mother?”
“She met Brandon months before your engagement.”
I couldn't breathe.
Mateo looked at me.
“Your mother knew about the money.”
Gemma continued.
“She used Brandon to access the account.”
“No.”
“She needed your signature.”
My mother.
The woman who had raised me.
The woman who told me my father was a broken man.
The woman who had begged me to marry Brandon.
Everything collapsed.
Then footsteps echoed behind us.
My mother appeared.
She was holding a gun.
“Gemma.”
Gemma backed away.
I stared at her.
“Mom?”
She looked at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I never wanted you hurt.”
Mateo stepped forward.
“You lied to everyone.”
“I did what I had to do.”
“Why?”
My mother looked at me.
“Because your father left me nothing.”
I shook my head.
“You had me.”
Her expression broke.
“That was never enough.”
She raised the gun.
Mateo moved.
Then another man stepped behind my mother.
Silver hair.
Cold eyes.
A face I had seen in the old photograph.
Victor Hayes.
He smiled at me.
“Hello, Maeve.”
Mateo turned slowly.
Victor lifted his weapon.
May you like
And said:
“Now we can finally discuss what your father owed me...”
