Chapter 6 - The Choice Marcus Never Expected
Adrian moved in front of Vivien.
Marcus laughed.
"There."
He gestured with the gun.
"That instinct."
Vivien could barely breathe.
Not from the gas anymore.
From the fact that the gun was aimed at Adrian's chest.
Marcus continued.
"Dominic had it too."
Victor stood beside Eleanor.
He looked older than he had at the cemetery.
Tired.
Almost defeated.
"Matthew," Victor said quietly.
"Don't."
Vivien focused on Marcus.
Matthew.
The name felt wrong.
But perhaps Marcus had always felt wrong too.
"Your father's alive," she said.
Marcus looked at Victor.
"My father spent twenty years pretending obedience would keep us safe."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Your father is the reason you had a life."
"No."
Marcus pointed at the vault.
"That is the reason I had a life."
Adrian spoke.
"You want the archive."
"I want what your family stole."
"My father is dead."
"And mine lived like a servant."
Victor suddenly laughed.
Bitterly.
"You were twelve years old in private school when Dominic died."
Marcus ignored him.
Victor continued.
"You had a trust fund. Cars. Tutors. College."
"Bought with silence."
"Bought because I loved you."
Marcus finally looked at him.
For the first time, uncertainty.
Vivien saw it.
Victor stepped away from Eleanor.
"I betrayed Dominic."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"I transferred companies after his death."
"Why?"
"Because I thought the empire would collapse."
Victor looked around.
"Your father wanted out."
Adrian froze.
"What?"
"He built Vault 317 because he wanted leverage against everyone who refused to let him leave."
Vivien remembered Daniel's recording.
A record of payments.
Politicians.
Police.
Companies.
"Dominic planned to turn evidence over to federal investigators," Victor said.
Marcus shook his head.
"He's lying."
"No."
Victor looked at Eleanor.
"Tell them."
Eleanor spoke carefully.
"Dominic wanted immunity for the families."
Adrian stared at her.
"My father?"
"Yes."
"He was trying to dismantle his own organization?"
"Yes."
Adrian absorbed it in silence.
Victor looked at Marcus.
"Your mother discovered the plan."
Marcus's face changed.
"My mother died when I was six."
"No."
Victor's voice cracked.
"She was killed because she tried to sell the archive."
Marcus stopped breathing.
Vivien watched.
Victor continued.
"Dominic didn't kill her."
"Shut up."
"I did."
Silence.
Even Adrian looked shocked.
Victor's eyes filled.
"She was going to sell every name to a rival organization. They would have killed all of us."
Marcus whispered, "You murdered my mother."
"I stopped her."
"You murdered her."
"Yes."
Marcus raised the gun toward Victor.
Eleanor moved.
Vivien shouted, "Don't!"
Marcus swung back.
Adrian attacked.
Everything exploded.
Adrian drove Marcus into the wall.
The gun fired.
Concrete chipped.
Caleb pulled Eleanor away.
Victor fell backward.
Vivien saw the weapon skid across the floor.
Marcus reached for it.
Vivien got there first.
She picked it up.
Everyone froze.
Marcus looked at her.
"Vivien."
She held the gun with both hands.
"Don't say my name."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
He took one step.
"Stop."
He stopped.
Adrian slowly stood.
Blood ran from his eyebrow.
Marcus looked at Vivien as if Adrian weren't there.
"I loved you."
Vivien almost laughed.
"No."
"I did."
"You loved deciding what I wore."
"Vivien—"
"You loved deciding which friends were bad for me."
"I was protecting—"
"You loved telling me my shop would fail."
"Because I wanted you away from Houston."
"You told me nobody else would want me."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Because if someone did, I couldn't control where you went."
The admission hung between them.
Vivien nodded slowly.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For finally telling the truth."
His face changed.
She handed the gun to Adrian.
Marcus stared.
"You trust him?"
Vivien looked at Adrian.
"More than I trust you."
Something in Marcus broke.
He lunged.
Adrian stopped him.
Caleb restrained him.
Victor stood against the wall.
Sirens sounded faintly above.
Vivien looked at Adrian.
"You called the police?"
"Federal agents."
"Before we came?"
"Last night."
She blinked.
"You already knew what you were going to do with the archive."
"I knew what I hoped to do."
"Destroy your father's empire."
"Finish what he apparently started."
The sirens grew louder.
Victor looked at Adrian.
"You'll lose everything."
Adrian looked around the vault.
"Maybe."
"Companies. Property. Accounts."
"Anything built with stolen money shouldn't be mine."
Vivien felt tears sting her eyes.
Marcus laughed from Caleb's grip.
"You think that makes you good?"
Adrian looked at him.
"No."
The simplicity silenced everyone.
"I think choices matter more than labels."
Federal agents entered minutes later.
Victor surrendered.
Marcus did not.
He screamed that the archive belonged to him.
That Adrian had manipulated Vivien.
That Eleanor was a liar.
That his mother deserved justice.
But by then, the evidence had already copied to a secure federal server.
Marcus's version of reality no longer controlled the room.
Vivien stood beside her mother on the cemetery lawn as the sun rose.
Eleanor's hands were free.
Adrian spoke to agents several yards away.
Vivien watched him.
Her mother noticed.
"You love him."
Vivien turned.
"That's a dramatic conclusion."
"I've been alive eleven years longer than you thought. Let me be dramatic."
Vivien almost smiled.
Then anger returned.
"Don't make jokes like everything is fixed."
Eleanor lowered her gaze.
"You're right."
"I don't know how to forgive you."
"I know."
"I may not."
"I know."
Vivien's throat tightened.
"But I don't want you to disappear again."
Eleanor looked up.
"I won't."
Vivien nodded.
It wasn't forgiveness.
But it was a beginning.
Adrian approached.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Good answer."
She smiled faintly.
"What happens now?"
"Statements. Lawyers. Very unpleasant accountants."
"Your empire?"
"Some of it will be seized."
"Does that scare you?"
"No."
"What does?"
He looked at her.
"You."
Vivien blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I know how to deal with men holding guns."
He stepped closer.
"I have absolutely no idea what to do with you."
Her heart accelerated.
"That's because you keep assuming something needs to be done."
"Fair."
She looked at the cut above his eyebrow.
"You need stitches."
"Probably."
"And sleep."
"Definitely."
"And less expensive shirts if you're going to keep ruining them."
He looked down at the torn sleeve.
"I liked this shirt."
"It made you look intimidating."
"Made?"
She smiled.
"You're less intimidating once people realize you say please."
He laughed softly.
Vivien's expression became serious.
"Adrian."
"Yes?"
"When you told me whoever married me would be lucky..."
His face changed.
"I meant it."
"I know."
She stepped closer.
He went very still.
"You assumed I was embarrassed."
"Weren't you?"
"No."
"Then what were you?"
Vivien looked directly into his eyes.
"Disappointed."
He frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you were talking about some hypothetical man."
Adrian stared at her.
The powerful, controlled Adrian Vale looked completely confused.
Vivien almost enjoyed it.
Then understanding slowly crossed his face.
"Vivien."
"Yes."
"Are you saying—"
His phone rang.
He closed his eyes.
She laughed.
"Answer it."
"I don't want to."
"It could matter."
"It has terrible timing."
He answered.
His expression changed almost immediately.
"What?"
Vivien stopped smiling.
Adrian listened.
Then looked at her.
"How long ago?"
He ended the call.
"What happened?"
Adrian glanced toward the federal vehicles.
"Marcus escaped."
Vivien's blood turned cold.
"How?"
"Transport team was hit."
"Victor?"
"Still in custody."
Adrian looked at the cemetery road.
"Marcus didn't run."
Vivien understood.
"He came back for something."
Adrian nodded.
His phone vibrated again.
A text message.
Unknown number.
He showed her.
A photograph.
Ash Floral.
Taken from across the street.
The lights were on.
Vivien stared.
Her shop should have been closed.
Then another image arrived.
Inside the shop stood Nora, Vivien's assistant.
Someone was behind her.
Marcus.
The final message appeared.
May you like
COME ALONE, VIVIEN.
OR I FINISH WHAT I STARTED THREE YEARS AGO.
