Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN BEHIND IT ALL
Evelyn Cole had never been dead.
She had never even been missing.
She had simply changed her name.
Bianca stared at her mother.
“You weren’t supposed to be here.”
Evelyn smiled.
“And leave this to you?”
“You promised.”
“I promised you an opportunity.”
Julian looked at Bianca.
“Your mother planned this?”
Bianca said nothing.
Evelyn answered.
“Bianca was twelve when Victor Laurent died.”
Julian frowned.
“Victor wasn’t her father?”
“Not biologically.”
Bianca closed her eyes.
Evelyn continued.
“Victor raised her.”
Adrian laughed.
“My sister was always complicated.”
Julian pieced it together.
“You were involved with Victor.”
“Yes.”
“And Adrian.”
“My brother handled logistics.”
Martha looked disgusted.
“You destroyed everyone around you.”
Evelyn turned.
“Charles destroyed himself.”
“You murdered him.”
“Victor did.”
“You ordered it.”
Evelyn smiled slightly.
“Semantics.”
Julian felt rage burn through him.
“My father died because he tried to stop you.”
“Your father died because he became self-righteous after making millions from the same system.”
Martha snapped:
“That’s a lie.”
“Is it?”
Evelyn looked at Julian.
“Ask your mother how Hale Industries grew so quickly in the nineties.”
Julian looked at Martha.
She didn’t answer.
“Mom?”
Martha whispered:
“Your father knew some shipments were questionable.”
Julian stared.
“How questionable?”
“He didn’t know the full extent.”
“But he knew something.”
“Yes.”
Julian felt another piece of his childhood crumble.
Evelyn smiled.
“Charles enjoyed the money until his conscience woke up.”
Martha stepped forward.
“He spent the rest of his life trying to fix it.”
“And died trying.”
Evelyn’s voice was ice.
Bianca suddenly said:
“Enough.”
Her mother looked at her.
“What?”
“This isn’t why we’re here.”
“You’re right.”
Evelyn turned to Julian.
“We need the authorization.”
“I won’t give it.”
“You will.”
“No.”
Evelyn raised the gun toward Martha.
Bianca stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Everyone went still.
Evelyn stared at her daughter.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Bianca.”
“You said nobody had to die.”
Adrian laughed.
“You really have gone soft.”
Bianca ignored him.
Evelyn’s expression became almost sad.
“You were always too emotional.”
“I did everything you asked.”
“You seduced him.”
“I lived with him for three years.”
“For a purpose.”
“I know.”
“Then finish it.”
Bianca looked at Julian.
He saw tears in her eyes.
For the first time, he didn’t know whether they were real.
She whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Julian said nothing.
Evelyn stepped closer.
“You think he’ll forgive you?”
Bianca closed her eyes.
“No.”
“Then stop pretending this can end differently.”
The plane began descending.
Zurich lights appeared below.
At the private terminal, they were transferred to three black vehicles.
Julian watched signs.
Roads.
Turns.
Anything he could remember.
They arrived at a secluded estate outside the city.
Inside, Evelyn took them to a secure room.
Computers covered one wall.
A banking representative waited via encrypted video.
“Mr. Hale,” the man said, “we require facial confirmation, voice confirmation, and the legacy phrase.”
Julian looked at Evelyn.
“I don’t know the phrase.”
She smiled.
“Yes, you do.”
“I don’t.”
Martha whispered:
“Julian.”
He looked at her.
“Your father taught it to you when you were a boy.”
“I don’t remember.”
Evelyn raised the gun.
Martha flinched.
Julian shouted:
“Stop!”
“Remember quickly.”
Julian searched his childhood.
Fishing trips.
Camping.
His father’s voice.
A stupid bedtime phrase Charles repeated whenever Julian was afraid.
A lion does not fear the dark.
Julian looked at the screen.
Then something clicked.
The lion sleeps beneath the stone.
His father had built everything around old family phrases.
“I know it.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Good.”
Julian stepped toward the camera.
The representative began verification.
“State your full name.”
“Julian Charles Hale.”
“State the legacy phrase.”
Julian stared at the screen.
Then smiled.
“The lion wakes at dawn.”
Evelyn frowned.
The banker said:
“Phrase accepted.”
Evelyn relaxed.
Then the computer flashed red.
ACCOUNT LOCKED.
Evelyn spun toward Julian.
“What did you do?”
Julian smiled.
“My father taught me two phrases.”
Alarms began sounding.
The screen displayed:
DURESS PROTOCOL ACTIVATED.
AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED.
Adrian lunged for Julian.
Bianca screamed.
May you like
A gun fired.
Martha fell to the floor.
