Chapter 7 - THE BETRAYAL NO ONE EXPECTED
The image froze.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone recognized him.
Dr. Samuel Mercer.
Clare stepped backward.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“No, he wouldn’t.”
Dominic looked at the screen.
He wanted to believe that too.
Mercer had saved his life.
Helped him after the accident.
Sat beside him during painful rehabilitation sessions.
But Dominic had learned something important over the years.
The most dangerous betrayals never came from strangers.
They came from people who knew where you were weakest.
“Find him.”
Vincent immediately grabbed his phone.
But Dominic stopped him.
“Not yet.”
Vincent looked confused.
“Boss?”
“If Mercer took Ellie, he didn’t do it for himself.”
Dominic looked at the image.
“Someone is controlling him.”
Clare wiped her tears.
“How can you know that?”
Dominic looked at her.
“Because a guilty man runs.”
He pointed at the screen.
“He walked out calmly.”
A few minutes later, Vincent received a message.
His face changed.
“What?”
Vincent looked at Dominic.
“He contacted us.”
“Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Vincent showed the message.
A location.
An abandoned rehabilitation center outside Chicago.
Dominic grabbed his coat.
Clare stepped forward.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“I know.”
“Then let me come.”
Dominic looked at her.
The fear in her eyes wasn’t weakness.
It was a mother ready to walk into danger.
“Stay behind me.”
Clare nodded.
The team moved.
Forty minutes later, Dominic entered the abandoned building.
The smell of dust and old medicine filled the air.
“Ellie!”
Clare shouted.
A small voice answered.
“Mommy?”
She ran forward.
But Dominic stopped her.
A shadow moved.
Then Mercer stepped out.
Holding Ellie’s hand.
Everyone raised their weapons.
Mercer immediately lifted his hands.
“Wait!”
Dominic stared.
“What happened?”
Mercer looked exhausted.
“I was trying to protect her.”
Clare rushed toward Ellie.
Mercer let go.
Ellie ran into her mother’s arms.
Dominic watched Mercer.
“You kidnapped her.”
“No.”
Mercer shook his head.
“I saved her.”
“From who?”
Mercer looked behind Dominic.
Everyone followed his eyes.
A man stood in the doorway.
Slow applause echoed through the building.
Arthur Voss.
“You really thought the doctor was the problem?”
Dominic’s face hardened.
Arthur smiled.
“You’re still thinking too small, Dominic.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“The brace was never about hurting your leg.”
Dominic stared.
“Then what was it about?”
May you like
Arthur smiled.
“Making everyone believe you were losing your mind.”
