Chapter 13 - THE BETRAYAL HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
The hallway became completely silent.
Every person inside the mansion was staring at Adrien.
Even his own men.
Even Marco.
Especially me.
Because the woman standing in front of us had just accused the one person who had protected me from the beginning.
“You’re lying,” I whispered.
The woman with my face smiled.
“Are you sure?”
My stomach twisted.
Adrien didn’t move.
He didn’t defend himself.
And that scared me.
“Adrien.”
My voice cracked.
“Tell me she’s lying.”
His eyes met mine.
And for a moment, I saw something I had never seen before.
Pain.
“I was there that night.”
The words hit me like a bullet.
My breathing stopped.
“What?”
Adrien looked down.
“Twenty years ago, when your mother disappeared…”
He swallowed.
“I was there.”
The room felt smaller.
“You knew?”
“I was sixteen.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“I didn’t know the entire truth.”
The woman beside me laughed.
“Of course he didn’t.”
She walked around the room.
“Adrien always believed he was the hero.”
Adrien looked at her.
“Shut up.”
She smiled.
“Your father ordered it.”
My blood ran cold.
“What did he order?”
Adrien closed his eyes.
“The removal of all evidence.”
I stepped backward.
“All evidence?”
“The documents your mother had.”
My hands shook.
“And my mother?”
Adrien looked at me.
“I tried to help her.”
The words came out like a confession.
“But I failed.”
I stared at him.
“Why should I believe you?”
He had no answer.
Because he knew.
He knew I had every reason to doubt him.
The woman with my face stepped closer.
“My name is Isabella.”
I looked at her.
“Why do you look like me?”
She smiled sadly.
“Because we were created from the same secret.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“My mother was a scientist.”
She looked at Adrien.
“Your father paid her to create a replacement.”
A replacement.
The word made me sick.
“They wanted someone who could take your place.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother knew too much.”
I looked at the necklace around my neck.
The key.
The evidence.
Everything led back to one thing.
The truth my mother died trying to protect.
Suddenly, alarms exploded throughout the mansion.
Everyone turned.
Marco grabbed his weapon.
“We have intruders.”
Adrien immediately moved.
“Get Lena out.”
I looked at him.
“You’re not coming?”
He looked toward the entrance.
“No.”
“Why?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because this time, I’m ending what my family started.”
May you like
Gunshots echoed through the mansion.
And then the lights went out.
