Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN WHO HAD NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE
Nathan moved Grace and Lily to a secure property outside Chicago.
Only Daniel and two federal agents knew the location.
Or so they believed.
At 2:13 a.m., the alarms went off.
Nathan woke instantly.
“Grace.”
She sat up.
“What?”
Red security lights flashed.
Someone shouted downstairs.
Nathan grabbed Lily.
Grace reached for the emergency phone.
Dead.
“Power’s cut.”
Nathan carried Lily toward the safe room.
Then smoke crawled beneath the hallway door.
“Fire.”
Grace’s face changed.
They ran.
A window exploded downstairs.
Men shouted.
Nathan shoved Lily into Grace’s arms.
“Safe room.”
“What about you?”
“Go!”
Grace grabbed him.
“We stay together.”
Another explosion shook the house.
Nathan looked at Lily.
“Okay.”
They moved toward the basement safe room.
Halfway down, a figure stepped from the shadows.
Victoria.
Grace froze.
Nathan stopped.
Victoria held a gun.
Her beautiful face looked exhausted.
No makeup.
Hair messy.
Nothing left of the polished woman Nathan had known.
“Give me the child.”
Nathan stepped in front of Grace.
“No.”
Victoria laughed.
“You burned everything.”
“You did that yourself.”
“My father is in jail.”
“He tried to kill people.”
“My family name is destroyed.”
“You attacked a four-year-old.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“All because she showed up.”
Grace stared.
“No.”
Victoria looked at her.
“All because your mother raised you to believe money made you untouchable.”
Victoria pointed the gun at Grace.
“Shut up.”
Lily began crying.
Nathan moved.
Victoria swung the gun toward him.
“Don’t.”
Nathan stopped.
“You don’t want to kill anyone.”
Victoria laughed.
“You still think you know me.”
“I know you don’t want life in prison.”
“I already lost my life.”
She looked at Lily.
“That little girl owns everything that was supposed to be mine.”
Nathan’s face hardened.
“She owns nothing.”
Victoria blinked.
“I changed the trust.”
“You can’t.”
“No.”
Nathan smiled faintly.
“But I can surrender my control.”
Victoria stared.
“I transferred my voting rights into a protected foundation yesterday.”
Grace looked shocked.
Nathan continued.
“The company will compensate victims of the fraud.”
Victoria’s face twisted.
“You gave it away?”
“Yes.”
“You gave away hundreds of millions?”
“Yes.”
“For her?”
Nathan looked at Lily.
“For everyone your family thought didn’t matter.”
Victoria screamed and raised the gun.
Grace moved first.
She threw Lily behind the basement wall and slammed into Victoria.
The gun fired.
Nathan tackled both women.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
Victoria clawed at Grace.
“You ruined everything!”
Grace punched her.
“No.”
Another punch.
“You ruined yourself.”
Victoria reached for the gun.
Nathan kicked it away.
Federal agents stormed through the basement entrance.
“DROP!”
Victoria froze.
Three red laser sights covered her chest.
She slowly lifted her hands.
Grace collapsed against the wall.
Nathan reached for Lily.
The child ran to him.
“Daddy!”
He held her.
Victoria stared at them as agents cuffed her.
For the first time, Nathan saw something in Victoria that looked like defeat.
Then she smiled.
“Nathan.”
He looked at her.
“You think this ends with me?”
He said nothing.
Victoria leaned toward him as agents pulled her away.
“Ask Grace where your real father is.”
Nathan froze.
Grace’s face went white.
May you like
Victoria laughed.
“He’s alive.”
