Chapter 10 - THE MAN WHO CHOSE HIS CHILDREN OVER HIS EMPIRE
The world narrowed to Alex’s face.
He was trying to be brave.
That was the worst part.
Eight years old.
Chin lifted.
Eyes wet.
Trying not to cry because he thought his father needed him to be strong.
Max had no such illusion.
He sobbed openly in Dominic’s grip.
“Dad!”
Richard took one step forward.
Gabriel pressed the weapon closer to Alex.
“Stop.”
Richard stopped.
I could feel violence radiating from him.
Not wild.
Controlled.
Which was more frightening.
“You wanted me,” Richard said. “You have me.”
“I wanted what should have been mine.”
Gabriel glanced toward my mother.
“Vale International. Lancaster territory. Everything Isabella tried to deny me.”
My mother’s face twisted.
“Our father denied you because he knew what you were.”
Gabriel struck her.
I lunged.
Richard caught my arm.
“Don’t.”
Gabriel smiled.
“There she is. Margaret’s daughter.”
My mother looked at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t apologize.”
“I should have found you.”
“You survived.”
Her face collapsed.
For thirty years, that woman had believed she failed me.
I understood suddenly that Gabriel had stolen more than freedom.
He had stolen our entire lives from each other.
“Ledger,” he said.
I held up the fake book.
“Release Max.”
“No.”
“Then you get nothing.”
Dominic shifted nervously.
“Gabriel.”
“Quiet.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
There was fear there.
Interesting.
Gabriel was losing control.
Richard noticed too.
“Dominic,” he said.
“Do not speak to him,” Gabriel snapped.
Richard ignored him.
“How long do you think Gabriel lets you live after tonight?”
Dominic laughed weakly.
“You think I’m stupid?”
“No. I think you spent eighteen years cleaning up his problems and convinced yourself that made you partners.”
Gabriel’s face hardened.
“Richard.”
“Thomas Hart discovered your accounts. Who took the risk? Dominic.”
“Stop.”
“Isabella found Rosemere. Who moved Margaret? Dominic.”
Dominic looked at Gabriel.
“Shut him up.”
Richard continued.
“And when the investigation begins tomorrow, whose signatures are on every company?”
Dominic’s face went pale.
“Yours,” Richard said.
“Gabriel’s name barely appears.”
I saw it.
The fracture.
We did not need Dominic to become good.
We only needed him to become afraid.
I stepped in.
“My father recorded you.”
Dominic looked at me.
“He left tapes.”
“You’re lying.”
“He named you. Gabriel. Companies. Dates.”
Gabriel turned toward him.
“She’s bluffing.”
“Am I?”
I touched the transmitter beneath my coat.
“And everything you’ve said tonight is being recorded.”
Gabriel’s eyes dropped.
Too late.
Richard moved.
Everything happened at once.
He lunged toward Alex.
I dove toward my mother.
Dominic released Max instinctively.
Max hit the floor and crawled beneath a pew.
A shot exploded.
Then another.
Federal agents stormed the church through three entrances.
“FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
Gabriel fired toward Richard.
Richard jerked backward.
My heart stopped.
Alex screamed.
Dominic dropped his gun and raised both hands.
Gabriel grabbed me.
His arm locked around my throat.
Cold metal touched my temple.
Everyone froze.
Richard was on one knee.
Blood spread across his side.
“Elena,” he said.
“Stay back.”
Gabriel dragged me toward a side exit.
“You destroyed everything.”
I almost laughed.
“No. Your ego did most of the work.”
His grip tightened.
“You think Richard loves you?”
I looked at Richard.
The answer was written across his face.
Terrified.
Bleeding.
Watching me.
Yes.
I knew.
“He loves his children.”
“And you?”
I remembered the bus shelter.
You need a home.
I need a wife.
An insane proposal between two desperate strangers.
“I think,” I said, “he’s working on it.”
Then I drove my heel down onto Gabriel’s foot.
He cursed.
I twisted.
The gun moved.
Richard tackled him.
Agents surrounded us.
Gabriel hit the floor.
Handcuffs snapped around his wrists.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Then Max ran.
“Dad!”
Richard tried to stand.
Failed.
I reached him first.
Blood covered my hands.
“Richard.”
“It’s okay.”
“No. You do not get to say that.”
Alex dropped beside us.
“Dad?”
Richard touched his son’s face.
“I’m here.”
My mother crawled toward Max and pulled him close despite barely knowing him.
Something about the sight nearly broke me.
Sirens approached outside.
Richard’s hand found mine.
“Elena.”
“Save your energy.”
“If something happens—”
“Nothing is happening.”
“Listen.”
“No.”
His mouth almost smiled.
“Still terrible at following orders.”
“Absolutely.”
“Good.”
His eyes closed.
“Richard?”
No response.
“Richard!”
The next hours became fragments.
Ambulance lights.
Hospital corridors.
Blood on my clothes.
Alex asleep against Teresa.
Max curled beside my mother.
Federal agents asking questions.
Doctors refusing to promise anything.
The bullet had entered Richard’s side and caused internal bleeding.
Surgery lasted hours.
At sunrise, the surgeon finally appeared.
“He survived the operation.”
My knees weakened.
“But?”
The doctor hesitated.
“The next twenty-four hours are critical.”
I sat beside Richard in intensive care.
Machines breathed and beeped around him.
For once, he looked powerless.
I held his hand anyway.
“You are not allowed to die.”
No response.
“You still owe me three months’ coffee tips.”
Nothing.
“And technically you proposed marriage. Leaving me before the wedding would be extremely rude.”
His fingers did not move.
I lowered my forehead to his hand.
“I love your sons.”
My voice broke.
“I love that ridiculous dog.”
I swallowed.
“And somehow, against every instinct I possess, I think I love you too.”
Behind me, someone cleared his throat.
A federal prosecutor stood at the door.
“Ms. Hart?”
I wiped my face.
“Yes?”
“I need to speak with you about Mr. Lancaster.”
My stomach tightened.
“He helped you.”
“He did.”
“He surrendered the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“And because of that, Gabriel Vale and Dominic Caruso are in custody.”
“Yes.”
The prosecutor’s expression remained serious.
“But Mr. Lancaster’s records also implicate him in multiple federal investigations.”
My blood went cold.
“What are you saying?”
“When he wakes up, assuming he wakes up, Richard Lancaster may be placed under arrest.”
I stared at the unconscious man beside me.
May you like
He had finally chosen his children over his empire.
And now that choice might cost him everything.
