Chapter 12 - A Kingdom of Lies
The cold New York rain battered the windows of the small hotel room Caitlyn had rented just a few blocks away from Noah's medical facility. She had left the Hamilton estate with nothing but her purse and the clothes on her back. Damian had not tried to stop her. He had simply stood by the grand staircase, looking like a king who had just lost his entire kingdom, and ordered his security team to ensure she arrived at the hotel safely.
It had been three days since she discovered the terrifying truth. Three days of absolute silence.
Caitlyn sat on the edge of the uncomfortable mattress, staring blankly at the glowing screen of her laptop. She had spent the last seventy-two hours digging frantically into the public archives, searching for any trace of her father's old journalistic work. Damian was right. Her father had been investigating a massive smuggling ring tied to the Hamilton ports just weeks before the fatal crash.
A soft, rhythmic knock echoed on the hotel room door.
Caitlyn froze. She slowly reached into her bedside drawer and pulled out the small, heavy pistol Damian had forced her to learn how to use weeks ago. She walked silently to the door and peered through the peephole.
Vincent was standing in the hallway, holding a plain cardboard coffee cup. He was not wearing his usual tactical gear, opting for a simple dark coat and jeans. He looked exhausted, with dark circles bruising the skin beneath his eyes.
Caitlyn unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open, keeping the weapon hidden behind the doorframe.
"I come in peace, Caitlyn," Vincent said softly, raising his free hand in surrender. "I just brought you your favorite coffee. From the little shop near the old office."
Caitlyn hesitated, but she eventually stepped aside to let him in. Vincent walked into the small room, placing the coffee cup gently on the cheap wooden desk. He looked around the dismal space and let out a long, heavy sigh.
"He is losing his mind without you," Vincent stated plainly, getting straight to the point.
"He lied to me for years, Vincent," Caitlyn replied coldly, crossing her arms defensively.
"He carried a burden he never wanted you to feel," Vincent corrected gently. "Do you want to know how Damian actually became the head of Hamilton Holdings, Caitlyn?"
Caitlyn remained silent, but her eyes locked onto Vincent's face, demanding the truth.
"Arthur Hamilton was a monster," Vincent explained, his voice turning incredibly dark. "When Damian found the ledger detailing your parents' murder, he confronted his father. Arthur laughed. He told Damian that collateral damage was just the price of doing business. He told Damian that he was weak."
Vincent took a step closer, his expression fiercely loyal to his boss.
"Damian did not just overthrow his father, Caitlyn," Vincent revealed. "He put a gun to Arthur's head and forced him to sign over every single legitimate asset. Then, he exiled his own father from the country, permanently. Damian destroyed his own flesh and blood to avenge a family he had never even met."
Caitlyn felt the breath leave her lungs. Damian had never told her that part of the story. He had allowed her to think he was just a ruthless mobster inheriting a throne, rather than a vigilante dismantling a corrupt empire from the inside.
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"He loves you, Caitlyn," Vincent said quietly. "He has loved you since the day he read your father's file and realized the world had broken someone so incredibly strong. Do not let Arthur's ghost destroy the only good thing Damian has ever had."
Vincent turned and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. Caitlyn stared at the steaming cup of coffee on the desk, the walls of her anger slowly beginning to crack.
