Chapter 6 - The Last Lie in the Vale House
They returned to Manhattan before noon.
Vivian was waiting.
She sat alone in Victor’s study.
No weapon.
No guards.
No attempt to run.
Sebastian entered first.
Elena followed.
Isabella remained outside with federal agents.
Victor was still being questioned in Boston.
The children were taken to a secure apartment nearby with Dr. Kim.
Sebastian stopped across from Vivian.
“You have thirty seconds.”
Vivian looked exhausted.
“I never wanted the children hurt.”
“Twenty-nine.”
“I helped Celeste find Elena.”
Elena stiffened.
“Why?”
Vivian looked at her.
“Because I hated you.”
The honesty surprised everyone.
Vivian continued.
“I grew up being told Sebastian and I would marry.”
Sebastian said nothing.
“Then you appeared.”
Elena remembered Vivian from years earlier.
Perfect.
Elegant.
Always polite.
Always cold.
“You thought removing me would make Sebastian love you?”
Vivian laughed bitterly.
“I was twenty-eight and stupid.”
Sebastian’s expression remained hard.
“What changed?”
“I discovered Celeste’s plan.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“You knew about the twins.”
“Yes.”
Sebastian looked away.
Another person.
Another person had known his sons while he mourned their mother.
Vivian began crying.
“I told Daniel to protect them.”
Sebastian turned.
“That was you?”
“Yes.”
Daniel had not watched Elena for Celeste.
Not entirely.
He had been watching Celeste for Vivian.
Layers upon layers.
Everyone hiding truth behind another truth.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sebastian asked.
“Because Celeste had evidence implicating Daniel in crimes he didn’t commit.”
Sebastian almost laughed.
“That strategy seems popular in this family.”
Vivian nodded sadly.
“I know.”
She stood.
“There’s something you need to see.”
She walked to Victor’s bookcase.
Removed three books.
Pressed a hidden switch.
A panel opened.
Inside was a small safe.
Sebastian stared.
“You know the combination?”
“No.”
Elena noticed scratches beside the keypad.
Fresh.
“Someone tried.”
Vivian nodded.
“Isabella.”
Sebastian turned.
“How do you know?”
“I saw her last night.”
Elena frowned.
“Why would Isabella want something from Victor’s safe?”
Vivian looked at Sebastian.
“Because your mother hasn’t told you everything.”
Sebastian said nothing.
Vivian handed him an old photograph.
Isabella.
Celeste.
Victor.
And a fourth person.
A man Elena did not recognize.
Sebastian did.
His godfather.
Thomas Cross.
Vivian and Daniel’s father.
He had died twelve years earlier.
“What is this?”
“Orpheus.”
Sebastian stared.
Vivian continued.
“It wasn’t a person. It was the four of them.”
Elena understood.
A secret network.
Victor built power.
Isabella wanted escape routes.
Thomas managed intelligence.
Celeste handled financial operations.
Together they created Orpheus.
Then the alliance collapsed.
Thomas died.
Isabella disappeared.
Victor blamed enemies.
Celeste seized pieces of the network.
Everyone thought someone else controlled it.
But no one did completely.
“What’s in the safe?” Sebastian asked.
“Thomas’s original files.”
“How do you know?”
“My father told Daniel before he died.”
Sebastian looked at the keypad.
Elena studied the photograph.
Four people.
Four founders.
“Try the date.”
“What date?”
“Picture.”
A date was printed on the back.
Sebastian entered it.
The safe opened.
Inside was a folder.
Not money.
Not weapons.
Documents.
Sebastian removed them.
The first was a contract establishing Orpheus.
The second detailed the Vale trust.
The third was an insurance agreement.
The fourth made Sebastian sit down.
Elena approached.
“What?”
He handed it to her.
A custody authorization.
Signed five years earlier.
By Isabella Vale.
It authorized a private security organization to remove Elena and her unborn children from New York if Sebastian failed to separate from Victor’s criminal operations.
Elena stared.
“Your mother planned my disappearance.”
Sebastian’s face was devastated.
“She said she tried to protect you.”
“By taking away my choice?”
Isabella entered.
Federal agents followed.
She saw the document.
Her face fell.
“Elena.”
“Is it real?”
“Yes.”
Sebastian stood.
“You arranged for her to disappear?”
“I arranged protection.”
“You arranged kidnapping.”
“No. Elena was supposed to be told.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I know.”
“Because Celeste intercepted the plan?”
Isabella shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone went silent.
“Then why?”
Isabella looked at Elena.
“Because I changed my mind.”
Elena stared.
Isabella continued.
“I realized I had become exactly like Victor. Making decisions for other people because I believed I knew what was best.”
Sebastian’s expression softened slightly.
“So you canceled it?”
“Yes.”
“But someone used the plan anyway.”
“Celeste.”
Vivian shook her head.
“No.”
Isabella turned.
Vivian held up another document.
A transfer order.
Signed by Thomas Cross.
Dated after his supposed death.
Isabella stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Vivian’s eyes filled.
“No.”
Sebastian understood before anyone said it.
Thomas Cross might also have survived his reported death.
Orpheus had not been controlled by Celeste.
Or Victor.
Or Isabella.
Thomas had continued operating it.
“Where is your father?” Sebastian asked.
Vivian whispered, “I don’t know.”
Sebastian’s phone vibrated.
Federal investigators had finished preliminary analysis of the drive.
One active account had continued receiving money.
Orpheus Operations.
Authorized signatory:
Thomas Cross.
Elena felt exhausted.
“How many dead people are alive in this family?”
Nobody laughed.
Sebastian read further.
Payments continued until three days ago.
Then the account was emptied.
Destination unknown.
Thomas knew the ledger had been discovered.
He was moving.
Sebastian called Daniel.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Vivian looked frightened.
“My brother should answer.”
Sebastian called security at the apartment where the children were staying.
The guard answered.
“Sir?”
“Where is Daniel Cross?”
“He arrived ten minutes ago.”
Sebastian’s blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“He said you sent him.”
“I didn’t.”
Sebastian ran.
Elena followed.
The secure apartment was twelve minutes away.
They made it in seven.
The guards were unconscious but alive.
The door stood open.
Elena rushed inside.
“Noah!”
No answer.
“Eli!”
Silence.
“Lucas!”
She entered the bedroom.
Empty.
Sebastian found a phone on the bed.
Daniel’s.
A video was waiting.
Daniel appeared on screen.
Blood on his forehead.
“I’m sorry, Sebastian.”
He looked behind the camera.
“My father is alive.”
Elena grabbed Sebastian’s arm.
Daniel continued.
“He took the boys. I tried to stop him.”
A voice interrupted offscreen.
Older.
Calm.
“Tell Sebastian where.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“The Vale estate in Connecticut.”
The video ended.
Sebastian called federal agents.
Then he noticed something.
Three stuffed animals sat on the bed.
Noah’s bear.
Eli’s dinosaur.
Lucas’s rabbit.
Noah never left his bear.
Sebastian picked it up.
Something was tucked beneath it.
A folded paper.
Childish handwriting.
Noah had written only five words.
DAD, WE ARE IN THE BLUE CAR.
Sebastian ran to the window.
Far below, disappearing into traffic, a dark blue sedan turned onto the avenue.
He grabbed his keys.
May you like
Elena was already beside him.
And neither of them noticed Isabella quietly remove a second note from Lucas’s empty crib.
