Chapter 10 - The Betrayal Behind the Mansion Doors
Emmett drove like a man trying to outrun history.
Sloan followed with federal agents.
Delaney sat beside Emmett because arguing about it would have wasted time.
Nolan was in the mansion.
Lily was in the mansion.
And Marco Bellini, a man trusted for eleven years, had somehow placed them both within reach.
"What does Marco want?" Delaney asked.
"Power."
"Too simple."
"Money."
"Still simple."
Emmett gripped the steering wheel.
"Revenge."
"Against you?"
"Against my father."
Delaney looked at him.
"Why?"
"Marco's brother disappeared fifteen years ago."
"Your father?"
"Probably."
"You hired him knowing that?"
"No. I learned years later."
"And kept him?"
"He said he blamed Victor."
"Maybe he blamed all of you."
Emmett didn't answer.
They reached the mansion.
No guards at the gate.
That was worse than resistance.
The front doors stood open.
Inside, silence.
Sloan stopped Delaney.
"You remain behind us."
"No."
Sloan stared.
"Mrs. Cross—"
"My husband is inside."
"And so are armed kidnappers."
"Then stop wasting time."
Sloan looked at Emmett.
"She's always like this?"
"Worse."
They entered.
The foyer lights were on.
No bodies.
No struggle.
A child's ballet slipper lay at the bottom of the staircase.
Delaney's heart seized.
"Lily."
Emmett ran upstairs.
Sloan cursed and followed.
Delaney did too.
Lily's room was empty.
On her bed sat Gus.
The feather duster.
Beneath it, a note.
LIBRARY. COME ALONE.
Emmett read it.
"No."
Delaney looked toward the hallway.
"What?"
"I go alone."
"Absolutely not."
"Marco asked for me."
"He used my husband's duster."
"To get my attention."
"To get both of ours."
Sloan spoke.
"We don't follow their script."
Emmett turned to her.
"Then they kill Nolan or Lily."
"Not if we control exits."
"You don't know the house like Marco does."
"I know you have tunnels."
Delaney looked at Emmett.
"Tunnels?"
"Old service passages."
"Of course you have tunnels."
Sloan called agents into position.
Emmett started downstairs.
Delaney followed.
"Stay."
"No."
He turned sharply.
"Delaney."
"Stop trying."
Something in her tone ended the argument.
They reached the library.
Door closed.
Emmett pushed it open.
Nolan sat in a chair.
Alive.
Delaney stopped.
Every sound disappeared.
"Nolan."
His head lifted.
He looked thinner than the photograph.
Bruised.
Bearded.
But unmistakably her husband.
His eyes filled instantly.
"Del."
She moved.
Emmett caught her.
"Wait."
Nolan shook his head.
"No. Don't."
Then Marco stepped from behind the curtain.
Gun in hand.
Lily beside him.
The little girl was crying but unhurt.
Emmett's entire body went still.
"Let her go."
Marco smiled sadly.
"I always wondered what could make you sound afraid."
"Marco."
"Eleven years. First time."
Delaney stared at Nolan.
He stared at her stomach.
His expression changed.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
Then tears.
"You're pregnant."
The words broke her.
She laughed through tears.
"Surprise."
Nolan's face crumpled.
"Oh, Del."
Marco tapped the gun against Lily's shoulder.
"Touching."
Emmett's voice became lethal.
"If you hurt her—"
"I won't."
"Then release her."
"When we're finished."
Marco looked at Delaney.
"You brought the key?"
"What key?"
"The vault key."
"We already opened it."
His expression flickered.
"You what?"
Nolan smiled weakly.
"Too slow."
Marco struck him.
Delaney screamed.
Emmett stepped forward.
Marco raised the gun toward Lily.
"Stop."
Emmett stopped.
Marco's calm returned.
"The notebook."
Sloan listened through Emmett's hidden earpiece from outside.
Delaney hoped.
Prayed.
Marco continued.
"Nolan found things he shouldn't."
"You mean your involvement," Emmett said.
"My involvement?"
Marco laughed.
"You still don't understand."
He looked toward the portrait above the fireplace.
"Victor isn't the architect."
Emmett's eyes narrowed.
"Then who is?"
"Vale?"
"No."
Marco shook his head.
"Vale is a parasite. Victor is a thug. Your father was a tyrant."
"Who?"
Marco's smile disappeared.
"Your mother."
Silence.
Emmett stared.
"What?"
"Eleanor created Winter Account."
Delaney looked at Nolan.
He shook his head urgently.
"He's lying."
Marco kicked the chair.
"Am I?"
Nolan shouted, "She created it to document your father's crimes, not control people!"
Marco's face hardened.
"Words."
"She was building a witness network."
"She paid criminals."
"To get testimony."
"She blackmailed officials."
"Who were taking bribes!"
Emmett stared between them.
Nolan continued.
"Your mother wasn't innocent. But she wasn't Victor."
Marco raised the gun.
"Enough."
Delaney saw Lily trembling.
She also saw something else.
The cleaning cloth still sat on the walnut desk.
Beside it—
The heavy brass bell used to call staff.
Within reach.
If she could distract Marco.
She looked at Nolan.
His eyes flicked toward the same object.
They had spent ten years communicating across crowded rooms with expressions.
One glance.
One breath.
He understood.
Delaney stepped forward.
"I have the notebook."
Marco looked at her.
"Where?"
"My coat."
Emmett glanced at her.
She did not have it.
Sloan did.
Marco pointed the gun.
"Slowly."
Delaney reached into her pocket.
Empty.
"Closer."
She took another step.
Nolan shifted his chair.
Marco looked at him.
That was enough.
Delaney grabbed the brass bell and threw it.
Not at Marco.
At the chandelier switch.
The room went dark.
Lily screamed.
Emmett moved.
A gun fired.
Glass broke.
Delaney dropped.
Someone tackled Marco.
Nolan's chair crashed.
Federal agents burst through both doors.
"FBI! Drop it!"
Lights flashed.
Shouting.
Delaney crawled toward Nolan.
"Del!"
"I'm here."
She reached him.
His hands were tied.
She touched his face.
Real.
Warm.
Alive.
Then the lights came back.
Emmett held Lily against his chest.
Sloan stood over Marco.
His gun lay several feet away.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Alive.
Captured.
Delaney turned back to Nolan.
He stared at her stomach.
"Five months?"
She laughed and cried at the same time.
"Almost."
He pressed his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't."
"I should've told you."
"Later."
"I love you."
"I know."
"Please say it."
She kissed him.
"I love you too."
For one beautiful moment, it felt finished.
Then Nolan's expression changed.
He looked at Emmett.
"Marco isn't the one who ordered this."
Emmett froze.
"Who did?"
Nolan swallowed.
"Victor didn't either."
"Then Vale?"
"No."
Everyone listened.
Nolan's voice dropped.
"The person controlling Winter Account is inside Ror Holdings."
Emmett's jaw tightened.
"Name."
Nolan looked toward Lily.
Then at Delaney.
Then back at Emmett.
"Your sister."
Emmett went completely still.
Delaney had never heard of a sister.
Nolan continued.
"Celeste Ror."
And somewhere downstairs—
the front door closed.
May you like
Celeste had just arrived home.
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