Chapter 7 - THE SECRET AGREEMENT
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stared at the name written at the bottom of the ledger.
CARMEN CARTER.
My uncle Gabriel stood across from me.
The same man who had arrived at my mother's house before sunrise.
The same man who had looked at my bruises and promised to protect me.
The same man whose name now appeared beside Carmen's.
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Explain.”
Gabriel didn't answer.
“Uncle Gabriel, explain.”
He looked at my mother.
She closed her eyes.
“Tell her,” my mother whispered.
Gabriel finally looked at me.
“Your father asked me to work with Carmen.”
I stared.
“You worked with the woman who attacked me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“I know.”
“Then make it make sense.”
Gabriel took the ledger from my hand.
“Your father knew Carmen's family was planning to take control of your inheritance.”
“So he asked you to infiltrate them?”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Carmen was watching everyone around you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“She watched me get married.”
“Yes.”
“She watched Daniel marry me.”
“Yes.”
“She planned the attack.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“I suspected.”
My voice cracked.
“You suspected?”
“I didn't know the exact plan.”
I looked at my mother.
“Did you know?”
She nodded.
I felt tears burn my eyes.
“You both knew.”
“We were trying to keep you alive.”
“But nobody told me anything.”
“Because every person who knew became a target.”
I turned away.
My whole life had been built on secrets.
My father's death.
My uncle's disappearance.
My mother's silence.
Daniel's strange behavior.
Carmen's obsession with my assets.
And now this ledger.
I looked at Daniel.
He stood near the hangar entrance.
“You knew too?”
He nodded.
“Not everything.”
“Enough.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you marry me?”
He looked directly at me.
“Because your father asked me to.”
The answer broke something inside me.
“So my marriage was an operation.”
“At first.”
“At first?”
He stepped closer.
“I didn't expect to love you.”
I shook my head.
“You should have told me.”
“I wanted to.”
“When?”
“Before the wedding.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“Because Carmen was listening.”
I remembered the wedding.
The way Carmen had stood behind us.
The way Daniel had looked nervous.
I had thought he was simply overwhelmed.
Maybe he had been terrified.
Gabriel stepped between us.
“We need to leave.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
“Sofia.”
“I want answers.”
“You're going to get them.”
“Now.”
Gabriel sighed.
Then he opened the ledger again.
“Your father discovered Carmen's family had been moving money through your trust.”
“But the trust was protected.”
“Only if nobody gained legal control.”
“The documents Carmen wanted me to sign.”
“Yes.”
“She needed power of attorney.”
“Yes.”
“And Daniel?”
“He was supposed to convince you.”
I looked at Daniel.
“You knew that.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because by then I couldn't do it.”
My anger softened for one second.
Then I remembered the hotel.
His voice outside the door.
Don't leave marks people can recognize.
I looked at him.
“If you cared about me, why didn't you come inside?”
His face fell.
“Because if I entered, Carmen would know I had turned against her.”
“You could have stopped her.”
“I thought I could get you out another way.”
“You left me alone.”
“I know.”
“And I will never forget that.”
He nodded.
“I don't expect you to.”
Then my mother stepped forward.
“There is something else.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She held a photograph.
It showed my father.
He was standing beside a young woman.
I recognized her immediately.
Elise.
The woman from the hotel.
But this photograph was different.
My father was handing her an envelope.
On the back was written:
If Sofia is attacked, give her the second key.
I stared.
“What second key?”
My mother looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel pulled a small object from his pocket.
A silver key.
My father had given it to him.
“This opens a second vault.”
“Where?”
“At the apartment.”
I felt cold.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because we didn't know who was watching.”
I took the key.
“What is inside?”
Gabriel looked at me.
“The proof that your father is alive.”
My breath stopped.
“You said he disappeared.”
“He did.”
“Then why would the key prove he's alive?”
“Because the vault contains recent records.”
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
“Your father has been communicating with us.”
“When?”
“Last month.”
“Where is he?”
Daniel hesitated.
“San Francisco.”
My heart pounded.
“You know where my father is?”
“Yes.”
“Take me to him.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because he doesn't want you there.”
“He's my father.”
“He believes you're safer without him.”
I laughed through tears.
“Everyone keeps deciding what's best for me.”
Gabriel lowered his head.
“You're right.”
I turned toward the exit.
“I'm going.”
Daniel followed.
“Sofia.”
I stopped.
“I'll take you.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“You're making a mistake.”
Daniel answered:
“I've already made enough.”
We left the hangar.
The road toward San Francisco stretched ahead.
But none of us noticed the black sedan following us.
Inside it, Carmen watched our SUV disappear into the distance.
She picked up her phone.
“Tell him.”
A voice answered.
“Tell who?”
“Richard.”
May you like
She smiled.
“His daughter is finally coming for him.”
