Chapter 9 - THE LIE VINCENT VALE BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND
Talia followed her father into a private service corridor.
Dante followed Talia.
Lucian’s security followed everyone.
It was not subtle anymore.
Vincent stopped beside a freight elevator.
“You shouldn’t have come.”
“You invited me.”
“I didn’t send the invitation.”
Talia froze.
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Dante’s gaze sharpened.
“Someone wanted all of us in the same building.”
Vincent looked at him.
“You’re finally learning.”
Talia stepped between them.
“Enough. Did you work with Cross?”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more because he didn’t hesitate.
“Did Mom know?”
“Yes.”
“Did she die because of you?”
Vincent’s eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
Talia slapped him.
The sound cracked through the corridor.
Vincent accepted it.
“I deserved that.”
“You deserved worse.”
“I joined Cross because your mother and I discovered people inside both organizations were trafficking weapons through legitimate shipping routes. We started collecting evidence.”
Dante stared at him.
“You were informing.”
“Not for your father.”
“For who?”
Vincent glanced toward the security camera.
“The Justice Department.”
Talia’s anger faltered.
“You were undercover?”
“For seventeen years.”
Dante swore under his breath.
Vincent continued.
“Elena was better than I was. She found the financial structure. Cross learned she had copied it.”
“And Mom died.”
“Yes.”
“Why fake your death?”
“Because Cross believed I had the second half.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
The elevator dinged.
Nobody moved.
Vincent lowered his voice.
“There is a leak inside Dante’s organization. Someone feeding Cross everything.”
Dante’s face turned cold.
“Name him.”
“I never had proof.”
“Give me your suspicion.”
Vincent looked directly at Dante.
“Mateo.”
Dante stopped.
Mateo had grown up beside him.
Protected him.
Handled his security.
Talia remembered who had traced the bank transfers.
Who had analyzed the recorder.
Who knew where Noah lived.
Her stomach dropped.
Dante’s phone vibrated.
Message from Mateo.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM. NOAH IS GONE.
Attached was a security photograph of Noah being pushed into a van.
Talia turned to Vincent.
But her father was already staring at the message.
He looked terrified.
“That’s not Cross’s van.”
“How do you know?” Dante asked.
May you like
Vincent whispered the secret that changed everything.
“Because that van belongs to Mateo.”
