Chapter 9 - THE TRAITOR WHO HAD BEEN EATING AT DOMINIC’S TABLE
We returned to Moretti Manor under lockdown.
Nobody knew who Mercer Sr. was pretending to be.
That was the problem.
He had disappeared after plastic surgery records surfaced.
New face possible.
New name.
Dominic reviewed everyone.
Guards.
Accountants.
Drivers.
Chef.
House manager.
Doctor.
One man had joined five years earlier.
Exactly when Mercer “died.”
Dominic’s charitable foundation director.
Henry Vale.
Kind.
Soft-spoken.
Always brought candy for children.
I had met him twice.
I liked him.
That frightened me.
Daniel stayed on the phone through secure audio.
Dominic showed employee photographs one by one.
Daniel said no.
No.
No.
Then:
“Stop.”
Henry Vale.
Daniel’s breathing changed.
“That’s him.”
Dominic looked sick.
Henry had managed Maria’s foundation.
Had access to orphanage grants.
Adoption programs.
St. Jude’s.
My stomach turned.
“He knew where I was.”
Yes.
He knew all along.
Three families rejecting me on Adoption Day suddenly looked different.
Were they real?
Dominic investigated.
Two were.
The third.
The wealthy woman in the pink coat who said I needed “normal.”
She had received a large payment from a foundation contractor two days earlier.
She had been sent.
Why?
To hurt me?
Not exactly.
To make sure I remained unadopted until Mercer could control the right placement.
My chest hurt.
He wanted me to believe nobody wanted me.
Children who believed they were unwanted accepted bad rescuers more easily.
Dominic’s face became terrifying.
Then he looked at me.
Saw my fear.
Changed.
Not softer exactly.
Controlled.
“We arrest him.”
Not kill.
Good.
Police entered Henry’s office.
Empty.
Computer wiped.
One drawer remained locked.
Inside:
Copies of my school reports.
Medical records.
Wheelchair evaluations.
Potential adoptive families.
A handwritten ranking.
EASILY CONTROLLED: LOW.
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Dominic looked at the notes.
“Mercer realized you were not easy to manipulate.”
I smiled a little.
“Because I ask questions?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Another line:
DOMINIC INTEREST: UNEXPECTED. HIGH RISK.
Mercer had not planned for Dominic to notice me.
That was the mistake.
Then security found Henry in the underground garage.
He had taken someone hostage.
Victor.
Dominic’s uncle.
Victor looked furious.
Mercer held a gun against him.
Police surrounded them.
Mercer shouted:
“Give me Lily’s trust access!”
Dominic answered from behind cover.
“No.”
Mercer laughed.
“Then Victor dies.”
Victor shouted:
“Don’t you dare trade the child for me!”
Everyone froze.
Even Dominic.
Victor looked toward the camera.
“Lily!”
I watched from a secure room.
“I’m sorry about Sofia.”
His voice broke.
“I wanted her money. I helped frighten her. I thought fear was business.”
He swallowed.
“But I never wanted you hurt.”
Mercer tightened the gun.
Victor continued:
“Do not let Dominic trade your future for my life.”
Dominic whispered:
“Uncle…”
Then Victor did something unexpected.
He drove his elbow backward.
Gunshot.
May you like
I screamed.
The screen went black.
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