Chapter 5 - Lily Discovered Why They Needed Her Silenced
“Evan?”
Her brother looked older.
But his eyes were unchanged.
Lily knew those eyes.
She had spent eleven years remembering them.
“Come with me,” Evan said.
Damian stepped in front of Lily.
“No.”
Evan looked at him.
“This doesn’t concern you.”
“Someone fired into a building with my people inside.”
“It concerns me.”
Victor raised his weapon.
Evan pushed it downward.
“Not here.”
Lily stared at him.
“Are you working with Marcus?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Evan looked toward the street.
“We don’t have time.”
“Eleven years, Evan.”
Her voice shook.
“You had eleven years.”
Pain crossed his face.
“I stayed dead because that kept you alive.”
“Mom died thinking you were dead.”
Evan closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
Lily struck him.
He accepted it.
Just as Damian had.
Perhaps all the men in her life had decided guilt was best expressed by allowing her to hit them.
Evan finally explained.
Eleven years earlier, he had uncovered a network created by Marcus Voss.
Money laundering.
Corporate blackmail.
Political bribery.
Murder disguised as accidents.
Damian’s father had discovered it too.
Together they had secretly moved witnesses into new identities.
But Marcus had someone inside Damian’s family organization.
A mole.
Every witness eventually disappeared.
Evan faked his death.
He spent eleven years collecting proof.
“Why the memory card?” Lily asked.
“I didn’t leave it.”
“Then who did?”
Evan looked at Victor.
Victor’s expression changed.
Damian saw it.
“You.”
Victor ran.
Adrian tackled him.
The weapon skidded across the pavement.
Damian pinned Victor against the car.
“Why?”
Victor laughed.
“Because Marcus wanted all of you in one place.”
Damian went still.
Then Lily understood.
The studio.
The bank.
The memory card.
Evan.
Everything had pushed them toward this exact moment.
A phone inside Victor’s pocket began ringing.
Damian answered.
Marcus’s voice came through the speaker.
“Good evening, Damian.”
Nobody spoke.
Marcus laughed softly.
“You have something I want.”
“The card?”
“No.”
Marcus paused.
“Lily.”
Damian’s expression changed.
Lily felt cold.
“Why me?” she asked.
Marcus heard her.
“Because eleven years ago, you photographed something even your brother never noticed.”
Lily looked at Evan.
“What?”
Marcus continued.
“The photograph that can destroy everything.”
“What photograph?”
“The one showing who actually ordered Damian’s father killed.”
Damian froze.
Marcus laughed again.
“And here’s the amusing part.”
A pause.
“It wasn’t me.”
The call ended.
Damian slowly turned toward Evan.
Evan looked devastated.
“You knew?” Damian asked.
Evan didn’t answer.
Damian grabbed him.
“WHO KILLED MY FATHER?”
Lily stepped forward.
May you like
Evan finally spoke.
“Your mother.”
