Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT CALEB CAME BACK
I confronted Adrian at midnight.
Not gently.
Not carefully.
I walked into his study and placed my father’s letter on the desk.
He read the line.
Do not trust Adrian.
His face changed.
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“What is in your safe?”
“Bella.”
I slapped the desk.
“What is in the safe?”
He stared at me.
Then unlocked it.
No hesitation.
That mattered.
Inside were documents.
A handgun I ignored.
Our mother’s wedding ring.
Our father’s watch.
And a sealed medical envelope.
LABORATORY PATERNITY ANALYSIS.
Caleb Hale.
Thomas Russo.
Probability of paternity: 0.00%.
My knees weakened.
Not related.
Caleb and I did not share a father.
The relief made me furious.
“You had this?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Before your wedding.”
“You knew Evelyn was spreading the possibility?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I confronted Caleb.”
“What did he say?”
“That Victor used the rumor to control him.”
“And you believed him?”
“I verified the test independently.”
“Why keep it?”
“Insurance.”
“For what?”
“Against Evelyn.”
Every relationship in my life had turned into leverage.
I hated it.
“You could have told me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Adrian looked ashamed.
“Because Caleb begged me not to.”
I laughed in disbelief.
“My husband begged you?”
“He said the rumor made him sick. Humiliated. He wanted a clean life with you.”
“And you believed him.”
“Yes.”
“So did I.”
We stood on opposite sides of the desk.
Two people fooled by the same man.
That night, someone broke into the apartment.
At 3:06 a.m., the alarm sounded.
Daniel shouted from the corridor.
Adrian pushed me into the safe room.
I fought him.
“Natalie!”
“She’s with Pierce.”
“What about Antonio?”
“Different location.”
Noise downstairs.
Then silence.
Five minutes later Adrian returned.
Alone.
“Who?”
He looked furious.
“Caleb.”
“What?”
“He came here himself.”
“Why?”
“He left something.”
On Adrian’s desk sat my wedding ring.
Beneath it:
A note.
COME HOME, BELLA. YOU STILL DON’T KNOW WHO THE REAL ENEMY IS.
There was an address.
Our house.
Pierce wanted a tactical team.
I wanted answers.
We compromised.
Agents surrounded the property.
I entered wired.
Caleb sat at our dining table.
Candles burning.
Two plates.
Exactly like the anniversary dinner we had missed.
“You’re insane.”
“Probably.”
I stayed standing.
“Why am I here?”
“To save your brother.”
“From whom?”
“From Evelyn.”
“You expect me to believe you care?”
“No.”
Caleb poured wine.
“I expect you to care.”
He explained that Evelyn had known Victor’s empire was collapsing.
She had built a contingency.
Evidence pointing toward Adrian.
Me.
Natalie.
Even Antonio.
“If she goes down,” Caleb said, “everyone goes down.”
“You helped her.”
“I helped myself.”
“Same thing.”
He smiled.
“Not anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because she tried to have me killed.”
I stared.
“What?”
He pulled up his shirt.
A bandage across his ribs.
“Two nights ago.”
“You could have done that yourself.”
“Yes.”
“But I didn’t.”
“What do you want?”
“Immunity.”
I laughed.
“From me?”
“You have Pierce’s trust.”
“And you think I’ll protect you?”
“I think you want Evelyn more.”
He slid a flash drive across the table.
“What’s on it?”
“The original Northstar beneficiary list.”
My pulse jumped.
“All names?”
“All.”
“Why give it to me?”
“Because I finally understood something.”
Caleb’s smile vanished.
“My mother never intended any of us to survive this.”
I reached for the drive.
He stopped me.
“One condition.”
“No.”
“You don’t even know it.”
“Whatever it is, no.”
He leaned close.
“When this is over, tell the world I helped.”
“You want redemption?”
“No.”
His eyes looked tired for the first time.
“I want the truth to include that I chose a side.”
I picked up the drive.
“You already chose.”
I turned toward the door.
“Years ago.”
Behind me, Caleb said:
“Bella.”
I stopped.
“The drive isn’t the important part.”
I looked back.
“Then what is?”
“The name at the top.”
“Whose?”
May you like
Caleb’s answer changed everything.
“Adrian Russo.”
