Chapter 8 - SERENA’S TRUTH“Drop your weapons.”
Serena’s voice was calm.
Thomas raised his gun.
Serena pressed the weapon against Lily’s head.
“Try me.”
Victor went completely still.
“Let her go.”
Serena smiled.
“Victor.”
“You have proof now.”
“Yes.”
Victor nodded.
“I know.”
“You know I hurt Ethan.”
“Yes.”
Lily held her breath.
Serena’s smile disappeared.
“Good.”
She moved Lily backward.
Victor took one step forward.
Serena cocked the gun.
“Don’t.”
Victor stopped.
“Where’s Margaret?”
Serena laughed.
“Alive.”
Lily’s heart raced.
“Where?”
Serena ignored her.
Victor asked again.
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
“From who?”
Serena smiled.
“From you.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“You’re insane.”
“No.”
Serena’s eyes became cold.
“I spent two years sitting beside you while you pretended to understand pain.”
Victor said nothing.
“You have no idea what your father did.”
Eleanor whispered, “Serena.”
Serena looked at her.
“Hello, Eleanor.”
The older woman froze.
“You know me.”
“I know everyone who helped bury Adrian.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“I didn’t.”
“Of course you didn’t.”
Serena laughed bitterly.
“That’s what makes your family so impressive.”
Victor spoke.
“Who is Adrian?”
Serena stared at him.
“You still don’t know.”
Victor’s voice became darker.
“Tell me.”
Serena looked toward Lily.
“Your nanny deserves the truth.”
Lily’s blood went cold.
Serena continued.
“Adrian Varga was your father’s partner.”
“We know.”
“No.”
Serena smiled.
“You know the polite version.”
Victor remained silent.
“Your father stole everything.”
Serena said.
“Money. Businesses. Accounts.”
Victor stared.
“And when Adrian threatened to expose him, your father had him removed.”
Eleanor whispered, “No.”
Serena looked at her.
“You knew.”
“I knew your father had enemies.”
“Liar.”
Serena’s voice exploded.
Lily jumped.
Serena immediately controlled herself.
Then she smiled again.
“Adrian survived.”
Victor stared.
“He came back.”
“Yes.”
Serena nodded.
“He spent years trying to prove what happened.”
“Why didn’t he?”
“Because powerful men protect powerful men.”
Victor looked away.
Serena laughed.
“And then Adrian found out about Ethan.”
Lily whispered.
“Why Ethan?”
Serena’s eyes moved toward her.
“Because Ethan is proof.”
Victor’s face changed.
“Proof of what?”
Serena smiled.
“That your father’s sins never ended.”
Lily felt confused.
“Ethan was born years after Victor’s father died.”
“Exactly.”
Serena whispered.
“And yet, Adrian believed the Blackwood fortune was still hiding something.”
Victor demanded, “What?”
Serena’s smile faded.
“Blood money.”
Thomas suddenly moved.
Serena turned the gun.
A shot exploded.
Victor grabbed Lily.
They fell.
Thomas fired.
Serena disappeared behind the doorway.
Chaos exploded.
Guards rushed in.
Lily heard Victor shouting.
Then Serena’s footsteps.
Running.
Thomas chased her.
Victor held Lily against the floor.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Stay here.”
He ran after Serena.
Lily sat up.
Then heard a voice.
“Lily.”
Margaret.
Lily turned.
Margaret stood at the far end of the hallway.
Alive.
“Margaret!”
Lily ran toward her.
The older woman was bruised but conscious.
“Are you okay?”
Margaret grabbed Lily’s hands.
“We have to leave.”
“Where?”
“Ethan.”
Lily froze.
“What about him?”
Margaret’s face became pale.
“Serena doesn’t know where he is.”
Lily breathed.
“But Adrian does.”
Her heart stopped.
“What?”
Margaret whispered.
“Adrian is not dead.”
Before Lily could respond, an explosion shook the mansion.
Lights went out.
Smoke filled the hallway.
May you like
And somewhere in the darkness, Serena screamed.
Then everything became silent.
