Fifty Seconds Before Midnight
Chapter 04 - Fifty Seconds Before Midnight
Noah stood in front of the microphone, but no sound came out.
Celeste moved closer.
“If you stop the transfer, your father will lose the company,” she said. “Everyone will blame you.”
Adrian stepped between them.
“No one will blame him again.”
Grant’s voice came through the terminal, shouting for Celeste to destroy the system. She grabbed a heavy glass award from the desk and raised it.
Maria blocked the terminal with her body.
Celeste hesitated only long enough for Eleanor to press the emergency alarm on her cane.
The study doors unlocked.
Estate security entered, followed by two police officers who had been waiting outside the gates with the family attorney. Eleanor had sent them the original footage and financial records before the gala began.
The countdown showed twenty-two seconds.
The lead officer took the glass award from Celeste and moved her away from the terminal.
Noah still could not speak.
Maria knelt beside him.
“You don’t have to be brave for everyone,” she whispered. “Just tell the machine what you want.”
He looked at his father.
Adrian’s eyes were red.
“I believe you,” he said. “Whatever happens next, I believe you.”
Noah leaned toward the microphone.
“My name is Noah Vale. Protect my trust.”
The timer stopped at six seconds.
TRANSFER SUSPENDED.
Grant disconnected from the call and tried to leave his downtown office, but financial investigators were already there. The trust system had transmitted his location when he accessed the emergency server.
Celeste stared at Adrian as officers read her rights.
“I was giving you the life you deserved.”
“You were taking the life my son deserved,” he replied.
She looked toward the ballroom, where guests were watching the live security feed.
The perfect image she had built was gone.
Adrian returned to Noah and Maria.
He crouched in front of his son.
“I failed you,” he said. “Not because I worked too much or because I was grieving. I failed because I chose the easiest story instead of asking what was true.”
Noah studied him for a long moment.
“Are you going to send Maria away again?”
Adrian shook his head.
“Never because someone lies about her.”
Maria placed a hand on Noah’s shoulder.
“Trust has to be rebuilt,” she said.
Adrian nodded.
“I know.”
From downstairs came the sound of the ballroom doors opening.
May you like
The gala was over.
But for the first time in months, Noah was no longer trapped inside someone else’s version of the truth.
