Chapter 8 - THE LAST PERSON HE EXPECTEDMark couldn't speak.
Margaret looked directly into the camera.
“You finally found the truth.”
“Where is Elena?”
“She is safe.”
“If you hurt her—”
“I don't want to hurt her.”
“Then let her go.”
Margaret smiled.
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you give me the ledger.”
Mark held up the book.
“You want this?”
“No.”
Margaret's smile widened.
“I want the missing pages.”
Mark froze.
“The pages Richard stole?”
“Exactly.”
“What is on them?”
“The names of everyone still alive.”
Mark looked at Daniel.
“Who?”
Daniel answered quietly.
“People with power.”
Margaret continued.
“Judges. Executives. Police officials. Investors.”
Mark stared.
“You built this network.”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Your father.”
Mark's jaw tightened.
“And you continued it.”
“I protected it.”
“By killing him?”
“He was going to expose us.”
“He was trying to leave.”
“He was trying to destroy everything he built.”
Mark laughed bitterly.
“And that made you angry?”
“It made me afraid.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“You killed him because he chose his son.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You should be grateful.”
“For what?”
“I kept Mark alive.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“You threatened him.”
“I protected him from worse.”
Mark shouted:
“Where is Elena?”
Margaret gave an address.
“Come alone.”
Daniel grabbed Mark's arm.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then don't go.”
“I have to.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“No. You don't.”
Mark looked at her.
“You know where Elena is.”
“Yes.”
“Take me.”
Victoria nodded.
They went together.
The building was abandoned.
Mark entered.
“Hello?”
A light came on.
Elena was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were free.
She stood.
“Mark!”
He ran toward her.
She threw her arms around him.
“I’m okay.”
Mark held her tightly.
“I'm sorry.”
“You didn't do this.”
A slow clap echoed through the room.
Margaret stepped out.
Richard stood behind her.
Mark turned.
“You two.”
Richard smiled.
“You finally understand.”
Mark looked at Victoria.
She whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Mark frowned.
“What?”
Victoria suddenly walked toward Margaret.
Margaret handed her a gun.
Mark froze.
“Victoria?”
Victoria turned toward him.
Her face was expressionless.
“I’m sorry, Mark.”
She raised the gun.
Elena stepped backward.
Mark stared at his wife.
“You're working with them?”
Victoria's hand trembled.
“Yes.”
Richard laughed.
“Finally.”
Margaret whispered:
“Do it.”
Victoria aimed at Mark.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Then she fired.
The shot echoed.
Mark ducked.
The bullet struck the wall.
Victoria immediately turned and fired again.
This time at Richard.
Richard fell.
Margaret screamed.
Victoria grabbed Elena.
“Run!”
Mark stood frozen.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving you.”
Richard was alive.
He pulled a hidden weapon.
Margaret screamed:
“Victoria betrayed us!”
Police sirens suddenly sounded outside.
Daniel entered with officers.
Margaret looked stunned.
“You called them?”
Daniel smiled.
“Of course.”
Victoria lowered the gun.
Mark stared at her.
“You planned this.”
“I had to make them believe I was still on their side.”
Mark shook his head.
“You could have told me.”
“If I told you, they would have known.”
Margaret tried to escape.
Police surrounded her.
Richard was arrested.
The building was secured.
For the first time, Mark realized Victoria had been playing a dangerous game.
But then Daniel found something inside Margaret's briefcase.
A photograph.
It showed Mark as a child.
Beside him stood his father.
And behind them was a little girl.
Mark stared.
“Who is she?”
Victoria looked at the photograph.
Her face changed.
“That…”
Daniel whispered:
“Your father's daughter.”
Mark stared.
“You mean my sister?”
Victoria nodded.
“She disappeared twenty years ago.”
Elena looked at the photograph.
“Why would Blackwood have her picture?”
Daniel answered:
May you like
“Because she may still be alive.”
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