Chapter 9
The Vale operative was Marcus Venn.
He talked because his people had left him behind.
“What was supposed to happen Thursday?”
“You leave through Rose Gate.”
“Then?”
“We take the vehicle.”
“Alive?”
“At first.”
Diane’s head turned.
That answer surprised her.
Good.
I leaned forward.
“What happens after ‘at first’?”
Marcus shrugged.
“Vale decides.”
Diane snapped:
“That was not the arrangement.”
Marcus laughed.
“Arrangement?”
He looked at me.
“She still thinks Vale planned to ask permission.”
My mother’s face hardened.
“What did she promise?”
“East gate. Your route. Internal support.”
“Who takes command?”
Marcus glanced at Sabrina.
My sister stopped breathing.
“She does.”
Sabrina looked at Diane.
“You knew?”
My mother said nothing.
Marcus smiled.
“For maybe three days.”
Sabrina stared.
“What?”
“Vale never intended to leave a Whitfield in control.”
Diane finally looked shaken.
Not because I would be harmed.
Because someone had outplayed her.
Marcus continued.
“Once Natalie disappeared, Vale takes the western crews.”
“And Diane?”
“Useful until she isn’t.”
Mother stood.
“You arrogant little—”
My guards stopped her.
Marcus smiled.
“You’re worse than they said.”
Diane laughed.
“And yet you walked through my gate.”
Another mistake.
I looked at her.
“My gate?”
She froze.
“You were coordinating directly.”
Silence.
Marcus looked amused.
I continued.
“You weren’t merely helping Sabrina.”
Diane’s eyes narrowed.
“You built the whole entry.”
She shrugged.
“I built this estate.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You built a way to betray it.”
Connor appeared in the doorway.
He still held the tablet.
I frowned.
“You’re supposed to be inside.”
“I found something.”
Diane’s expression changed immediately.
Connor looked at her.
“You lied about my dad too.”
Sabrina froze.
Her husband Michael had supposedly abandoned them six years earlier.
Connor’s voice shook.
“You said he didn’t want us.”
Diane rolled her eyes.
“Children really do remember the most useless things.”
Connor lifted the tablet.
“Then why did you tell Mom Elias made sure he could never come back?”
May you like
Sabrina looked at Diane.
And another family lie opened beneath us.
