Chapter 14 - THE FOUNDER
Nathan returned to the estate and found every gate open.
That was worse than gunfire.
No bodies.
No broken glass.
No obvious attack.
Men stood at their posts looking confused.
Dante met Nathan near the entrance.
Nathan almost struck him.
“Where were you?”
“Radios died.”
“Lily?”
“Inside.”
“Julian?”
“With her.”
Nathan moved.
In the ballroom, Lily sat on the floor eating cake.
Julian beside her.
Alive.
Grace ran to the child.
Nathan stopped.
A stranger sat in Nathan’s chair near the fireplace.
Old.
Nearly eighty.
White hair.
Dark suit.
No cane.
No weapon visible.
Gabriel Cole.
The man from the photograph.
Lily looked up happily.
“Grandpa came.”
Nathan’s face hardened.
Gabriel smiled.
“She decided the title.”
“You gave her juice.”
“Yes.”
“What was in it?”
“Apple.”
Nathan believed him.
That almost made it worse.
Gabriel had entered the estate without needing violence.
“Everyone leave.”
Gabriel looked amused.
Nathan repeated:
“Everyone except Julian.”
Grace lifted Lily.
“No.”
Nathan looked at her.
“I’m not leaving you with him.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Thomas raised a stubborn daughter.”
Grace’s expression turned cold.
“Say my father’s name again and I’ll show you how stubborn.”
Julian almost smiled.
Nathan did too, briefly.
Gabriel noticed.
“Good.”
Nathan stared.
“You wanted us together.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gabriel looked around the ballroom.
“I built this family’s survival long before either brother understood the price.”
“You built the Black Table.”
“I built an answer to chaos.”
“By turning people against each other.”
“By preventing weak leaders from destroying everyone.”
Julian laughed.
“You tried to kill me.”
“You were emotional.”
“You bombed my car.”
“I changed an exile into an ending.”
There.
No denial.
Nathan felt rage.
Gabriel watched it.
“Control it.”
Nathan almost laughed.
“You’re testing me.”
“I have been for three years.”
Grace’s face changed.
“Three years.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Lily before she was born.”
“Yes.”
“You sent the man to the farmhouse.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Yes.”
Nathan stepped forward.
Julian moved too.
Gabriel raised one hand.
“You want the truth or revenge?”
Nathan stopped.
The choice was designed.
He knew that.
Gabriel continued.
“I threatened the child because I needed Grace hidden.”
Grace’s voice shook.
“You threatened an unborn baby.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To keep Nathan from recognizing her.”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because Edwin was already planning to use your child as succession leverage.”
Nathan stared.
“You protected Lily from Edwin.”
“Partly.”
“By terrorizing Grace.”
“Yes.”
Grace looked disgusted.
Gabriel did not ask forgiveness.
That made him more dangerous.
Nathan continued.
“Henry Vale.”
“I ordered him watched.”
“Dead?”
“Not by me.”
“Edwin?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Gabriel looked toward Victoria.
She had entered quietly behind Richard.
Nathan turned.
Victoria’s face changed.
“Why are you looking at me?”
Gabriel smiled.
“Because your brother killed Henry.”
Victoria went still.
“Aaron is dead.”
“No.”
Richard whispered:
“What?”
Victoria stared at her father.
Gabriel continued.
“Aaron Hayes has been alive for five years.”
Richard’s face collapsed.
“My son—”
“Wanted the Table.”
Gabriel’s voice hardened.
“He survived the attack that was supposed to silence him.”
Victoria looked sick.
“He let us bury him.”
“Yes.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“Apparently that’s a family tradition.”
Gabriel ignored him.
“Aaron spent five years learning how the Table works.”
Nathan understood.
“The hidden escalations.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Very good.”
“Julian’s bombing?”
“No. Mine.”
“Grace?”
“Mine.”
“Henry?”
“Aaron.”
“Isabella—”
Nathan stopped.
Wrong family.
Not here.
Gabriel continued.
“Aaron has been killing anyone who might expose him before he takes control.”
Richard looked destroyed.
“Where is he?”
Gabriel smiled faintly.
“Close.”
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“Did Aaron send me to Henry?”
“No.”
Edwin had.
“Then Aaron followed.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To see what Henry told you.”
Victoria covered her mouth.
Nathan stared at Gabriel.
“Why tell us now?”
“Because Aaron made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He tried to take Lily.”
Grace’s face changed.
Gabriel continued.
“Evelyn delivered her to Edwin’s men. Aaron intercepted. I intercepted Aaron.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“So you moved Lily to the mausoleum.”
“Yes.”
“You used her to pull us together.”
“Yes.”
“You could have brought her home.”
Gabriel’s eyes became cold.
“And you would have done what?”
Nathan knew.
Hunted.
Killed.
Repeated Arthur.
Gabriel smiled slightly.
“Exactly.”
Nathan looked at his daughter in Grace’s arms.
“You think you saved me.”
“No.”
Gabriel stood.
“I think I gave you the opportunity to choose what kind of man survives me.”
Nathan stared.
“Survives you.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked toward the open doors.
“Because Aaron is coming tonight.”
Victoria whispered:
“For you?”
May you like
Gabriel looked at her.
“For the child.”
