Chapter 6 - The Bitter Betrayal
I lay on the cold concrete floor of the basement, sobbing from the pain in my leg.
The diner owner had taken the folder of evidence and my earpiece.
I was completely trapped underground while Liam was being hauled off to a corrupt jail.
I dragged myself toward a dim sliver of light coming from a high cellar window.
The basement was filled with old cardboard boxes and rusting kitchen equipment.
I pulled myself up onto a dusty prep table to examine my surroundings.
I noticed a heavy iron grate set into the floor near the deep freezer.
It was an old storm drain cover leading directly into the city's sewer system.
I used a heavy metal wrench from a toolbox to pry the rusty grate open.
Just as I slid my good leg into the dark tunnel, I heard the basement door unlock.
My father walked down the stairs, followed closely by Olivia.
Olivia was not tied up, nor was she crying or looking terrified.
She was calmly counting the large stack of cash from my stolen bank envelope.
I froze in absolute shock, unable to process what I was seeing.
Olivia looked down at me with cold, calculating eyes.
She told me she was tired of wearing cheap clothes and living in a struggling auto shop.
She had willingly helped our father plan the car crash to collect my life insurance.
They had promised her half of the payout to buy her silence and cooperation.
My heart turned entirely to stone in that exact moment.
My father raised a heavy steel pipe, stepping closer to the prep table.
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He said it was a shame I had survived the crash, because doing this by hand was so much messier.
I grabbed a large jar of industrial bleach and smashed it directly against his face.
