Chapter 18 - Shattered Trust
The revelation hung in the damp air like toxic gas, completely suffocating the fragile trust I had built with Dominic.
"Is it true?" I asked, my voice cracking as tears of absolute devastation finally spilled down my cold cheeks.
Dominic slowly lowered his rifle, his dark eyes filled with a profound, soul-crushing regret that made my chest physically ache.
"I was young, arrogant, and trying to prove myself to the syndicate," Dominic confessed heavily, refusing to look away from my broken gaze.
"I did not know your father was inside. I spent the last ten years entirely dedicating my life to protecting you to atone for that sin."
"And you used my guilt to fake your death and build an empire, leaving me to deal with the fallout," Dominic added, turning his fury back toward Arthur.
Arthur simply laughed, raising his hand to signal the Volkov mercenaries hiding in the shadows of the upper balconies.
"It is a beautifully tragic story, but playtime is officially over," Arthur stated coldly. "Kill Dominic, and bring the girl to me alive."
Suddenly, the deafening roar of automatic gunfire erupted from the upper levels, but the bullets were not aimed at Dominic.
They ripped aggressively through Arthur's elite guards on the ground floor, dropping them in pools of blood in mere seconds.
Arthur looked up in absolute shock, his perfect, arrogant composure finally shattering as a new player entered the chaotic board.
The leader of the Volkov cartel stepped out of the shadows on the balcony, holding a smoking weapon with a cruel, satisfied smile.
"We do not take orders from ghosts, Arthur," the Volkov leader announced. "We are taking the Black File for ourselves, and we are leaving no survivors."
The cartel had completely betrayed my father, realizing they did not need him to steal the immense wealth hidden on the USB drive.
A brutal, multi-directional firefight instantly erupted, transforming the holy sanctuary into a terrifying, blood-soaked slaughterhouse.
I dove behind a shattered stone pew, bullets chewing aggressively into the marble floor inches from my face.
Dominic provided heavy cover fire, desperately trying to reach my position, but the sheer volume of enemies kept him entirely pinned behind the SUV.
I looked over and saw Arthur lying heavily on the altar stairs, a massive, fatal gunshot wound bleeding profusely from his stomach.
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For the first time in ten years, the mask of the ruthless crime lord slipped away, and I saw the terrified, broken mechanic who used to read me bedtime stories.
I crawled desperately across the floor, ignoring the bullets whizzing past my head, until I reached my dying father's side.
