Chapter 8 - The Father's Choice
My father kept the heavy rifle pointed directly at my heart.
His hands were shaking violently, and his face looked ten years older than it had just two days ago.
Put the hard drive back in the safe, Rebecca, he ordered with a cracked, trembling voice.
I slowly stood up, clutching the small black device tightly against my chest.
Are you really going to shoot your own daughter to protect a man who destroyed my life? I asked softly.
My father swallowed hard, tears finally welling up in his tired, sunken eyes.
You don't understand what Grant has done to us, he cried out in pure desperation.
He explained that Grant had secretly funneled millions of dollars of toxic debt into my father's retirement accounts.
If my father helped me in any way, Grant would trigger a financial collapse that would leave my parents homeless.
Grant blackmailed me, Becca, and he promised to ruin your brother Daniel too.
I looked at the broken, cowardly man who had raised me, feeling absolutely no sympathy for his plight.
You chose money over your own grandchildren, Dad.
I took a slow step forward, pressing my chest directly against the cold metal barrel of his rifle.
If you want to stop me from saving Lily, Ethan, and Grace, you are going to have to pull the trigger.
My father stared into my eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation or bluff.
He found absolutely nothing but the ferocious, terrifying love of a desperate mother.
A loud sob escaped his throat, and he slowly lowered the weapon to the floor.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, encrypted silver flash drive.
Take this one too, he whispered, handing it to me with trembling fingers.
It contains the recorded phone calls between Grant and Vanessa's father proving the entire corporate conspiracy.
I took the flash drive, feeling a tiny spark of forgiveness for the man who had finally chosen to do the right thing.
Before I could even thank him, the sound of screeching tires echoed from the front driveway.
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Bright headlights flooded through the study window, illuminating the entire room.
Grant’s massive black SUV had just blocked my only vehicle, completely trapping me on the property.
