Chapter 10 - The Legacy Reclaimed
Adrian flinched, but the burning pain never arrived.
Silas dropped his rifle, shrieking in agony as he clutched his shattered right shoulder.
Naomi stood near the entrance of the tunnel, trembling as she held the silver revolver with both hands.
Smoke curled off the barrel in the freezing air.
Adrian didn't waste a single second.
He lunged forward and tackled Vance into the freezing water of the boat slip.
They struggled beneath the dark surface, but Vance was disoriented from the sudden chaos.
Adrian wrenched free, pulling himself onto the dock just as flashing red and blue lights illuminated the windows.
The police had traced his silent panic alarm triggered from his watch hours ago.
Heavily armed tactical officers swarmed the boathouse, pinning Silas and the mercenaries to the floor.
Zuri ran across the wooden planks and buried her face into Naomi's legs.
Adrian sat on the wet crate, catching his breath as paramedics rushed in to check the child.
Family was not about bloodlines, he realized as he watched the mother and daughter hold each other.
He approached Naomi later that morning, offering her a position as his executive chief of staff.
She and Zuri would live in the guest house, safe and protected forever.
The nightmare was finally over, and the Vale empire remained secure under his control.
Three weeks later, Adrian traveled alone to the subterranean vault beneath the headquarters.
He inserted the bloody master key into the heavy steel door.
The massive vault hissed open to reveal an entirely empty room.
Sitting in the exact center of the concrete floor was a single, black envelope.
May you like
Adrian tore it open and read the handwritten note inside.
"Did you really think it would be this easy to escape your real father?"
