Chapter 10 - The False Victory
Olivia froze as the cold barrel of her mother's gun pointed right between her eyes.
Samantha stared at Victoria in absolute disbelief unable to process this sudden betrayal.
Victoria smiled beautifully and praised Olivia for successfully retrieving the override codes.
She explained that this entire night had been a perfectly orchestrated performance.
Victoria had wanted Marcus destroyed just as much as she wanted Alexander dead.
By using Samantha as bait she had manipulated the brothers into destroying each other.
Now Victoria controlled the entire Hayes fortune through the dummy accounts Olivia had just authorized.
Olivia slowly lowered her weapon and walked casually toward her mother's van.
She looked back at Samantha and offered a cold unapologetic shrug of her shoulders.
Olivia stated that business was simply business and she preferred being a billionaire.
Samantha felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as she stood alone in the rain.
Victoria ordered her driver to eliminate the Sterling girl and leave the body in the gutter.
The massive driver stepped out of the van and pulled a heavy combat knife from his belt.
Samantha backed away desperately but her legs hit the cold concrete steps of the building.
She closed her eyes and waited for the pain that would finally end this nightmare.
Suddenly a deafening gunshot echoed through the empty city street.
The massive driver collapsed to the wet pavement with a bullet in his leg.
Alexander Hayes walked out of the corporate building bleeding heavily from his shoulder.
He aimed his smoking rifle directly at Victoria's terrified face.
Alexander demanded that the van leave immediately before he put a bullet in her brain.
Victoria screamed in frustration and ordered the driver to hit the gas.
The van sped away into the darkness leaving Olivia's betrayal behind.
Alexander dropped his rifle and slumped against the glass doors of the lobby.
Samantha rushed to his side and pressed her hands against his bleeding wound.
He smiled weakly and told her that he was wearing Kevlar under his jacket.
He confirmed that Marcus was tied up upstairs waiting for the police to arrive.
The nightmare was finally over and the corporation was safely back in his hands.
Samantha cried tears of relief and hugged him tightly feeling truly safe for the first time in her life.
Alexander promised her that she would never have to wash another dish or be afraid again.
He gently lifted her chin and kissed her softly under the flashing lights of the approaching police cars.
Samantha closed her eyes and let herself believe that her fairy tale ending had finally arrived.
She helped him walk toward the waiting ambulances as paramedics rushed to assist them.
While Alexander was being bandaged his phone buzzed loudly in his pocket.
He asked Samantha to grab it and check the message for him while he held still.
Samantha pulled the phone out and swiped the cracked screen to read the text.
The message was from an unknown number and consisted of only a few chilling words.
May you like
"Phase one complete. She trusts you. Proceed with the liquidation of her assets and eliminate her."
Samantha slowly looked up and saw Alexander staring at her with a perfectly cold and emotionless smile.
