Chapter 14 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
The gunman raised his weapon.
Sarah saw him first.
“LUCAS!”
She shoved him.
The gun fired.
Sarah fell.
“Mommy!”
Emma screamed.
Lucas turned.
“Sarah!”
He caught her before she hit the floor.
Blood spread across her dress.
Lucas's face became empty.
“Call an ambulance!”
Nathan rushed inside.
He tackled the gunman.
The church erupted into chaos.
Eleanor disappeared through the side door.
Lucas held Sarah.
“Stay with me.”
She struggled to breathe.
“Emma…”
“She’s safe.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Sarah smiled weakly.
“I always knew…”
“What?”
“That you'd come back for her.”
Lucas's eyes filled with tears.
“I should have found you.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
“Why?”
“Because they were watching you.”
Lucas shook his head.
“I don't care.”
Sarah touched his face.
“Now you have to protect her.”
“I will.”
She whispered:
“Not from Vincent.”
Lucas froze.
“Then from whom?”
Sarah looked toward the door.
“Your mother.”
Lucas turned.
Eleanor stood there.
Holding a gun.
But she wasn't aiming at him.
She was aiming at Vincent.
Vincent had appeared behind her.
The two stared at each other.
“You failed,” Eleanor said.
Vincent smiled.
“So did you.”
He raised his weapon.
Lucas moved between them.
“Enough.”
Vincent laughed.
“You still think this ends with you.”
Lucas looked at him.
“It ends now.”
He drew his weapon.
Vincent fired.
Lucas fired back.
Vincent dropped.
Silence.
Eleanor lowered her gun.
Lucas turned toward her.
“It's over.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
She smiled sadly.
“You still haven't found the last file.”
“What last file?”
“The one your father hid from everyone.”
Lucas frowned.
“Where?”
Eleanor looked at Emma.
“Inside the house where you first met her.”
Lucas froze.
“The mansion?”
Eleanor nodded.
“The study.”
Lucas remembered.
The photograph.
The employee file.
The black envelope.
The night Emma had arrived.
Eleanor whispered:
“Your father knew she would come.”
Lucas stared.
“How?”
“He arranged everything before he died.”
Then Eleanor dropped her gun.
Lucas looked at her.
“Are you surrendering?”
Eleanor smiled.
“I've been waiting seven years.”
“For what?”
“For you to become the man your father wanted.”
Police sirens approached in the distance.
Lucas looked at Nathan.
“Take care of Sarah.”
Nathan nodded.
Lucas picked up Emma.
He carried her toward the door.
As he passed Eleanor, she whispered:
“Lucas.”
He stopped.
“Your father didn't want you to rule Blackbird.”
Lucas looked at her.
“He wanted you to destroy it.”
Lucas said nothing.
He walked into the morning light.
May you like
Behind him, his mother's empire began to collapse.
But the biggest secret was still waiting in the study.
