Chapter 6: The Enemy Who Knew His Heart
Chapter 6: The Enemy Who Knew His Heart
The message remained on the screen.
COME ALONE.
OR THE NEXT PERSON I SEND YOU WILL BE SOMEONE YOU LOVE.
Dominic stared at the words.
The entire room waited for his reaction.
They expected anger.
They expected shouting.
They expected the man who had built an empire through fear to explode.
But Dominic did something else.
He became quiet.
That was always when he was the most dangerous.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Boss."
"You already know what I'm going to say."
Dominic didn't look away from the screen.
"You can't go alone."
Marcus nodded.
"Whoever is behind this wants exactly that."
"They want you isolated."
"They want you emotional."
Dominic finally turned.
"They also want me predictable."
Daniel understood.
"You think this is a trap."
"I know it's a trap."
"Then why go?"
Dominic looked upstairs.
Toward the room where Harper slept beside her mother.
"Because they already came into my home."
"They already touched my family."
"And they think they can do it again."
Marcus lowered his voice.
"This isn't just about Claire anymore."
Dominic nodded.
"No."
"It's about Victoria."
The name changed the atmosphere.
Nobody in that room had heard Dominic say his first wife's name in years.
Victoria Vale was a ghost.
A memory everyone avoided.
A wound Dominic never allowed anyone to touch.
Daniel looked down.
"Do you believe Mia?"
Dominic didn't answer immediately.
That silence was the answer.
He did.
Because deep inside, there had always been something about Victoria's death that never made sense.
The night she died, she had called him three times.
Three missed calls.
Three moments that had haunted him.
He always believed he had failed her because he was too late.
Now he wondered if someone had made sure he would never arrive.
Dominic picked up the silver bird pendant Mia had given him.
The metal was cold against his palm.
"Find Nathan."
Marcus looked surprised.
"Not Claire?"
"Claire is a piece on the board."
"Nathan is the player."
Daniel nodded.
"What about the meeting?"
Dominic looked at the countdown.
"Twenty-three hours."
"Plenty of time."
The plan was simple.
Too simple.
Which meant it was probably exactly what their enemy wanted.
Dominic would disappear from the estate.
His men would pretend they had no idea where he was.
The enemy would believe he was alone.
But every shadow would be watched.
Every road would be covered.
Every possible escape route would have a team waiting.
Before leaving, Dominic returned to Mia's room.
She was awake.
Harper was sleeping peacefully beside her.
Mia looked at him.
"You're going after them."
It wasn't a question.
Dominic nodded.
"I need answers."
"You need revenge."
He looked at her.
She wasn't afraid of him.
That surprised him.
Most people were.
"You knew Victoria."
Mia looked at the pendant.
"She was kind."
"Even when she had every reason not to be."
Dominic remained silent.
Mia continued.
"She believed people could change."
"She believed you could walk away from the darkness."
A bitter smile crossed Dominic's face.
"She was wrong."
"No."
Mia shook her head.
"She was right."
"That's why they were afraid of her."
Dominic looked at her carefully.
"Who was afraid?"
Mia hesitated.
Then whispered:
"Nathan wasn't working for the Black Raven family."
Dominic froze.
"What?"
Mia looked toward the window.
"The Black Raven family was working for Nathan."
The words struck harder than before.
Dominic's mind raced.
Nathan had always been beside him.
Always loyal.
Always calm.
Always the man who cleaned up problems.
The perfect friend.
The perfect brother.
The perfect enemy.
Mia reached for Dominic's hand.
"Be careful."
"He knows you better than anyone."
Dominic looked down at her hand.
Nobody touched him like that.
Nobody dared.
But Mia wasn't afraid.
She was warning him.
"I'll bring Claire back."
Mia's eyes softened.
"Bring yourself back too."
Dominic paused.
Then he nodded.
For the first time in years...
Someone wasn't asking Dominic Vale to win.
They were asking him to survive.
One hour later...
A black SUV drove through the abandoned industrial district outside Hudson Valley.
Rain poured against the windshield.
Dominic sat alone in the back seat.
No guards.
No weapons visible.
Exactly as the enemy wanted.
His phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A photo appeared.
Dominic opened it.
His blood turned cold.
It was Victoria.
Not a photograph from twelve years ago.
A new picture.
A woman standing in a dark room.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakably alive.
Dominic stopped breathing.
Another message appeared.
YOU WERE TOLD SHE DIED.
YOU NEVER ASKED WHO BENEFITED FROM THAT LIE.
The SUV came to a sudden stop.
The driver turned around.
"Boss?"
Dominic didn't answer.
He kept staring at the image.
Victoria Vale.
Alive.
Impossible.
Then another message arrived.
WELCOME BACK TO THE TRUTH, DOMINIC.
YOUR WIFE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.
For twelve years...
Dominic had carried grief.
May you like
Now he carried something much more dangerous.
Hope.
