Chapter 12 - THE KING'S CONFESSION
Adrian moved Mara to a secure medical suite.
The room had guards outside.
Cameras.
A private entrance.
Mara hated it.
But she understood why.
Someone was killing witnesses.
And she had no idea how many people wanted her dead.
For the first time, she asked Adrian to stay.
He did.
They sat across from each other in the quiet room.
Mara held the red folder.
“Tell me about Project Heir.”
Adrian looked at the document.
“I don't know what it means.”
“Then we find out.”
He nodded.
Mara opened the folder.
There were records dating back to before her marriage.
Her childhood.
Her parents.
Her mother.
Her father.
Adrian frowned.
“Why would Blake have this?”
Mara turned a page.
Then stopped.
A photograph fell out.
It showed a young Mara.
She was standing beside her mother.
The date was written on the back.
Sixteen years ago.
Mara stared.
“I don't remember this.”
Adrian picked it up.
“Where was it taken?”
Mara looked closer.
A hospital.
Her mother had been sick.
Mara remembered that year.
Her father had disappeared.
Her mother had spent months in the hospital.
And a stranger had paid the bills.
Mara suddenly felt cold.
“Wait.”
She looked at Adrian.
“My mother's hospital bills.”
“What about them?”
“Someone paid them.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Adrian opened another file.
There was a payment record.
Mara read the name.
Her hands went numb.
“Victor Cross.”
Adrian stared.
Mara looked at him.
“Your father paid for my mother's treatment.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
The room became silent.
Mara continued reading.
There were records of her education.
Her jobs.
Her relationships.
Every major event in her life.
Someone had been watching her for years.
Adrian looked at the files.
“Your father selected you long before Blake met you.”
Mara whispered:
“Why?”
A phone rang.
Adrian answered.
“Cross.”
A voice spoke.
Adrian's expression changed.
He ended the call.
Mara looked at him.
“What?”
“We found Elena.”
Mara stood.
“Where?”
“An abandoned church outside Baltimore.”
They arrived thirty minutes later.
Adrian went inside first.
Mara waited in the car.
Then she heard him shout.
“Elena!”
Mara opened the door.
Adrian turned.
“Mara, stay there.”
She ignored him.
Inside the church, a woman stood near the altar.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakable.
Elena Cross.
Adrian walked toward her slowly.
She looked at him.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Elena whispered:
“You got old.”
Adrian laughed.
It broke into a sob.
He crossed the room.
Elena fell into his arms.
Mara watched them.
The reunion was not dramatic.
There was no screaming.
No perfect words.
Just two people holding each other after eight years of believing the other was gone.
Mara turned away.
She gave them privacy.
After several minutes, Elena approached her.
“You're Mara.”
Mara nodded.
Elena studied her.
“You look just like your mother.”
Mara froze.
“You knew my mother?”
Elena's expression changed.
“Yes.”
“How?”
Elena looked at Adrian.
Then back at Mara.
“Your mother worked for my father.”
Mara felt cold.
“What?”
“Before she married your father.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“What are you talking about?”
Elena looked at him.
“Victor didn't choose Mara because of Blake.”
Mara's heart stopped.
“Then why?”
Elena whispered:
“Because she is the heir.”
Mara stared.
“To what?”
Elena looked toward the church doors.
“To everything.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
Elena continued.
“Your father wasn't your real father.”
Mara's world stopped.
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
Elena's voice softened.
“Victor's organization was built on bloodlines, alliances and inheritance.”
Mara backed away.
“Stop.”
“Your mother had a relationship with Victor.”
Mara covered her ears.
“No.”
“Your biological father is Victor Cross.”
The silence was absolute.
Mara stared at Adrian.
Adrian stared at Elena.
Then at Mara.
“No,” Mara whispered.
Elena continued.
“Victor wanted an heir who could inherit everything.”
Mara shook her head.
“Why Blake?”
“Blake was never supposed to inherit.”
Mara looked at her.
“Then what was he?”
“A guardian.”
Mara laughed bitterly.
“A guardian who beat me?”
Elena's face hardened.
“Blake became obsessed with control.”
Adrian's hands curled into fists.
Elena continued.
“Victor planned for you to marry Blake.”
Mara felt sick.
“Why?”
“To unite the Bennett family and Cross network.”
“But my family had nothing.”
“Your family had something Victor wanted.”
“What?”
Elena looked at her.
“Your mother's bloodline.”
Mara stared.
“I don't understand.”
“Your mother was the last surviving member of a family that controlled the legal side of the organization.”
Mara shook her head.
“This is insane.”
Elena looked at Adrian.
“Tell her.”
Adrian said nothing.
Elena continued.
“Victor believed the child would be the final heir.”
Mara placed a hand over her stomach.
“No.”
“That's why Blake wants the baby.”
Mara's breathing became shallow.
Adrian stepped toward her.
“Mara.”
She backed away.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
She looked at him.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“You knew something.”
“I knew my father was searching for an heir.”
“But not me.”
“No.”
Mara stared at him.
Then she laughed.
A broken, exhausted laugh.
“So everyone has been lying to me.”
Adrian said nothing.
Mara looked at Elena.
“Why did you disappear?”
Elena's face became serious.
“Because I found out what Victor planned.”
“And you tried to stop him.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you come back?”
“Because he threatened Adrian.”
Mara looked at Adrian.
Elena continued.
“He told me if I returned, Adrian would die.”
Adrian's face tightened.
Elena looked at him.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
Mara slowly turned away.
Everyone had used the same word.
Protection.
And every time, it had meant secrets.
Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the church window.
Adrian pulled Mara down.
Elena screamed.
More shots followed.
Adrian's men returned fire.
Mara crawled behind a stone pillar.
Adrian reached her.
“Stay down.”
Mara looked at him.
“No.”
“Mara.”
“I’m done hiding.”
She pointed toward the side door.
“There's another exit.”
Adrian looked.
She was right.
They moved.
But before they reached the door, a figure appeared.
Blake.
He held a gun.
His eyes were fixed on Mara.
“Come with me.”
Adrian stepped between them.
Blake raised the weapon.
Mara suddenly understood.
Blake didn't want to kill her.
May you like
He wanted the baby.
And that made him more dangerous than ever.
