I couldn't breathe.
I stared through the windshield, convinced my eyes were lying to me.
Richard.
Adrian's father.
The man whose death had been spoken about so many times that I had stopped questioning it.
The man whose name was buried beneath years of secrets, lies, and fear.
He was standing outside our car.
Alive.
My fingers began trembling.
"No…"
Adrian was still outside.
He hadn't seen him yet.
"Adrian," I whispered.
He turned toward me.
Then he followed my stare.
His entire body froze.
I watched the color drain from his face.
"Dad?"
Richard smiled.
That smile terrified me more than anything.
Adrian took one slow step backward.
"No."
Richard took a step forward.
"You look just like your mother."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You're dead."
"I was supposed to be."
My heart pounded.
Adrian stared at him as though he were looking at a ghost.
"You let me believe you were dead."
Richard shrugged.
"It was necessary."
"Necessary?"
Adrian's voice shook with anger.
"You watched me grow up believing my father was dead."
"I watched you survive."
"You abandoned me!"
Richard's expression hardened.
"I protected you."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"Protected me?"
He pointed toward me.
"You dragged her into this!"
Richard looked at me.
His eyes were cold.
"She was always going to be involved."
I felt a chill move through me.
"What does that mean?"
Richard smiled.
"You really don't know who you are, do you?"
I stepped out of the car.
Adrian immediately moved in front of me.
"Don't talk to her."
Richard laughed.
"Still protecting her."
Adrian's fists tightened.
"You're not taking her anywhere."
Richard's smile disappeared.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Richard looked at him.
"The marriage was never about money."
I froze.
Adrian stared at him.
"What?"
Richard's eyes moved toward me.
"It was about blood."
My heart stopped.
"Blood?"
Richard nodded.
"Your family has been hiding something for years."
I looked toward the road behind him.
Victor stood quietly beside the car.
My uncle's photograph suddenly flashed through my mind.
The warehouse.
The money.
The fire.
Lily.
Everything.
"Where is Lily?" I demanded.
Richard smiled again.
"Still thinking about your sister."
"Where is she?"
"You'll see her."
"Now."
His expression changed.
"Give me the key."
My hand instinctively went to my pocket.
Adrian noticed.
"Don't."
Richard laughed.
"Do you really think you can protect her?"
Adrian stepped forward.
"You won't touch her."
Richard looked at his son.
"You still don't understand why you were chosen."
Adrian froze.
I looked at him.
"Chosen for what?"
Richard answered.
"To die."
My stomach twisted.
Adrian said nothing.
Richard continued.
"Your uncle needed a sacrifice."
"What sacrifice?"
"The family agreement."
I stared at him.
"The agreement that forced our marriage?"
Richard nodded.
"The moment Adrian married you, the agreement became active."
My heart sank.
"What agreement?"
Richard looked directly at me.
"The agreement your father signed ten years ago."
I shook my head.
"My father?"
"Yes."
"What did he promise?"
Richard's voice became quiet.
"You."
I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet.
"No."
"He promised that his daughter would marry into our family."
I looked at Adrian.
"And if she didn't?"
Richard's eyes became cold.
"Someone would die."
Silence.
I finally understood.
Adrian wasn't chosen because he was weak.
He was chosen because he was expendable.
The marriage had never been a marriage.
It had been a transaction.
A death sentence disguised as a wedding.
Tears filled my eyes.
I looked at Adrian.
"You knew."
He shook his head.
"Not everything."
"But you knew enough."
"I knew there was an agreement."
"You knew!"
My voice cracked.
"And you still let me marry you."
"I was trying to break it."
"By keeping me in the dark?"
"I thought I could protect you."
I shook my head.
"That's what everyone says."
Richard laughed softly.
"You see why I kept you away from the truth?"
I turned toward him.
"You're no better than them."
Richard's smile vanished.
"You don't know what you're saying."
"I know enough."
I stepped closer.
"You lied to your own son."
His face hardened.
"You should be careful."
"No."
My tears fell.
"I have been careful my whole life."
My voice shook.
"I've been careful around my family. Around my husband. Around every secret you've all thrown at me."
I pointed at him.
"But I'm done being afraid."
For the first time, Richard looked surprised.
Adrian looked at me.
I could see something in his eyes.
Pride.
Fear.
Love.
Then Richard slowly clapped his hands.
"Beautiful."
Victor stepped forward.
"Sir, we should leave."
Richard nodded.
Then he looked at Adrian.
"Bring her."
Adrian moved immediately.
"No."
Victor pulled out a gun.
My heart stopped.
"Adrian…"
He raised his hands.
"Don't."
Richard looked at me.
"You have the key."
I didn't move.
"Where is Lily?"
Richard smiled.
"Alive."
"Prove it."
He pulled out his phone.
He pressed a button.
A video appeared.
My heart stopped.
There she was.
Lily.
Older.
Tears running down her face.
She was sitting in a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
I covered my mouth.
"Lily…"
She looked toward the camera.
Then she whispered,
"Don't trust him."
The video ended.
I stared at the phone.
"What did she mean?"
Richard smiled.
"That depends on who you think she's talking about."
I looked at Adrian.
He was staring at the phone too.
Richard turned toward Victor.
"Take them."
Victor stepped forward.
Adrian grabbed my hand.
"Run."
We turned.
But another car came from behind us.
Three men jumped out.
We were surrounded.
My heart raced.
Adrian pulled me behind him.
"Stay close."
One of the men raised his weapon.
Richard watched silently.
Then suddenly—
A gunshot exploded through the night.
Everyone froze.
The man holding the weapon dropped to the ground.
Richard turned sharply.
"What the—"
Another shot.
Victor fell.
Adrian grabbed me.
"Get down!"
We dropped behind the car.
More gunshots rang through the darkness.
Someone was attacking them.
Someone was helping us.
But who?
I looked toward the trees.
A shadow moved between them.
Then a voice called out.
"Adrian!"
Adrian froze.
I recognized the voice.
So did he.
His eyes widened.
"No…"
The shadow stepped into the moonlight.
My heart nearly stopped.
Because standing there was the one person we had all believed had died in the warehouse fire.
Samuel.
Alive.
And he was pointing a gun directly at Richard.
"You should have stayed dead."
Richard stared at him.
His face filled with disbelief.
"Samuel…"
Samuel's eyes were filled with hatred.
"You took everything from us."
Then he looked at me.
"And now I'm here to take it back."