Chapter 16 - THE GUN IN MY FATHER'S HAND
For one terrible second, I thought my father was going to pull the trigger.
The gun was pointed directly at Ethan.
My son stood completely still.
His face had gone white.
My mother screamed his name.
“Thomas!”
My father didn't move.
His hand trembled so violently that the barrel shook.
“Dad…”
Ethan's voice was barely audible.
“You're pointing a gun at me.”
My father closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“Why?”
No answer.
I stepped between them.
Slowly.
Carefully.
“Dad.”
He opened his eyes.
Tears were running down his face.
“I need you to trust me.”
“I trusted you for fifteen years.”
My voice cracked.
“You let me believe you were dead. You let me believe my son was dead. You watched Logan destroy my life.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“Then put the gun down.”
My father didn't.
Instead, he whispered:
“Victor is listening.”
Everyone froze.
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
Security cameras.
Microphones.
Of course.
Victor had been watching us.
My father looked directly at the nearest camera.
“Victor, you wanted Ethan.”
He raised the gun slightly.
“You're going to have him.”
I stared at him in horror.
“Dad—”
But then I noticed something.
His index finger wasn't on the trigger.
It was resting beside it.
He wasn't going to shoot Ethan.
He was acting.
My father continued.
“But first, I want my daughter.”
Victor's voice suddenly came through the speaker.
“You're finally being reasonable.”
My father's jaw tightened.
“Bring Lily here.”
Silence.
Then Victor laughed.
“You still think you can bargain with me?”
My father looked at the camera.
“I know exactly what you want.”
“What?”
“The Sterling bloodline certificate.”
Victor went silent.
My father smiled for the first time.
“And I know where it is.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
So did mine.
My father slowly lowered the gun.
“The certificate isn't in this facility.”
Victor's voice became colder.
“Where?”
My father looked at me.
Then he said:
“Maya has it.”
I froze.
“What?”
Victor immediately ordered his men to find me.
But before anyone could react, my father grabbed my hand.
“Run.”
We rushed through the side corridor.
Ryan slammed a steel door behind us.
Daniel followed.
Ethan stayed beside me.
For the first time, I understood what my father had done.
He had lied to Victor.
He had sacrificed himself as bait.
And he had just given us the only thing we needed.
Time.
We reached the emergency exit.
Outside, the night air hit my face.
I looked at my father through the closing door.
He stood alone in the corridor.
The gun still in his hand.
“Dad!”
He smiled sadly.
“Go find your daughter.”
The steel door slammed shut.
Then we heard gunfire from inside.
I screamed his name.
But Ryan pulled me away.
“Maya!”
“No!”
“He wanted you to leave!”
I fought him.
But Ethan grabbed my hand.
“Mom.”
I stopped.
He looked at me.
“Let's get Lily.”
And suddenly I realized something.
For fifteen years, Logan had taken everything from me.
My childhood.
My parents.
My son.
My future.
My face.
But he had made one mistake.
He had left me something.
A reason to fight.
May you like
My daughter was still alive.
And I was coming for her.
