CHAPTER 6 — The Billion-Dollar Betrayal
Three days later...
Bellamy Global held its annual board meeting.
Every major shareholder attended.
Politicians.
Judges.
Bank executives.
Media owners.
Some of the most powerful people in America gathered inside the glass tower overlooking Manhattan.
Emma never imagined she would enter that building.
Especially escorted by Tristan himself.
As elevator doors opened, hundreds of employees turned to stare.
Whispers spread immediately.
"Who is she?"
"That's Tristan Bellamy."
"Is she his girlfriend?"
"No..."
"Security was told to protect her."
Emma wanted to disappear.
Instead, Tristan quietly said,
"Stay beside me."
She nodded.
Neither noticed several board members exchanging nervous looks.
Inside the executive conference room, Victor Hawthorne stood waiting.
Tall.
Elegant.
Perfectly composed.
He smiled warmly.
Almost too warmly.
"Tristan."
"My condolences about the attack."
Tristan's voice remained calm.
"You seem remarkably informed."
Victor chuckled.
"I have friends everywhere."
Emma studied the older man.
Something about his smile made her uneasy.
Then Victor's eyes landed on her.
For the briefest second...
His smile vanished.
Fear flashed across his face.
He recognized her.
Immediately.
Emma noticed.
"So..."
she asked softly,
"Have we met?"
Victor recovered instantly.
"I don't believe so."
But his trembling hand betrayed him.
The meeting began.
Financial reports.
Voting procedures.
Corporate expansion.
Everything appeared ordinary.
Then Tristan stood.
"I have something my father left behind."
The room fell silent.
He placed the videotape onto the conference table.
Victor's expression hardened.
"Before anyone leaves..."
Tristan continued,
"...everyone is going to watch this."
Several board members shifted nervously.
One quietly reached for his phone.
Security immediately confiscated it.
The lights dimmed.
The recording started.
Richard Bellamy appeared on the massive conference screen.
This time...
The video continued far beyond where it had mysteriously stopped before.
"I knew this recording would eventually reach the board."
Richard looked directly into the camera.
"If Victor Hawthorne is sitting in that room..."
"...he murdered my brother."
Gasps erupted.
Victor slowly stood.
"Turn this off."
No one moved.
Richard continued.
"He also ordered the fire that supposedly killed Emma Carter's family."
Emma's knees nearly gave way.
Victor slammed both hands onto the table.
"Lies!"
Richard's final sentence froze everyone.
"The greatest deception..."
"...is that Victor Hawthorne is not merely a business partner."
"He is Emma Carter's biological grandfather."
The room exploded into chaos.
Emma stared at Victor in disbelief.
Victor stared back.
Neither spoke.
Finally...
He whispered one sentence that chilled everyone present.
"I've been searching for you..."
"...since the night your mother stole you from me."
Before anyone could react, the conference room windows shattered inward.
Smoke grenades rolled across the polished floor.
Automatic gunfire erupted outside.
Masked mercenaries stormed the executive level.
Victor didn't run.
He smiled.
Because the attack...
May you like
Had always been part of his plan.
END OF CHAPTER 6
