“Aria, you were never meant to know that.”
Richard’s voice boomed down the passage.
Aria looked into the dark.
She stood still for a moment.
A few feet away, Richard Vale’s face was half in the shadows of the poor light behind him.
He seemed exhausted.
Older than she had remembered.
But his eyes were firm.
Aria’s hands clenched into fists.
“You’re alive,”
Richard nodded his head.
“I had to be.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
You knew who my father was.”
“Yes.
“And you let me think you were my father.”
Richard’s face went taut.
“I brought you up.
That’s not what I asked.
“I know that.
Aria took a step toward him.
“So it was all a lie?”
“Nope.”
“Did I have a lie for a name?”
“Yup.
“Did I lie to myself as a child?”
“Nope.”
“Did my father lie?”
Richard paused.
“Yes.”
The answer slashed through her.
Aria’s eyes smarted.
“But why?”
Richard looked at Elena.
Damien then.
Then back to Aria
“Because you were risking your life.”
Aria laughed, bitterly.
“Everyone says that.
Her voice got higher.
“Everything was to keep me safe.
The marriage was for my own security.
My false name was to protect me.
“Your lies were to protect me.
She indicated Richard.
“But no one ever asked me what I wanted.”
Richard offered no defense.
“You are correct.
That stopped her.
Aria looked at him.
Richard went on in a quiet way.
We were so afraid of losing you we forgot you had the right to know what we were protecting”
Damien drew nearer to Aria.
She saw him without seeing him.
“What happened to daddy?”
Richard’s face was transformed.
“He died before you were old enough to know him.
“How?
He was murdered.
“Victor?
“No.”
“Who?”
Richard was silent again.
Aria’s voice grew colder.
“I’m not living with half-truths anymore.”
Richard looked at her.
“You get the whole shebang.
“Then hand it to me.”
Richard breathed out slowly.
“Your father was the first legal owner of the Valmont Trust.
Aria shook her head.
“You said that once before.”
I said he was the original owner.
And?”
“He was no Valmont.”
Aria’s face changed.
“Then why did everybody call it the Valmont trust?”
“Because the Valmont name became the public name associated with the assets.”
Why?
“Because your father’s family had enemies.
“Who?”
Richard looked down the corridor behind him.
The people who wanted the trust.
Aria lost her patience.
“Who are these guys?
Richard’s eyes went black.
They’re not just a person.”
“Who then?”
“A network.
Noah took a step forward.
“How big are you talking?”
“Big enough to get into Laurent Holdings, the Valmont family, and the legal system.”
Damien’s face turned dark.
“You knew all along.
Richard looked him in the eye.
I knew enough to keep Aria alive.
“You let me marry her and you didn’t tell me.”
“I consented to the marriage as part of the protection plan.
Damien’s jaw clenched.
“You exploited me.”
Richard’s eyes stayed still.
“Yeah.
Damien was surprised by the honesty.
Richard went on.
“But I wasn’t the only one.”
Damien looked in Victor’s direction.
“Father,”
Richard nodded.
Victor had known of the plan.
Elena took a step forward.
“He knew better than that.”
Richard stared at her.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
I always came back.
“You could have been killed.
“Aria could too.
Richard’s face relaxed.
That’s why I stayed away.”
Aria stared at them.
“Why were you guys hiding?
“Answer,” said Elena.
“Because after your father died, people looking for the trust started looking for you.
“How did they know I was here?”
Someone had told them.
“Who?”
Richard’s face was grim.
We never traced the first person who told you that you existed.”
Aria gaped.
“But somebody did know.
“Yes.
“And that guy made Project Eclipse?”
Richard shook his head.
“No, not really.
“What’s that mean?”
“Project Eclipse was established to locate the heir.
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“They knew I was there.”
They knew someone was there.”
“They didn’t know it was me at the time.
Not sure.
Damien knew that.
That’s why they fixed the marriage.”
Richard nodded his head.
“The marriage opened up the door to Aria’s life.
Aria looked at Damien.
“And they were watching us.”
“Yes.”
“They wanted to see if I’d show myself.”
“Yes,”
“And if Damien could get into the trust.”
“Yes.
She turned to Richard.
“Who was looking at us?”
Richard stopped.
“Victor.”
Aria’s eyes narrowed.
“Just Victor?”
No.
The passage was still.
Richard went on.
“There was someone else.”
“Who?
“I don’t know.
Aria looked at him.
“You want me to believe that?”
“I hope you’ll understand, I spent twenty years trying to find out.”
“Then what did you find out?”
Richard glanced at Damien.
“That the man behind Eclipse had information that neither Victor nor I had access to.
Damien frowned.
“What info?”
“Private information on Aria.
Aria felt her heart twist.
“My childhood?”
“Okay.”
My memory?
“Yup.”
My family?”
“Yes.”
Richard stared at her.
“Even your fears.
A shiver went through her.
“Then whoever it is knows me.
“Better than you know.”
Noah moved closer.
“Could it be Vivienne?”
Richard shook his head.
“Nope.
Aria stared at him.
“Vivienne?
You know her?”
“I know who she is.”
“What does she come into it with?”
She’s related to the Laurents.
Damien’s expression stiffened.
“How?
“She was put back into your life for a reason.”
He altered his face.
“You mean Vivienne was part of the plan?”
I’m saying it helped somebody, her coming back.
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“The gala.”
Richard nodded his head.
“The images.”
“Divorce.”
“Yeah.”
Aria’s face froze.
“They wanted me out of there.”
“Yes.”
Why?
Richard stared at her.
“You couldn’t get at the trust as long as you were living in the marriage.”
Damien’s face went hard.
“That doesn’t add up.”
It does.
Richard gestured toward the key in Aria’s hand.
“The trust accepted the marriage as a condition of protection.”
“So if we got divorced…”
“The protection dropped.
Aria glanced at the key.
“So the divorce settlement was sent.”
Yea.
And they wanted me to walk away.
“Yes.
Damien spoke quietly.
But the divorce was my decision.
Richard stared at him.
“You thought it was.
Damien froze.
Aria turned to him slowly.
“What does that mean?”
Richard’s expression sobered.
“You were influenced in your choice.
Damien shook his head.
“Neuh.”
“Yeah.”
“I wanted the divorce.
“You were pushed into it.”
“By who?”
“Vivienne.
Damien’s expression clouded.
“You mean she fooled me?”
“I’m saying somebody ran her through the wringer.”
Aria shook.
“So Vivienne isn’t the mastermind.
“Nope.”
“Then who’s using her?”
Richard didn’t say anything.
Aria looked at him.
“Who?”
Richard glanced back into the darkness.
“Still don’t know.”
Suddenly there was a noise overhead in the passage.
Everyone halted.
Noah grabbed his phone.
“Someone’s moving upstairs.
Richard’s face changed.
“They located the entrance.”
Damien took a step forward.
“How many?”
“Dunno.”
Noah headed for the stairs.
“We need a different way out.”
Richard indicated the wall at the far end.
“There is one.
Aria peered.
“Where?”
Behind the archive.
They charged at the wall.
Richard placed his hand on a concealed part.
Nothing’.
He tried once more.
Nothing so far.
Aria glanced at the key.
“Maybe this will open it up.
She slid the key into a small slot.
A click.
The wall shifted.
A narrow opening appeared.
Damien glanced at Richard.
“You knew about this.
“Yes.”
“And you never said a word to us.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
Richard glanced at Aria.
“Because the way leads to the original record.”
Aria’s heart raced.
“The records?
“Yeah.”
“The records that tell about who my father was?”
“Yes.
“Then I will go.”
Richard took her arm.
“Aria, pay attention.”
She halted.
“The archive is not just your father’s identity.”
What else?”
It gives the names of all the people who helped destroy his life.
Aria’s face stiffened.
“I want to see then.”
“You may not like what you discover.
“I didn’t care about it anymore.
She pulled her arm back.
“I want the real story.
Richard nodded, slow.
“Then go.”
Damien came over to her.
“I’m coming.”
Richard looked at him.
” You may not be welcome.
Damien’s face hardened.
“I stopped asking permission.
Aria looked at him.
For a moment their eyes met.
There was still pain between them.
But distrust.
But now there was something different.
A subtle understanding.
They had an enemy in common.
Together.
They walked down the passage.
Noah did.
Elena stayed behind.
Aria whirled.
So join us.
Elena shook her head.
“Somebody’s got to slow them down.
“Mother—” “Go.
Damien looked at Elena.
“Watch out.”
She smiled a sad smile.
“I have lived twenty years.”
Then the secret wall started to close.
Aria looked back once more.
Richard stood beside Elena.
Two people who’d held secrets for decades.
Then the wall came down.
Darkness enclosed them.
Damien switched on his phone light.
Our way ahead.
Noah followed a few paces behind.
Aria was quick.
But her mind was set on one question.
“Damien.
“Yeah?”
“If Richard is being truthful…”
She stopped.
“Then who was your father trying to protect?”
Damien stared at her.
“I don’t know.”
And why was I selected?
“I don’t know.”
She paused.
Damien stopped as well.
Aria looked straight into his eyes.
“Here’s the thing you’ve got to understand.
“What?”
…if we discover evidence your family destroyed mine…
Her voice was calm.
“I won’t shield you from the consequences.
Damien nodded.
“I don’t want you to.
She looked at him.
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Even if it ruins Laurent Holdings?”
“Yes,”
“Even if it kills you?”
Damien didn’t hold back.
“Yes, sir.”
Aria turned round.
Something inside her changed.
No pardon.
Not quite yet.
But maybe the beginning of trust.
They went on.
They found a huge metal door after a few minutes.
The same symbol lay at its heart.
The circle.
Three lines.
Aria slid the key in.
The lock sprang open.
The door opened slowly.
Rows of old papers filled the room.
Photos
Contracts.
Ledger-books.
Legal documents.
In the middle was a single locked glass case.
Inside, a birth certificate.
Aria moved closer.
She shook her hands.
She said the name.
CHILD: ARIA SINCLAIR.
Her heart raced.
Below were the names of her parents.
Her mother’s name was exactly what Elena had told her.
ELENA SINCLAIR.
Aria then looked at the father’s name.
She held her breath.
She recognized that name.
She had seen it in the Laurent family records.
She’d heard Victor mention it once when she was a bit younger.
Damien came up beside her.
He read it.
His face went perfectly white.
No.
Aria looked toward him.
“What?
Damien pointed at the certificate.
“That name…”
He didn’t make it.
Aria looked one more time.
Then she knew.
Her biological father was something more than just related to the Laurent family.
He was the one man whose death had altered the whole Laurent empire.
The name on the certificate was Damien’s maternal uncle.
The man Victor had blamed publicly for the financial collapse all those decades back.
The man was officially recorded as having died before Aria was born.
Aria looked at Damien.
“Your uncle was my dad.”
Damien was ashen.
“Yes.
Below the birth certificate was a second one.
Aria yanked it out.
It was a legal transfer contract.
Her father’s signature was at the bottom.
The transfer was made before his death.
And Aria wasn’t the recipient.
It was not Elena.
It wasn’t Richard.
That wasn’t Victor’s.
Damien.
Aria’s heart missed a beat.
“Why would he pass the trust to you?
Damien looked at the paper.
“I don’t know.”
Aria flipped the page.
There was one last sentence, handwritten.
Damien will inherit the trust only when Aria knows the truth.
Damien’s eyes go wide.
“That was impossible.
Aria gazed at him.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I never learned it.”
“You weren’t supposed to.
‘Cold voice came from behind them.
They turned round.
Victor was standing in the archive.
There was blood on one side of his shirt.
But his face was serene.
Aria took a step back.
How did you get here?
Victor glanced at Damien.
“I followed you.
Damien narrowed his eyes.
“You knew about the archive.
“Yes.
“So you knew about my uncle.
Victor’s face went blank.
“Yeah.”
Aria raised up the transfer document.
“You knew that he left the trust to Damien?”
“Yes.
“Why?
Victor gazed at her.
“Because your father didn’t trust himself to keep it safe.”
Aria’s voice grew hard.
“So he had trusted Damien.
“Nope.”
Victor glanced at his son.
He believed in what Damien was going to become.”
Damien scowled.
“What’s that mean?”
Victor said nothing.
Instead he looked at Aria.
This is what your marriage was for.
Aria shook her head.
“
“No.”
She brandished the paper.
“You haven’t told me the truth yet.”
Victor’s face altered.
“What truth?”
“Who killed my dad?”
Quiet.
Victor looked at birth certificate.
Then over at Aria.
Finally he said, “I did.
Aria’s blood ran cold.
Damien looked at him.
“What?
Victor said in a low voice.
“I killed your dad.”
The doors of the archive slammed shut before either of them could move.