Chapter 10 - The Price of a Signature
Marcus placed a pen on the table.
“Sign.”
Adrian stared at the video.
Grace struggled against the restraints.
Emma was crying silently.
Lily stood gripping the crib rail.
Adrian’s daughter was alive.
And once again, men he trusted were using her as leverage.
Victor spoke impatiently.
“End this.”
Adrian picked up the pen.
Thomas stepped forward.
“Adrian.”
Marcus struck him across the face.
“Quiet.”
Adrian looked at the first document.
It transferred control of Vale Holdings into an emergency trust.
Victor would control it.
The second named Marcus executive administrator.
The third declared Adrian mentally unstable after prolonged grief.
They had planned everything.
Maybe for years.
Adrian signed the first page.
Victor exhaled.
Marcus watched closely.
Adrian signed the second.
Thomas stared at him.
Adrian reached the final page.
Then he stopped.
Marcus frowned.
“Problem?”
“One.”
Adrian looked up.
“The signature is worthless.”
Victor laughed.
“No, it isn’t.”
“Yes.”
Adrian placed the pen down.
“Because Vale Holdings no longer owns the controlling assets.”
Silence.
Victor’s smile disappeared.
Adrian continued.
“I transferred them yesterday.”
“To whom?”
“A trust.”
Victor stared.
“What trust?”
Adrian looked toward the phone showing Lily.
“The Lily Evelyn Vale Trust.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“You couldn’t.”
“I did.”
Victor slammed his hand onto the table.
“That child is legally dead.”
Adrian smiled for the first time.
“Not anymore.”
Marcus lifted his gun.
Adrian remained still.
“You think this is clever?”
“No.”
“I think you spent eight months believing grief made me stupid.”
Marcus’s finger tightened.
Then the lights went out.
Complete darkness swallowed the room.
A gunshot exploded.
Someone screamed.
Thomas tackled Adrian behind a steel cabinet.
More shots erupted.
Emergency lights flashed red.
Adrian saw Victor running toward the stairwell.
Marcus disappeared through another doorway.
Thomas shouted.
“The tunnel.”
Adrian followed.
Behind the vault was a narrow passage leading beneath the estate.
Victor had taken the ledger.
Marcus had taken the phone.
Adrian sprinted through darkness.
Then his earpiece activated.
A voice whispered.
“Mr. Vale.”
Adrian stopped.
It was Grace.
“I’m free.”
Adrian closed his eyes for half a second.
“How?”
Grace’s voice trembled.
“Daniel let us go.”
Adrian looked at Thomas.
“Daniel switched sides.”
Grace continued.
“No.”
“He says he was never on Marcus’s side.”
Adrian frowned.
Then Daniel’s voice entered the channel.
“I needed Marcus to believe I was.”
Adrian’s anger returned.
“You used my daughter as bait.”
“I kept her protected.”
“You tied Grace to a chair.”
“Loose restraints.”
Grace interrupted.
“He’s telling the truth.”
Daniel spoke quickly.
“Marcus is heading toward the river.”
“He has Victor’s ledger copy.”
“And he just sent a message to someone named Mercer.”
Adrian froze.
Grant Mercer.
The rival Adrian had spent eight months hunting.
Daniel continued.
“Marcus is selling everything and leaving Chicago tonight.”
Adrian looked toward the tunnel.
“Not tonight.”
May you like
He started running.
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