Chapter 6 - EVELYN WAKESEvelyn Parker looked smaller when she was awake.
That was the first thought Alexander had when he entered Room 914 and saw her eyes open.
Not weak.
Never weak.
Just smaller beneath the weight of all she had survived.
“Mom,” he said.
Her gaze moved toward him.
For a moment, she was not the woman who had hidden ledgers, fought billionaires, and survived betrayal.
She was simply his mother.
“My boy,” she whispered.
Alexander crossed the room quickly but carefully. He took her hand.
“I’m sorry.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“For what?”
“For letting her near you. For not listening. For making you feel like a guest in my life.”
A tear slid down Evelyn’s cheek.
“Oh, Alexander.”
He bowed his head over her hand.
“I should have protected you.”
“You were the child,” she said faintly. “It was my job to protect you.”
“You almost died doing it.”
“And yet,” she whispered, “I remain inconvenient.”
Despite everything, he laughed softly.
Dr. Naomi Reed stood near the machines, pretending not to hear, though her own eyes looked wet.
Evelyn turned slightly.
“Victoria.”
Alexander’s face hardened.
“No.”
“I need to see her.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Alexander.”
He knew that tone. Even bruised and barely able to lift her head, Evelyn Parker could still make him feel twelve years old.
“She tried to kill you.”
“Yes.”
“And sent someone here to finish it.”
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly.
“I know.”
“Then why would you want her anywhere near you?”
“Because Victoria is not brave enough to be the beginning of this.”
Alexander went silent.
Evelyn opened her eyes again.
“She is vain. Cruel. Ambitious. But fear drives her more than greed. Someone is holding something over her.”
“Her father.”
“Perhaps.”
“We found the ledger.”
Relief moved across Evelyn’s face.
“Good.”
“And the clause.”
Pain followed the relief.
“I wanted to tell you before the wedding.”
“You came to warn me.”
“Yes.”
“And I ignored you.”
“You were in love.”
Alexander looked away.
“No. I was distracted.”
Evelyn studied him with the devastating kindness only mothers possess.
“Sometimes men call loneliness love when it arrives wearing beauty.”
He had no answer to that.
Naomi cleared her throat.
“She needs rest.”
Evelyn squeezed Alexander’s hand.
“Bring Victoria.”
“No.”
“Then bring the truth,” Evelyn said. “Because if you only punish her, the people behind her will choose another pretty weapon.”
Alexander stared at his mother.
Even after everything, she was thinking five moves ahead.
A knock came at the door.
Marcus entered.
“Sir. Police are ready to arrest Victoria.”
Alexander looked at Evelyn.
She gave the smallest shake of her head.
“Not yet,” she whispered.
Olivia, who had arrived silently behind Marcus, folded her arms.
“I hate to agree with a woman who nearly died twice in twenty-four hours, but she’s right.”
Alexander turned.
“You too?”
Olivia nodded.
“If Victoria is arrested now, her lawyers isolate her, her father disappears, and whoever corrupted your security system stays hidden. We need her to believe she still has a path out.”
Alexander looked back at Evelyn.
“And you want me to give her one.”
“I want you,” Evelyn whispered, “to let her confess to choosing it.”
That afternoon, Alexander returned to the estate.
The mansion was surrounded by reporters. Cameras flashed as his black SUV passed through the gates. Headlines screamed from every phone in the country.
He ignored them all.
Inside, Victoria sat in the sunroom with her attorney, Leonard Cross, a thin man with expensive glasses and a frightened soul.
When Alexander entered, Victoria stood.
Her face transformed instantly.
Soft.
Tearful.
Beautiful.
“Oh, thank God,” she said. “Alexander, I’ve been so scared.”
He let her come closer.
Not close enough to touch.
“I saw the footage,” he said.
Her eyes flickered.
“My lawyer told me the footage was corrupted.”
“I have a copy.”
“Then you know it was misunderstood.”
Alexander studied her.
“You pushed her.”
Victoria’s lips trembled.
“She threatened me.”
“My mother is seventy-two.”
“She knew things. She was going to ruin us.”
“There is no us.”
That landed.
Her mask cracked.
Leonard Cross rose. “My client will not answer further questions without—”
Alexander looked at him.
“Sit down.”
Leonard sat.
Victoria inhaled sharply.
“You think you can scare me?”
“No,” Alexander said. “I think someone already did.”
Her face changed.
There it was.
Fear.
Real fear.
He stepped closer.
“Tell me who.”
She laughed, but it was thin.
“You really don’t understand, do you? Your mother should have kept quiet. Your father didn’t. Look what happened to him.”
Alexander’s blood chilled.
“What did you say?”
Victoria realized her mistake.
Too late.
Marcus, standing by the doorway, adjusted his cuff.
Recording.
Alexander leaned in.
“What happened to my father, Victoria?”
She lifted her chin, trying to recover.
“He died. Like powerful men do when they forget who made them powerful.”
“Who made him powerful?”
Victoria’s eyes moved toward the window.
Outside, beyond the gardens, a black town car waited near the service gate.
Marcus saw it too.
He spoke into his radio.
“Block the service gate.”
But the car was already moving.
Alexander ran.
By the time guards reached the driveway, the town car had smashed through a maintenance barrier and disappeared into the road beyond.
Marcus returned minutes later, grim.
“Vehicle was unregistered. Plates were fake.”
Alexander looked back toward the sunroom.
Victoria was no longer crying.
She was smiling.
“You can’t stop him,” she said softly.
May you like
Alexander stepped close enough that she stopped smiling.
“Watch me.”
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