Chapter 8
The deepest betrayal was not that Vanessa was Caleb’s daughter.
It was that she had not known his entire plan either.
I discovered that in the second audio file.
Relle had made another recording before she was found.
Caleb’s voice:
“The wedding is enough.”
Vanessa:
“For what?”
“To restore continuity.”
She laughed.
“You mean your influence.”
Caleb did not deny it.
Then:
“Julian has no children. If you give him one, the family becomes ours again.”
My jaw tightened.
Bloodline politics.
Ancient.
Pathetic.
Still powerful inside old Mafia families.
Vanessa sounded uncomfortable.
“I’m marrying him because I want him.”
“And I’m allowing it because wanting him is useful.”
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“What happens to Julian after?”
Caleb answered:
“That depends on whether he learns to listen.”
I stopped the recording.
Vanessa looked at me.
“I didn’t know.”
I believed her.
That did not save her.
“You knew enough.”
Her eyes filled.
“I never wanted you dead.”
“I didn’t say dead.”
She froze.
Caleb smiled slightly.
Too late.
I looked at him.
“What exactly was supposed to happen if I didn’t ‘listen’?”
He said nothing.
Vanessa stared at her father.
For the first time, her fear of him changed into fear of what she had helped build.
“Dad.”
He ignored her.
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Then Danielle spoke.
“Where is Relle?”
Caleb looked at her for the first time.
“She is alive.”
Amara gasped.
Danielle swayed.
I stood.
“Where?”
Caleb smiled.
“You expect me to trade my last leverage for nothing?”
My guards moved.
I raised one hand.
No.
Violence would make him feel important.
I wanted him afraid of irrelevance instead.
I looked at Vanessa.
“She knows.”
May you like
Caleb turned toward her.
And that was the first time I saw him truly panic.
