Chapter 5
Ruth Bennett had a bruised cheek.
A split lip.
And absolutely no fear left.
The moment she saw Mara, she tried to cross the room.
My bodyguards stopped her.
“Let me go.”
I looked at Mara.
She smiled coldly.
“Still dramatic.”
Ruth shook with rage.
“You locked a child in a wall.”
Mara rolled her eyes.
“She was safe.”
Ruth laughed.
“Safe?”
Her voice broke.
“She hadn't eaten.”
“Lily fed her.”
“That is not your defense.”
Mara's face hardened.
Good.
I turned to Ruth.
“Grace.”
Her expression changed.
I felt my chest tighten.
“Tell me.”
Ruth sat.
For a moment, she couldn't.
Then:
“Grace never left you.”
I closed my eyes.
Four years collapsed into five words.
Ruth continued.
“She found Mara and Marco meeting Vale men inside the west passage.”
I opened my eyes.
Vale.
Mara's family.
Her maiden family.
Marco's blood.
Ruth continued.
“They were using your sealed corridor to enter the estate without your guards seeing.”
I looked at Mara.
No denial.
“What happened?”
“Grace told them she was going to you.”
Ruth stared at Marco.
“He took her phone.”
Then Mara.
“She took Ava.”
My hands curled.
“How?”
“From the nursery.”
Mara laughed.
“Ava was asleep.”
I stared.
Ruth's face twisted.
“You say that like it makes kidnapping polite.”
Mara shrugged.
“She didn't even wake until we were gone.”
I stopped breathing.
She had admitted it.
Not accidentally.
Proudly.
Ruth continued.
“They took both of them to an old Vale property.”
“How long?”
“Eleven weeks.”
My stomach turned.
Ava was two.
Grace disappeared for eleven weeks before Ruth got them out.
“What did they want?”
Ruth looked at Ava's rabbit.
“Grace had a key.”
“The red key.”
“Yes.”
“What does it open?”
“Your father's old west-room strongbox.”
Not money, as it turned out.
Something more dangerous to Mara.
Ruth continued.
“Your father kept the names of every Vale associate he discovered inside Carter crews.”
My jaw tightened.
A purge list.
Old betrayal.
My father died before finishing it.
Grace found the key after his death.
Mara and Marco wanted it because it could expose Vale infiltration.
“Why didn't Grace give it to them?”
Ruth almost smiled.
“Because she hated bullies.”
That sounded like Grace.
My chest hurt.
“How did you escape?”
“I worked the Vale property.”
Ruth looked at Ava.
“Kitchen.”
“I heard her crying.”
Silence.
“One night Marco left the outer gate open.”
Marco laughed bitterly.
“Your heroic story depends on a mistake.”
Ruth stared.
“Yes.”
Then smiled.
“Yours.”
Good.
She continued.
“I got them out.”
“Why didn't Grace come home?”
Ruth looked at Mara.
“Because Mara found us first.”
My jaw tightened.
“What?”
“She sent word.”
Ruth's voice turned cold.
“She said Ryan knew Grace betrayed him.”
Mara stared.
“That Ryan ordered Ava removed.”
My stomach turned.
Ruth continued.
“And that if Grace came back, you would finish what the Vales started.”
Silence.
I looked at Mara.
“You used my name.”
She smiled faintly.
“It worked.”
That was the worst answer.
Not denial.
Success.
I stepped closer.
“You let Grace spend four years afraid of me.”
“She chose fear.”
“No.”
Ruth looked at Mara.
“She chose her daughter.”
Silence.
Then Ruth turned toward me.
“Grace died eight days ago.”
My throat tightened.
“How?”
Ruth looked at Marco.
His face changed.
“There.”
I whispered.
“What did he do?”
Ruth's eyes filled.
May you like
“The Vales found us again.”
And Grace's last eight days suddenly belonged to another betrayal.
