Chapter 8: The Man Who Started The War
Nobody moved.
Not because Malcolm told us to.
Because everyone understood something had changed.
This wasn't an attack.
It was a conversation.
And that scared me more.
People who wanted to kill you didn't usually announce themselves.
People who wanted something did.
Emmett stepped forward.
"Malcolm.""
A laugh came from outside.
"Still protecting people who don't belong to you?""
Cody flinched.
I saw it.
The words hurt him.
Emmett noticed too.
His expression darkened.
"Leave.""
"No.""
Malcolm's voice became sharper.
"Not until my nephew comes home.""
Cody whispered:
"Your nephew?""
Nobody answered.
I looked at Emmett.
Then Daniel.
Then Cody.
Every person around him had been keeping pieces of his life from him.
I was beginning to understand why he trusted drawings more than people.
Malcolm continued.
"Jillian, you should know something.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Don't listen.""
Emmett's warning came immediately.
But Malcolm continued.
"Your husband never planned to tell you the truth.""
My hand curled into a fist.
"About what?""
"About Cody.""
I looked at the boy beside me.
"About what?""
Malcolm laughed softly.
"Ask Patrick why he married you.""
The silence was unbearable.
I hated how easily that sentence found the weakest parts of me.
Because I had asked myself that question before.
Not often.
Not seriously.
But everyone wonders sometimes.
Why me?
Why did someone choose me?
Especially someone like Patrick Bannon.
"He's lying," Emmett said.
"Maybe.""
Malcolm's voice lowered.
"But ask yourself why Patrick chose a woman with no connection to the Bannon family.""
I felt Cody look at me.
Because that was the truth.
I wasn't born into their world.
I entered it.
Patrick found me when I was twenty-eight.
A normal woman.
A school counselor.
A person with no powerful family name.
At the time, I thought that was what he loved about me.
Maybe it was what he needed.
"Enough.""
Emmett's voice was dangerous.
Malcolm laughed.
"You always were sentimental.""
Then:
"Just like with Laura.""
Emmett went still.
I noticed.
And Malcolm noticed too.
"Still hurts, doesn't it?""
"What happened to Laura?"" I asked.
Nobody answered.
So I asked again.
"What happened?""
Emmett looked at me.
"Not here.""
"Why?""
"Because Malcolm wants you angry.""
"Maybe I should be.""
That hurt him.
I saw it.
But I couldn't stop.
Too many secrets.
Too many years.
Malcolm spoke again.
"Laura discovered something about this family.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Malcolm.""
The older man outside laughed.
"Daniel. Still cleaning up everyone's messes?""
"What did she discover?"" I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
Then at Cody.
"She discovered that Shawn was not Malcolm's enemy.""
Cody frowned.
"What?""
Daniel continued.
"Shawn discovered Malcolm had been moving money through companies for years.""
Malcolm said nothing.
That silence was confirmation.
"He wanted to expose him," Daniel said.
"And you killed him," Cody whispered.
Malcolm finally answered.
"No.""
Everyone froze.
"No?""
Malcolm's voice was calm.
"Your father died because he trusted the wrong person.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Who?""
Another silence.
Then Malcolm said:
"Patrick.""
The name felt like a punch.
Cody backed away.
"No.""
Malcolm continued.
"Patrick found out Shawn was going to expose everything.""
"You're lying," Cody said.
"Am I?""
A phone buzzed.
Mine.
Everyone looked.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
A video.
My hands went cold.
It was Patrick.
Sitting in a dark room.
Talking to someone off camera.
His voice was clear.
"I'll handle Jillian.""
My breath stopped.
Then another voice asked:
"And the boy?""
Patrick answered:
"He'll do what he was raised to do.""
The video ended.
Cody stared.
I couldn't speak.
Emmett took the phone.
His face became unreadable.
Because now even he couldn't deny it.
Malcolm's voice came through the window.
"Come home, Cody.""
The boy looked toward the darkness.
"Never.""
A pause.
Then Malcolm said:
"You don't understand.""
His voice softened.
"You were never the target.""
Everyone froze.
"Your father was.""
Cody whispered:
"Why?""
Malcolm answered:
"Because Shawn found out you weren't the only secret Laura left behind.""
My heart stopped.
"What does that mean?""
Malcolm didn't answer.
Instead, he said:
"Ask Emmett who your real father is.""
The silence that followed was louder than the gunshots.
May you like
Cody slowly turned.
Toward Emmett.
