CHAPTER14 — THE OLD HOUSE
Chapter 14 - CHAPTER14 — THE OLD HOUSE
The Russo house had been abandoned for years.
Jodi remembered it from childhood.
She remembered running through the gardens.
She remembered Daniel telling her never to open the basement door.
Now the door stood open.
Hector walked beside her.
Adrian stayed outside with the others.
"Why did your father bring you here?" Hector asked.
"I don't know."
Jodi looked at the walls.
"Maybe I was supposed to remember."
They entered the basement.
A projector flickered on.
Daniel appeared on a screen.
Jodi stopped.
Her father looked older.
Tired.
But alive.
"If you're watching this," he said, "then Victor has failed."
Jodi covered her mouth.
Daniel continued.
"The truth is simple, but I made it complicated because I was afraid."
He explained everything.
Elena had never abandoned Jodi.
Victor had never been Jodi's biological father.
Hector was.
Daniel had helped raise her after a violent struggle between the families.
The inheritance had been created as a legal shield.
If Jodi and Hector ever came together, the criminal organization would lose control of the legitimate businesses.
Daniel's final plan had been to end the cycle.
But he knew it would only work if Jodi chose freely.
"Jodi," Daniel said, "no one should ever own your choices. Not your mother. Not Victor. Not Hector. Not me."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"You were never the prize."
The screen went dark.
Hector stood beside her.
"Your father was a good man."
"He lied."
"He did."
Jodi looked at him.
"But he loved you."
She nodded.
A door opened.
Victor stepped into the room.
Hector raised his gun.
Victor held up his hands.
"I didn't come to fight."
Jodi stared at him.
"Then why?"
Victor looked at her.
"Because I'm dying."
Hector didn't lower his gun.
"Good."
Victor accepted the words.
"I deserve worse."
Jodi stepped forward.
"Did you kill my father?"
"No."
"Did you order the fire?"
"No."
"The sniper?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
"Claire."
Jodi froze.
"She's alive."
Hector's expression changed.
Victor continued.
"She believed she could control everything if she made everyone blame me."
Jodi understood.
Claire had engineered the entire chain.
The sniper.
The fire.
The messages.
Mara's disappearance.
Victor's supposed attacks.
"Where is she?"
Victor smiled sadly.
"Behind you."
Jodi turned.
Claire stood in the doorway.
Gun raised.
She looked at Hector.
"I'm sorry."
The gun fired.
Hector moved.
The bullet struck him.
Jodi screamed his name.
Claire dropped the weapon.
And as Hector fell, Jodi finally understood the last secret.
May you like
Claire hadn't been aiming at Hector.
She had been aiming at herself.
