Chapter 12 - the brother who wanted everything
Vincent stopped.
Isabella stood behind him.
Julian raised the weapon.
"Don't."
Vincent's voice remained steady.
"You came a long way."
Julian smiled faintly.
"For this house?"
"For revenge."
"Same thing."
Adrian closed the passage door behind them.
"You always did like dramatic rooms."
Vincent looked at him.
"Fourteen years."
Adrian's face changed slightly.
"What?"
"You spent fourteen years standing beside me."
"Learning."
"Waiting?"
"Both."
Vincent nodded.
"I hope it was worth it."
Adrian's eyes hardened.
"You lived in the house my father paid for with his life."
"No. My father ruined yours. There's a difference."
"Not to us."
Julian interrupted.
"Enough."
He looked at Isabella.
"Move beside him."
She obeyed.
Julian placed documents on the desk.
"At midnight, the trust dissolves."
Vincent glanced at the clock.
11:48.
"You know that."
"Yes."
"Before it dissolves, Eleanor files the incapacity challenge."
"She withdrew her cooperation."
Julian smiled.
"Did she?"
Vincent's stomach tightened.
Julian continued.
"Your mother understands survival."
Footsteps came from the passage.
Eleanor entered.
Vincent stared at her.
She would not meet his eyes.
Isabella whispered, "Eleanor."
Adrian looked satisfied.
Vincent felt something inside him close.
"You chose them."
Eleanor finally looked at him.
"I chose what preserves the family."
Julian laughed.
"You still think you're part of the family?"
Eleanor turned sharply.
"You promised."
"I promised Adrian."
Her face changed.
Julian pointed toward the papers.
"Sign."
Vincent didn't move.
"What is it?"
"Transfer of voting control pending litigation."
"To whom?"
"A holding trust."
"Controlled by you."
"Naturally."
Vincent looked at Eleanor.
"Is this what you wanted?"
She realized.
Perhaps for the first time.
Julian never intended to share control.
Adrian looked uneasy too.
"Julian."
His brother ignored him.
"Sign."
Vincent glanced at the clock.
11:51.
Nine minutes.
He slowly approached the desk.
Julian watched.
Vincent picked up the pen.
Isabella said, "Don't."
Julian aimed at her.
Vincent froze.
"Point that somewhere else."
"Then sign."
Vincent lowered his eyes to the document.
Something was wrong.
The signature page referenced an attachment.
Schedule C.
There was no Schedule C.
Isabella saw it too.
She spoke carefully.
"You're missing a page."
Julian looked at her.
"No."
"Yes."
She pointed.
"Schedule C determines the voting class being transferred. Without it, this is worthless."
Julian glanced at Adrian.
Adrian frowned.
"I copied everything."
Isabella continued.
"Apparently not."
Julian's patience cracked.
"Where is it?"
Vincent understood what Isabella was doing.
Buying time.
"Probably in the trust file upstairs."
Julian looked at the clock.
11:53.
"Adrian."
Adrian hesitated.
"Go."
Adrian left through the passage.
Julian turned to Eleanor.
"You too."
She didn't move.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
Something in Eleanor finally broke.
"No."
Julian looked at her.
She stepped toward Vincent.
"No more."
Julian laughed.
"You kidnapped a woman and framed your son's fiancée, but now you've developed a conscience?"
Eleanor went pale.
Vincent said nothing.
She whispered, "I'm sorry."
Julian aimed the pistol at her.
"Move."
Vincent stepped between them.
Julian's finger tightened.
Then the cellar lights went out.
Darkness.
Isabella had reached the breaker beside the desk.
Vincent lunged.
A shot cracked through the room.
Wood splintered.
Eleanor screamed.
Vincent struck Julian's arm.
The pistol fell.
Isabella kicked it beneath the desk.
Adrian rushed back into the room.
"What happened?"
Emergency lights came on.
Julian tackled Vincent.
Adrian stared.
For one strange second he did nothing.
Julian shouted, "Help me!"
Adrian moved.
But not toward Vincent.
He grabbed the fallen weapon.
Julian smiled.
"Good."
Adrian pointed it.
At Julian.
Everyone froze.
Adrian's face trembled.
"You lied to me."
Julian stared.
"Put it down."
"You said we'd expose them."
"We are."
"You said we would take back what belonged to Dad."
"We will."
"You were going to cut me out."
Julian's expression hardened.
"Don't be stupid."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"Fourteen years I lived inside this family for you."
Vincent watched him.
Adrian continued.
"I destroyed Isabella's reputation. I took Mia. I did everything."
Vincent's voice was cold.
"Thank you."
Adrian looked at him.
Vincent pointed toward the corner.
A red light blinked.
The original room 27 security camera.
Isabella had activated it remotely before they entered.
Everything had been recorded.
Julian lunged.
Adrian fired.
The bullet struck the stone floor.
Vincent knocked the weapon away.
Federal agents burst through the passage.
Within seconds, Julian and Adrian were on the ground.
Handcuffed.
The clock changed.
11:59.
Then midnight.
Vincent turned forty.
Nothing happened.
No alarm.
No collapse.
No stolen empire.
Just twelve quiet chimes from the mansion clock above them.
The trust dissolved.
Vincent looked at Eleanor.
She had tears in her eyes.
May you like
But he felt no victory.
Not yet.
