Chapter 370
Chapter 370
I had never questioned where the money came from. Why would 12 Children don’t interrogate comfort. And also because it took me decades to find out just what type of man he was. To find out the monster my father was.
Paula studied my expression and smirked. “Don’t believe me? Ask your father what he does in his spare time with his friends. Ask him about the Serena‘ case. And the others before her p>
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. “And why would I trust the words of an ex–convict tied to a chair? You’re not exactly a
reliable narrator, Paula p>
She laughed–a harsh, bitter sound. “Oh, how interesting. It’s disappointing to see you defend the devil you call a father. Like father, like son. She flicked her gaze to Savannah. “Too bad Jace’s daughter fell for the General’s son. What a cruel joke the universe is playing
here p>
“Stop speaking in circles,” I growled. “Spit. It. Out p>
“You really don’t get it, do you?” She tilted her head. “Jace hates your father. Every single thing he has done for years was to bring Reginald Blackwood down p>
My pulse hammered. She wasn’t lying. I could feel it. There was this strong conviction in the way she spoke about all these.
“Yes, I’m an ex–convict. But I had a good reason for doing the things I did.” she continued. “I’m not like your father. Your father hosts dinners with criminals. He places them in high positions because he has them by the balls. They serve him. They obey him. General Blackwood is nothing but a criminal with a polished name p>
“Watch your words,” I snapped.
The last name she indirectly insulted was the one I bore. The one Savannah will take… The one our children will bear.
She smirked. “Your father is into illegal businesses. People vanish–women, men, even children–and all fingers point to him. He has a Senator in his circle. A professor. A corrupt judge he helped put at the top. And Jace? He joined that circle because his brother referred
him p>
Savannah’s breath hitched beside me.
Paula didn’t stop.
“Asher Kingston knew Savannah was off–limits. They all knew about Jace’s daughter and the circumstances surrounding her conception. But that didn’t stop him. When Jace reported it to your father, the General swept it under the rug. He said it wasn’t a big deal. And to make things worse?” Her smile sharpened. “Jace’s brother encouraged Kingston to do whatever he wanted… as long as she didn’t get pregnant p>
Savannah gasped, hand trembling against her chest.
I felt a coldness crawl under my skin.
“How do you know all this?” Savannah asked, voice barely there.
Paula didn’t even look at her. Her eyes stayed locked on mine–steady, venomous, certain.
“ I know because Jace told me,” she said. “I know because everything I’ve done leading up to this moment… was to kill you, Roman
Blackwood p>
Savannah grabbed my arm. I didn’t react.
Paula’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper. “Jace wanted revenge on Julius Hart through his daughter, Chloe. And I?” She leaned forward, chair creaking. “I wanted revenge on Reginald Blackwood–for murdering my father. And I planned to do it by taking you from him.” She shrugged. “Or any of your numerous siblings p>
Her eyes glittered with triumph, with hate, with years of festering rage.
“You,” she whispered, “were always my target. But that changed the moment I found out that you were the one who killed Kingston. I figured that you might be different.” She tilted her head. “You know why? ”
I didn’t speak. But she continued.
“It’s because your father would have never given that order. The General knew that once one man was down, it was only a matter of time before everything else went downhill. Only he controls the game. He pulls the strings. Only the general decides who dies. ”
The room fell silent immediately.
Everything froze around me except the beating of my own heart–slow, loud, and thunderous in my ears.
My father’s sins.
Jace’s revenge.
The trafficking.
The murders.
The circle.
The corruption.
The trap I was born into without even knowing.
Paula’s words still echoed in my skull like a countdown.
“ You were always the target p>
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.