Chapter 10 - The Baby Vincent Couldn’t Find
The fire was contained.
Vincent had used it to destroy records.
Laura survived.
So did we.
Under federal protection, she finally told me everything.
Thirty years earlier, Sebastian Callahan had an affair with a woman connected to a federal corruption investigation.
She became pregnant.
That child was me.
My biological mother died shortly after giving birth.
Sebastian asked Laura to raise me far from the Callahans.
“Why you?”
Laura looked ashamed.
“Because I worked for Vincent.”
She had originally been sent to monitor Sebastian’s mistress.
Instead, she helped hide the baby.
Me.
Vincent spent years searching.
Not because he cared about Sebastian’s daughter.
Because Sebastian had created a trust.
A massive legal holding designed to transfer control of legitimate Callahan assets if his hidden daughter ever surfaced.
I laughed bitterly.
“So this is money.”
Roman shook his head.
“No.”
Laura agreed.
The trust also controlled archives.
Records.
Names.
Transactions.
Enough evidence to dismantle decades of criminal alliances.
Sebastian built a dead-man switch into his estate.
The hidden daughter could unlock it.
Vincent needed me before anyone else discovered who I was.
Caleb looked toward Roman.
“Then why involve me?”
Laura’s answer hurt.
“Because Vincent knew Caleb would eventually lead him to Emily.”
Our relationship had not been arranged.
But once Vincent discovered it, he allowed it.
Then when Lily was conceived, everything changed.
A child connected to both Sebastian’s recognized son and hidden daughter could become an alternate beneficiary.
Vincent panicked.
He removed Caleb.
Watched me.
Placed pressure around my life.
But one thing still bothered me.
“My job.”
Caleb had secretly arranged my position at Callahan Tower.
He looked at Roman.
“I thought Roman was the only person Vincent feared.”
“So you put me near him?”
“I thought if Vincent came for you, Roman would notice.”
Roman laughed without humor.
“You trusted me while believing I murdered Dad?”
“I trusted your paranoia.”
Fair enough.
Then Roman’s security chief entered.
“We located Vincent.”
An old Callahan property near the river.
Lily was visible on thermal cameras.
Alive.
My body nearly collapsed from relief.
Roman immediately prepared an extraction.
I stopped him.
“No.”
Everyone looked at me.
“He wants me.”
“Yes,” Roman said.
“So I go.”
“No.”
“You told me people don’t refuse you.”
“They don’t.”
“I’m starting.”
Caleb almost smiled.
Roman did not.
But eventually he nodded.
The plan was simple.
I would enter.
Roman’s men would surround the property.
Caleb would remain behind.
He refused.
Roman ordered him.
Caleb laughed.
Then Lily appeared on a live video sent by Vincent.
She was sitting unharmed on a carpet.
Vincent crouched beside her.
“Bring Emily alone.”
Then Lily looked beyond the camera.
Her face brightened.
“Papa!”
Vincent slowly turned.
Someone else was inside the room.
A man stepped partially into frame.
Caleb beside me went white.
“That’s impossible.”
Roman leaned toward the screen.
I whispered:
“Who is he?”
Caleb stared.
May you like
“My father.”
Sebastian Callahan was alive.
