Chapter 12 - Yara’s Choice
“Move.”
Yara didn’t.
Rafael’s hand trembled.
Interesting.
A man capable of threatening pregnant women could not point a weapon steadily at the daughter he claimed not to value.
“You won’t shoot me,” she said.
“Don’t test me.”
“You’ve tested me my entire life.”
She stepped closer.
“You chose my clothes, my schools, my friends. You decided who I would marry before Cormack even knew you were arranging it.”
She laughed bitterly.
“I thought that meant you loved me.”
Rafael’s expression hardened.
“It meant you had responsibilities.”
“No. It meant I was inventory.”
Patrick’s recording continued behind them.
Rafael Salcedo had not been born Rafael Salcedo.
His original name was Mateo Cruz.
He worked for the real Rafael Salcedo, a financial fixer connected to Patrick.
Twenty-four years earlier, the real Rafael disappeared.
Mateo assumed pieces of his identity.
Eventually all of it.
Why?
Because the real Rafael had access to accounts hidden throughout Europe and South America.
Mateo stole the identity.
Then killed anyone capable of proving it.
Yara turned slowly.
“If you’re not Rafael Salcedo…”
Her voice cracked.
“Who am I?”
Mateo didn’t answer.
Elias did.
“The real Rafael’s daughter.”
Yara staggered backward.
Mateo had raised the daughter of the man whose identity he stole.
Not from love.
Because Yara’s DNA could authenticate Salcedo family trusts.
Same pattern.
Same obsession.
Children reduced to keys.
Suddenly everything made sense.
Our son.
Declan.
Yara.
Bloodlines were passwords to Mateo.
“You wanted me to marry Cormack because…”
Yara couldn’t finish.
Mateo smiled sadly.
“A child connecting the Salcedo and Hale lines would unlock both structures.”
She looked sick.
“And when Cormack chose Brin?”
“You failed.”
That destroyed the last piece of loyalty inside her.
Yara stepped aside.
“Arrest him.”
Mateo raised the weapon.
Federal agents moved.
A single deafening impact echoed.
Nobody had been shot.
Royce had slammed Mateo’s wrist against the desk.
The weapon fell.
Agents swarmed him.
Mateo screamed as they restrained him.
“You think this ends with me?”
I crouched.
“No.”
His eyes burned.
“Patrick lied to you about everything.”
“Probably.”
“Especially your father.”
Royce stopped.
Mateo saw it.
And smiled.
“You think Isaiah Cole fathered Cormack?”
Silence.
Mateo laughed.
“He couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Isaiah Cole was sterile.”
Royce’s face changed.
Mateo leaned toward me.
“Patrick didn’t hide your father because he was ashamed of him.”
Pause.
“He hid him because your father was the one man powerful enough to take you back.”
My phone rang.
Brin.
I answered immediately.
“Everything okay?”
No response.
“Brin?”
Then a male voice answered.
“Cormack Hale.”
I went cold.
“Who is this?”
May you like
The man laughed.
“Ask your mother.”
