“I’ve been given some very specific instructions,” I hear jostling of papers in the background, the soft radio in the distance. Roman and Henry are talking, but blood rushes through my ears as I listen intently to what the stranger has to say.
“Ah here it is, apologies.” He clears his throat. The pause stretches, thick and suffocating. “I, David Andrews, being of sound mind and judgement, do hereby declare my successor as the owner of Apex Security Ltd to be Kara Snow. Furthermore, I bequeath my entire estate and fortune to my daughter, Kara Snow.”
The words slice clean through me.
My breath catches, my chest tightens, like something has lodged itself there and refuses to move.
My eyes widen as it rips through me. The regret. The pain.
I drop the phone into my lap and hang up the call.
“Pull over.”
Roman glances across, and he must see something in my expression, and I’m thankful that he does. The car has barely stopped, but I’m already throwing open the door, walking to a small alley and throwing up.
My stomach heaves, bile climbs my throat, and tears stream down my face as my body physically reacts to the news.
Apex Security is mine.
His fortune is mine.
His daughter.
This is a joke, right?
But something tells me it’s not. Something tells me that this is very much happening, is very much real. I spit once more and stand, hands on my hips as I take a heaving breath as Roman appears next to me.
“I mean, asking you if you’re alright seems a bit stupid,” he says.
“I need to go rogue.”
“I knew you’d say that,” he tuts. “How rogue?”
“I need to say goodbye.”
“Kara.” He looks across at me, his hazel eyes conflicted. “It will be worse for him.”
“No,” I shake my head, “no, it will be worse if I don’t. I need to explain to him why I can’t be with him; I can’t just walk away. I owe him more than that.”
“You need to.”
“No that’s what you’ve chosen to do. You’ve chosen to walk away without a word. Don’t project your decisions onto me, so you can get validation. I don’t need to make that same choice. He will understand why I’m doing it.”
“He’s in custody.”
“Not for long. Nick Armory will see to that.”
“That will take time.”
“Then I’ll expedite it.” I walk back to the car, reach in, and grab my bag.
“Where are you going?” Henry asks from the back seat, Roman climbs back in.
“You need to finish this. For Luca,” I say. “For me.”
Roman nods once, and I look back to Henry. “Thanks for the assist, Bishop. I hope you find her. Both of you.”
I close the door, and wave once as the black SUV pulls back into the stream of traffic and I walk between two office buildings.
